Branding Beyond the Logo: What Nonprofits Must Know

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Most nonprofits don’t have a branding problem—they have a clarity problem.

In our latest episode of A Modern Nonprofit Podcast, Steven Picanza of ANEWbrand joins Tosha Anderson to talk all things branding, verbal identity, and the art of not overloading your homepage.

Your Website Is Trying to Talk to Everyone

Too many nonprofits try to speak to all their audiences at once:

  • Donors
  • Program participants
  • Board members
  • Staff
  • Volunteers

The result? Websites that feel more like mazes than invitations.

When your homepage tries to do everything, it often does nothing well. People don’t know where to click, what matters most, or how to take action. And when there’s confusion, visitors disengage.

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Function Over Flash

Branding doesn’t have to be flashy. In fact, the most effective nonprofit brands are grounded in function—not flair.

Think of your brand like a kitchen. If it’s cluttered, outdated, and confusing, no one wants to spend time there. The same goes for your website, social media, or marketing materials. They should feel welcoming, efficient, and easy to navigate.

Start with Verbal Identity

So how do you fix a cluttered brand? It starts with verbal identity—your voice, tone, and the words you use to communicate your mission.

Getting clear on how you sound helps you stay consistent across every touchpoint—from your homepage to your donation forms to your elevator pitch. When your language is clear, your message becomes memorable.

Is Your Verbal Identity Clear?

Your Brand Should Work Internally, Too

Verbal identity isn’t just for donors—it’s for your team.

Every staff member, board member, and volunteer should be able to recite your mission on command. If they can’t, your brand isn’t working internally. And if it’s not working internally, it won’t hold up externally either.

A strong brand creates alignment. It brings everyone on the same page with your purpose, values, and next steps.

Your Brand Attracts More Than Donors

Branding isn’t just about fundraising. It also impacts your ability to attract:

  • Mission-aligned staff
  • Skilled volunteers
  • Community partners

In today’s nonprofit landscape, where funding is shifting from government to private sources, your brand needs to do more than inspire—it needs to convert.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Broken

You don’t have to wait for your brand to be broken—or outdated—to take action.

Learn about simple tools you can use like:

  • Stakeholder surveys
  • External brand consultants

These can help you gather honest feedback and make strategic improvements.

Branding doesn’t have to mean starting over. Most of the time, it’s an evolution—not a revolution.

Clarity Is the New Competitive Edge

In a crowded digital world, clarity is what cuts through.

Get clear on who you are.
Get clear on who you’re talking to.
And most importantly—get clear on what you want them to do next.

Connect with Steven Picanza

Website: https://www.stevenpicanza.com/

Youtube: @Picanza

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenpicanza/

Check Out These Blogs Next

Provide a ‘WOW’ Experience in your Nonprofit Marketing

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About The Charity CFO

The Charity CFO is an accounting partner that truly understands nonprofits. Our team knows the missions that drive you, the obstacles that challenge you, and the dedication your job demands. We “get” nonprofits, because nonprofits are all that we do. If you need help with your accounting and bookkeeping, let’s talk.

Book a FREE consultation here!

Why You Shouldn’t Be Giving Up on Federal Grants

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Nonprofit leaders are facing a moment of reckoning: Is federal funding still worth it?

Delayed opportunities. Agency confusion. Shifting compliance rules. The politicization of DEI language. For many, walking away from federal grants feels like the safer route.

But Fielding Jezreel says hold on.

In this episode of A Modern Nonprofit Podcast, Fielding—Founder & President of Jezreel Consulting and one of the nonprofit sector’s top federal grant strategists—joins Tosha Anderson to make the case for why you shouldn’t give up on federal grants.

Because right now, funding isn’t just funding. It’s advocacy. It’s access. And it’s about staying visible in a system that’s changing fast.

Fielding shares what she’s seeing behind the scenes with her clients, including:

  • Agencies struggling to align executive orders with existing law
  • Application requirements changing—sometimes week to week
  • Entire divisions going quiet or disappearing (we’re looking at you, SBA)

Still, she encourages nonprofits to stay in the game. Because stepping back sends the wrong signal: maybe we didn’t need this money after all.

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Forecasting as a Nonprofit’s Financial Early Warning System

Many of the financial challenges that derail nonprofits—unexpected capital expenditures, seasonal fundraising gaps, timing mismatches—aren’t included in the original budget.

Forecasting gives nonprofit leaders a strategic advantage by allowing them to:

  • Model different financial scenarios
  • Spot risks before they become emergencies
  • Make informed decisions in real time

It doesn’t have to be complex. Start with your existing budget. Then, update projections monthly or quarterly. Replace budgeted numbers with actuals and monitor both net income and cash flow impact. The goal? Shift from reactive firefighting to proactive planning.

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The key is knowing how to show up.

She urges organizations to ask not only are we eligible, but are we willing—to adapt language, challenge executive orders, or even fight back through the courts if necessary.

For those new to federal grants, Fielding advises patience. This is a time to learn, build capacity, and get your infrastructure tight. And if you’re applying? Bring your policies, legal support, and even your PR team—because compliance is on blast.

This isn’t about chasing dollars. It’s about staying in the room, and fighting for the communities we serve.

Contact Fielding 

Website: https://www.jezreelconsulting.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fieldingjezreel/

Apply to join the Fast Track Training and Federal Grants Accelerator (Beta pricing ends July 14)

Sign up to receive weekly federal grants tips from Fielding’s newsletter

Check Out These Blogs Next

Is Your Nonprofit Ready For Federal Grant Funding?

Best Practices when Accounting for Grants

Follow Us Online

Stay connected and get more exclusive content on:

Get Involved

About The Charity CFO

We are an accounting partner that truly understands nonprofits. We know the missions that drive you, the obstacles that challenge you, and the dedication your job demands. We “get” nonprofits, because nonprofits are all that we do. If you need help with your accounting and bookkeeping, let’s talk.

Book a FREE consultation here!