Ten Key Copyright Issues And Pitfalls Every Nonprofit Should Know

For many nonprofits, copyright is the often lesser-known intellectual property (IP) relative to trademark. If you use the terms trademark and copyright interchangeably, you are not alone. Read on for some useful copyright tips.

Put simply, trademarks are your "brand" and copyrights are your "content." Trademarks are most often words or symbols (or a combination of both) that are prominently used on one's goods or services and carefully protected. In contrast, copyrights are often misunderstood and overlooked. Whereas a patent can protect the idea itself, a copyright protects the original expression of the idea. Because only a minimum level of creativity is required for something to be copyrightable, many things are capable of being copyrightable "works." Examples include written works, websites, marketing materials, music, photos, videos, software programs, artwork, and even logos in some instances.