Does Your Organization Need a Tagline?

Is a tagline essential for good nonprofit communication? No.

Is it highly valuable in helping people quickly understand your organization and make an emotional connection to it? Yes.

Remember that even a good name can only do so much to explain your work and motivate people to support you. And most nonprofits don’t have good names.

The value of a good name will be realized over time by the attributes that people come to associate with it.  A strong tagline, along with great communication and outstanding programs and operations, will help people associate the right things with your work.  The tagline is a shortcut to help people more quickly understand and appreciate what you’re organization is doing.

Consider these examples as a reminder of how a good tagline helps give a name deeper meaning. Imagine these names without their tagline:

Marin Education Fund
Everyone should have a chance at college

Pets Unlimited
Do something good for pets

United Negro College Fund
A mind is a terrible thing to waste

Earth Justice
Because the earth needs a good lawyer

If your organization is considering a new name, be sure to plan to create an outstanding tagline to go with it.  Not considering a new name, but know the one you have is not the best it could be?  Write a new tagline that helps decode the focus of your organization’s work so your audiences can more easily understand and appreciate you.

For guidelines on how, download our free how-to, Taglines that Tell.

Good luck!
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