Our new name and brand

Our brand is a story that will unfold over time, across our communications, and as our people interact with yours. But all stories have a beginning, and here is ours.

Changemakers are a special and rare breed of people. They see better futures for us all. They know what needs to be done to realise them. They make remarkable things happen even when the obstacles are great. And often at the cost of their own health, relationships and livelihoods. While many watching on may think they are crazy, they see it as being the right - and only - thing to do.

With the current state of the world, we can’t afford to lose these precious people to burnout, disillusionment, or worse. We have an urgent obligation to wrap our arms around changemakers with expertise and support, so that they can achieve their mission without burning out.

Our vision is for changemakers to have everything they need to achieve their impact without burning out. And we will achieve this by creating a global community for changemakers, building an evidence base and being a leading advocate for their support, providing the expertise they need to make the change they seek in the world.

Our name

Using the common latin prefix of ‘bene’ meaning good, this hybrid name is packed with the meaning of many good things that are associated with our sector, such as benefit, benefactor, benevolent. Literally meaning ‘good folk’, the name brings together a duality of old and new and formal and casual to reflect diversity and depth.

‘Good folk’ speaks to the people we attract and the people who work with them.

The name brings together everything we do in a few words. It expresses our humility, humanity, approachability and passion for making a significant social impact.

Our brand identity

Our visual brand is built around a concept of the ‘impact well.’

Since time immemorial, wells have been an extremely important part of social fabrics. Wells provide a reliable and ample supply of water for home uses, irrigation, and industries. Where surface water is scarce, such as in deserts, people couldn’t survive without using wells to access underground water.

A well provides a life-giving supply of water. Digging one is a costly, ambitious project. It is hard labor propelled by the belief that down in that hole the water table waits. Like with many difficult tasks, finding water is terrifically rewarding and comforting.

For Benefolk, the well is a place that changemakers can come back to time and time again for whatever they need - support and expertise - to help them achieve their impact. It is a place that they look forward to coming to that nourishes and replenishes, where they don’t just get what they need extrinsically, but intrinsically too.

Our new brand identity utilises the ‘o’ in folk as a device/icon symbolic of the well that is embedded in the type. This treatment makes the brand identity clean, elegant, open and conversational, and expresses one of our core values; ‘the power of we.’ That there is strength and transformative power in diversity and togetherness.

For this work, we were inspired by one of my favourite quotes of all time, which fuels our collective passion for doing what we do.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead

We look forward to sharing more of our story with you - and involving you in it - as we progress.

Julia Keady

Founder / CEO Benefolk

The Benefolk brand has been developed in collaboration with foundation member and leading social sector brand agency, Taylor & Grace.