nonprofit brand values example

Creating Brand Values That Align With Your Purpose and Resonate With Your Audience

Branding

Because “Integrity. Innovation. Excellence.” doesn’t mean anything if no one feels it.

A few years back, a nonprofit came to us with a branding request. New logo, new messaging, the works.

When we asked about their nonprofit brand values, they sent over a one-pager with five words: Integrity. Collaboration. Accountability. Respect. Innovation.

You could practically hear the yawning through the screen.

Not because those words are bad—but because they’re meaningless on their own. They weren’t reflected in how the organization actually operated, and they definitely weren’t helping anyone understand who they were or why they mattered.

The problem? They’d created nonprofit brand values that sounded good on paper but didn’t say a single true thing about their culture, their purpose, or the people they serve.

Why Generic Nonprofit Brand Values Don’t Build Real Connection

If your nonprofit brand values could belong to any organization, they’re not doing their job.

Your nonprofit isn’t just any nonprofit. You have a unique story, a unique culture, and a unique approach to the work. Your values should reflect that—not just corporate platitudes dressed up in mission-driven language.

👉 Want to learn how to write values that stick? Check out this guide from IDEO.

Start With Your Purpose—and Zoom In

Your nonprofit brand values shouldn’t be aspirational—they should be authentic.

Say your mission is to create equitable access to education. That’s the “why.” Now dig into the “how.”

  • Do you approach your work with bold activism?

  • Quiet tenacity?

  • Radical collaboration?

  • Systems thinking?

  • Deep local relationships?

Two organizations can have similar missions—but how they carry it out, and the values that drive them, should be totally distinct.

Speak in Real Language, Not Corporateese

Here’s where most nonprofits go wrong. They come up with something true and meaningful, and then flatten it into a committee-approved sentence that sounds like a press release.

Don’t do that.

The best nonprofit brand values speak like people. They sound like your team. They’re memorable because they’re specific, clear, and real.

Make Your Nonprofit Brand Values Resonate Outside Your Walls

Your values aren’t just for your team—they’re for the people you want to reach, rally, and retain.

Whether that’s donors, volunteers, clients, partners, or your local community, your values help people decide if they see themselves in your organization. If they trust you. If they believe in you.

💡 Example: Patagonia doesn’t just say they care about the planet—they live it through repair programs, activism, and environmental giving.

A Few Focus Areas to Ground Your Nonprofit Brand Values

If you’re not sure where to begin, here are a few real-world areas where values often emerge—and where they need to be felt:

  • Sustainability: “We act in ways that future generations won’t have to clean up.” (IKEA, Patagonia)

  • Ethical Sourcing & Labor: “People > profit. Always.” (Fairphone, The Body Shop)

  • Social Justice: “Silence isn’t neutral. We speak up.” (Ben & Jerry’s, Lush)

  • Health & Wellness: “Care isn’t a luxury—it’s a right.” (Lululemon, Calm)

  • Transparency: “No secrets. No spin. Just truth.” (Charity: Water, Warby Parker)

But don’t just grab from this list. Make it yours. Name what actually drives your work—and name it in a way people can remember.

Once You’ve Written Them—Live Them

Here’s the part most orgs skip: implementation.

If your nonprofit brand values only live on a “Who We Are” page, they’re not values. They’re ideas.

Your values should show up in:

  • Hiring decisions

  • Board culture

  • Messaging and tone of voice

  • Program design

  • Fundraising practices

  • Partnerships

  • Conflict resolution

  • Social content

  • Customer service

They’re not window dressing. They’re the foundation.

Are Your Nonprofit Brand Values Real or Just Words?

If your values don’t reflect your reality—or resonate with your people—what’s the point?

✅ Good values are authentic.
✅ Great values are actionable.
✅ The best values are both.

Want help crafting values that don’t make people roll their eyes? HOLY SH*FT! can help.

Let’s make them mean something.