Your nonprofit’s name is an essential part of its brand and identity.
It’s often the very first thing people see or hear when they encounter your organization.
But how do you know when your organization has outgrown its name? What factors should you consider when the cultural landscape makes your name confusing, unclear, or even disadvantageous?
Here are 5 reasons to rename your nonprofit.
1. Your name no longer reflects your mission or values
Nonprofits grow and change. They may refine their focus or expand it. Through this evolution of scope and scale, their mission and values may also change, making the existing name no longer relevant.
Imagine this scenario: A nonprofit launches to help a school district’s students connect with resources, such as take-home food boxes and winter clothing. Over time, they expand beyond the school district to serve any household in the region.
Here’s another scenario: A different nonprofit starts out providing educational services to students of color in a certain neighborhood. As gentrification happens in the community, the inequity gap widens. In response, the leaders of the nonprofit want to elevate their focus with a name that centers students of color and advocates for equitable access to education.
In both cases, as the nonprofits grow and scale, a new name may become necessary to better reflect their mission and vision.
2. Your name is confusing or hard to remember
Your nonprofit’s founders chose a name that seemed good at the time.
But later on, it may become clear that people find the name difficult to spell, pronounce, or remember.
This poses a barrier for potential supporters, volunteers, and donors to find and engage with your nonprofit.
A name change can help simplify the organization’s messaging and make it more accessible and memorable to a broader audience.
3. Your name has negative connotations
Your nonprofit can’t control the tides of culture.
A nonprofit’s name may develop negative connotations that stand opposed to the organization’s mission and values. This can happen when the name is associated, either directly or indirectly, with a controversial figure, event, or ideology.
In other cases, it may be that the nonprofit’s name happens to be a word that has taken on a new cultural meaning.
If your nonprofit’s name elicits a negative response from your audience members, a name change can help distance your organization from those associations and rebrand it in a more positive light.
4. Your name is limiting your growth
Perhaps your nonprofit started out serving people in your city. But through a series of fortuitous events, you’ve gained national recognition and are serving people across the US.
If your name is too specific or limited to geographic location, it can keep you from attracting the support you need to make a bigger impact and hinder your efforts to scale and expand your reach.
A new name can help you broaden your organization’s appeal and attract a wider audience.
5. Your name is causing legal or trademark issues
There’s steep competition out there for a good name. That means your nonprofit’s name is valuable.
At some point, you may find your organization facing legal or trademark issues from other brands claiming your name. This can happen if your name is similar to another organization’s or if there are trademark infringement concerns.
Changing your name can help you avoid trademark issues and ensure your resources are spent on impactful programs instead of legal fees.
What to do when it’s time to change your name
Is your nonprofit facing one of these issues? Then you should consider a name change. (If you’re facing 2 or more of these challenges, then yes, it’s definitely time to rename your organization.)
But be sure to do so using a healthy process.
Consider the potential impact on your brand, supporters, and stakeholders.
And consult with your board, staff, and legal counsel to ensure an ethical, collaborative, inclusive naming process.
When it comes down to it, renaming your nonprofit with something original, compelling, and on-brand takes deep creative work and brand insight.
Work with an experienced agency to ensure you land on a name that will inspire a new generation of donors, amplify your impact, and create a lasting legacy.
