Canva makes designing easier—but without a strong foundation, it’s easy to fall into common pitfalls. Here are the top mistakes we see—and how your nonprofit can avoid them:

1. Inconsistent Branding

Mistake: Using different colors, fonts, and logos across materials.

Fix: Set up your Canva Brand Kit with your official colors, fonts, and logo files.
(Hint: Nonprofits get Canva Pro for free!)

2. Overcrowded Designs

Mistake: Trying to squeeze too much text or too many visuals into one graphic.

Fix: Keep it simple. Focus on one message per design and give your content breathing room.

3. Low-Quality Images

Mistake: Using blurry, stretched, or pixelated images.

Fix: Always use high-resolution images sized appropriately for the platform.
(And double-check Canva’s free image library for quality stock options!)

4. Skipping Templates

Mistake: Starting every new design from scratch—leading to wasted time and visual inconsistency.

Fix: Invest time upfront in creating or commissioning branded templates for social media, flyers, emails, and presentations.

5. No Visual Hierarchy

Mistake: Designs where everything competes for attention.

Fix: Guide the viewer’s eye. Use size, color, and spacing to make the most important information stand out first.

Want to Take the Guesswork Out of Canva?

We help cultural nonprofits, museums, and mission-driven organizations build Canva Systems that keep you on-brand, efficient, and ready to make an impact.

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