The Brand Level-Up is a done-for-you brand refresh built exclusively for nonprofits who are ready to look as credible as they actually are without turning it into a second job.
“It’s kind of a free-for-all. You wouldn’t know everything came from the same organization.”
“The logo made sense in the beginning, but we’ve grown a lot since then and it just doesn’t represent us anymore.”
“It looks a little mom and pop. Like we’re smaller and less serious than we actually are.”
If you’re nodding — even a little — here’s what’s actually going on: you have a brand in name only. A logo someone volunteered to make years ago, colors that don’t quite work together, and a lot of inconsistency in between.
That’s not a design problem. It’s a credibility problem. And it’s fixable.
Before someone reads your mission statement, before they hear your story, before they decide whether to open their network to you — your brand is already answering three questions…
Is this the same org I heard about?
Are they legit?
Can I trust them with my money?
When your brand looks outdated, those answers come back fuzzy. Not wrong — just uncertain. And uncertain donors hesitate. It’s a slow, quiet tax on every fundraising effort you’re making.
Your organization isn’t small. Your mission isn’t small. Your brand shouldn’t make it look like it is.
Take it from my client, Erica
You wouldn’t know our designs were all from the same organization. Now, every single thing we do, anyone can look at it and say ‘that’s Kids Hub!’ Everything is streamlined, and everyone on our team knows the expectation.
Our new logo makes us more recognizable to the community and more legitimate to our donors. Yes, the investment can feel scary, but it also pushed us to internally think about who we are and how we want to communicate. Now we have such a better grasp on exactly who we are and our value proposition. It’s a commitment, but truly, the best commitment with such potential.”
They do award-winning work, but also come with a huge price tag. Estimates start at $35,000. Most projects come in at $50,000+. One of our clients was quoted $100,000 for the exact work she got here for a fraction of that. Those agencies are brilliant...and they're priced for organizations three times your size
More affordable, but they need you to run the project. Plus, you end up having to teach them all about the nonprofit sector, donor psychology, and board politics — and then managing revisions on top of it all. You've been here before. It didn't hold. As one of our clients put it: "We tried to put a square peg in a round hole and they just never got it."
More like DIWHY do this to yourself?!?! Canva can do a lot, but it can't give you an outside perspective, a strategic foundation, or someone to help lead internal discussions. And there's always that gnawing thought of...did we do this right??
Nonprofit-only branding. Done for you. At a price your board can approve. Delivered by someone who already understands your world without being taught it. And handed back as a system your whole team can run without a designer on call.
And here’s the thing: you don’t need to be reinvented. You need to be seen.
Your mission is already working so you don’t need a ground-up rebrand – you need your brand to finally catch up to where you already are.
Check out our branding portfolio to see how our approach comes to life for real nonprofits across the United States.
You show up, give feedback, and make decisions. Lauren handles everything else. The timeline runs 3–4 month, but your involvement is a fraction of that.
Before we touch a single visual, we start with discussing how your brand is positioned in the minds of your audiences and the marketplace.
Your SPARK Strategy document – your story, personality, audiences, research, and key priorities to take your brand from where it is today to where you want to grow.
Your full visual identity—logo, color palette, fonts, custom icons, and photography—built into a Canva Brand Kit with guidelines, plus a complete template set: business card, letterhead, thank you card, email signature, presentation, proposal, and social media.
Audience Research: Understand exactly who you’re talking to before we build (adds 2–3 weeks, completed before SPARK)
Naming: A new, ownable name for your organization, program, or event – checked against the US Patent and Trademark Office plus domain and social handle availability, with a plan to reintroduce your org to the public (adds 4–6 weeks)
Messaging Toolkit: Develop your voice and story alongside your visual identity (runs in parallel, no added timeline)
Specialist nonprofit branding agencies start at $35,000, with most projects landing between $50-100K. One of our clients was quoted $100,000 for the same outcome she got here!
The Brand Level-Up sits exactly in the gap: specialist knowledge, done-for-you execution, and a brand system built to last decades.
Payment plans available
Need helping making the case?
You won’t walk in alone. The proposal comes structured with clear deliverables, timelines, and context on what agencies charge — built so previous clients have used it to get budget approved.
The Brand Level-Up works best for nonprofits in a specific season.
That’s not a failure — that’s the right fit working correctly. If you’re not there yet, stay on the email list. If you are — let’s talk.
I’m Lauren Atherton, founder of Heart Spark Design. I work exclusively with nonprofits and understand donor psychology, board dynamics, and why “trustworthy” matters more than “flashy” for a fundraising organization.
In 17+ years and 35+ brand refreshes, I’ve learned the organizations who need this most are usually the ones carrying the most — lean teams, big missions, and a development director doing the job of four people. The Brand Level-Up was designed for exactly that person.
Working with a branding expert for the first time can feel intimidating, but a great partner will make the process collaborative, smooth, and inspiring—a fresh new chapter for your organization! With the Brand Level-Up, you’ll work directly with Lauren to capture your mission and translate it into a cohesive brand that reflects your organization’s unique impact. You’re in expert hands!
Expect to be actively involved in sharing information about your nonprofit, reviewing designs and sharing feedback along the way. Don’t worry—Lauren will guide you on exactly what feedback is needed and when, making it easy and straightforward. By the end, you’ll have a brand that feels true to your vision and equips you to attract donors with confidence.
This done-for-you service is ideal for growing nonprofits with fewer than 3 team members, especially those aiming to reach the next funding level. It works best when one leader – such as your founder, executive director, or CEO – is directly involved and can help make decisions more quickly throughout the process.
The right time for a design refresh is when you start feeling like your current visuals are holding you back. If your brand no longer reflects your mission, or if you feel hesitant to share your website and materials, it can freeze your confidence—and your nonprofit’s growth.
A rebrand can also be valuable if your organization has evolved since you first started. When your mission or programs have shifted, professional branding gives you the clarity and tools to move forward with confidence.
But the best advice I can give you about timing is to NOT launch your new brand during giving season! It’s focused time for fundraising and introducing a new name, logo or look may distract or confuse your donors. Best to launch in October or wait until January.
Lauren can help you decide if now is the right time for a new brand strategy, visual refresh, or website redesign. Schedule a free call to talk it through with Lauren!
Absolutely! If you’ve just given your logo a fresh new look, we’ll use it to inspire your brand identity style. Beyond just your logo, we’ll spruce up every aspect of your visual brand, ensuring everything feels polished and wonderfully consistent.
If you’ve made it this far, you already know your nonprofit is ready for a brand that reflects its impact. Let’s talk through what credibility, clarity, and alignment could look like for you – it all starts with filling out our Brand Level-Up application!
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