Insights

Thoughts and expertise on strategy, branding, and donor engagement across the urban and international community development landscape.

Your Organization Needs a What We Do Say/What We Don’t Say Lexicon

By Bill Cummings

No one likes the word police—and no one wants to be that person on your team either, cutting a coworker off to admonish, “We don’t use that term here.” And yet, finding the ideal language is incredibly important to being inclusive and effective in your work. There’s a big difference between calling a person a…

Read More

Introducing the Liminal eBook: Effective Nonprofit Branding

By Todd Hiestand

At Liminal, we thrive in the realm of possibility, where uncertainty meets potential. But it wasn’t always this way. We had to live through our own periods of career upheaval, with all the discomfort and doubt, before we were able to embrace the power of life’s most ambiguous, in-between moments. On the other side, we…

Read More

Rebranding as a rite of passage

By Todd Hiestand

In life, there are seasons where you have to rebuild from scratch — where you’re faced with an ending you may not have seen coming. That’s true for people, and that’s true for organizations. The way to make the most of these periods of change is to think of them differently: What if this wasn’t…

Read More

Never Miss an Insight

Connect People To Strengthen Your Organization

By Bill Cummings

Belonging is a fundamental human need. As nonprofit leaders, you have the opportunity to cultivate a community around that feeling. By hosting in-person and virtual get-togethers, you can create a space where people feel valued, neighbors get to know each other, and people find commonalities, even if they’re an ocean apart. To plan an event…

Read More

Own the Complexity, Pass On the Clarity

By Todd Hiestand

At Liminal, one phrase that guides our work with nonprofits is, “Own the complexity and pass on clarity.” This phrase makes us think of a reporter pouring over months of research the week before her publishing deadline. She has to make sense of hours of interviews with three experts, a counterpoint from a local city…

Read More

Does your organization start with “why?”

By Bill Cummings

For the next week, place a post-it note in your workspace. Stick it somewhere prominent, where you’ll notice it before taking calls or writing your newsletter. On that note, write in bold letters your organization’s why. Nonprofit leaders think about their why a lot and may even have it down to a snappy sentence or…

Read More

Five Strategies for Sustaining and Scaling Your Nonprofit Mission

By Bill Cummings

As you have stepped into a new year filled with new possibilities, we want you to know that we see you. We see you juggling responsibilities and wearing hats you never thought you’d need to wear. We see you putting in long hours and fighting emotional fatigue, still feeling like you may not be doing…

Read More

Making the Most of the Giving Season: Year-End Fundraising Tips

By Bill Cummings

As the year draws to a close, nonprofit leaders face a crucial window of opportunity for fundraising. As you know, the final two months are pivotal; many individuals are looking to make end-of-year donations for tax purposes or simply to feel more generous during the holiday season. To capitalize on this season of giving, there…

Read More

From Sympathy to Support: Inspiring Passionate Donations

By Todd Hiestand

At Liminal, we champion the idea that messaging clarity, impeccable design, modern logos, contemporary colors, and typography all converge to position nonprofit organizations in the best light. The unfortunate reality is that while many organizations do incredible work on the ground—with exemplary staff and programs that create tangible impact—their branding and online presence often don’t…

Read More

Do The People You Serve Have A Seat At The Table?

By Bill Cummings

Nonprofits often function with the noblest intentions, aiming to create impactful change in their communities. But an important question should be carefully considered: Are the very people you serve actively involved in decisions that will directly impact their lives? Including representatives from the community isn’t just about optics or being politically correct—it’s about holistic, sustainable…

Read More

An Open Letter to Nonprofit Leaders

By Todd Hiestand

Dear Nonprofit Leaders, We see you. We see you juggling responsibilities and wearing hats you never thought you’d need to wear. We see you putting in long hours and fighting through emotional fatigue, all to feel like you still may not be doing enough. And we know that in spite of it all, you’re showing…

Read More

Amplify Your Mission: Why Effective Branding Is Crucial for Nonprofits

By Bill Cummings

Is your branding and messaging as compelling as your mission? The work your nonprofit does day in and day out is crucial to the communities and lives that you change. But being devoted to your cause means that some things inevitably get sidelined. We know from our work with nonprofit leaders that when your work…

Read More