CiviCRM Trademark & Brand Usage Policy

The CiviCRM trademark policy and brand usage policy are designed to foster growth and encourage responsible use without unnecessary burden. Both policies have been developed with the following goals in mind:

1. We’d like to make it easy for anyone to use the CiviCRM, CiviCon and CiviCamp name or logo for community-oriented efforts that help spread and improve CiviCRM the software.
2. We’d like to make it clear how CiviCRM-related businesses and projects can, and cannot, use the CiviCRM, CiviCon or CiviCamp names and logos.
3. We’d like to make it hard for anyone to use the CiviCRM, CiviCon or CiviCamp names and logos to unfairly profit from, trick, or confuse people who are looking for official CiviCRM resources.

Terms & Definitions

1. CIVICRM LLC - the legal entity that owns the trademarks governed by this policy.
2. CiviCRM Core Team - designated by CIVICRM LLC as responsible for overseeing and managing the CiviMarks and their related policies.
3. Names - the name “CiviCRM” as written, including variations such as “civicrm”, “CIVICRM”, etc., and the name “CiviCon” as written, including variations such as civicon, CiviCON, etc., and the name “CiviCamp” as written, including variations such as civicamp, CIVICAMP, etc.
4. CiviMarks - refers to all trademarks related to CiviCRM, CiviCamp and CiviCon.
5. Wordmark - the portion of the logo that includes a stylized version of the name.
6. Icon - the graphical portion of the logo.
7. Logo - the combination of the wordmark and the icon.
8. Brand - the combination of the logo and non-tangible assets of CiviCRM, including the identity and essence of the company, that convey a meaning, emotion or purpose to consumers.

CiviCRM Trademark Usage Policy

Trademarks fall under an automatic license (A) or the license grant procedure (B). The following outlines which is appropriate. 

Automatic Licensing

This section explains whether you are entitled to an automatic license (in which case you can use the CiviCRM, CiviCon and CiviCamp trademarks without having to complete any document or receive approval), or whether you need to follow the license grant procedure. 

Automatic License is granted under the following:

1. You exclusively use the CiviMarks trademarks to either extend or improve the CiviCRM software, or to encourage the use of the software. Examples include opportunities such as offering a course on using CiviCRM for a nonprofit, a journal promoting CiviCRM, creation of a plug-in, database of workarounds. If in question, please ask the CiviCRM Core Team.
2. "Exclusively" means that any direct profits generated by using the CiviMarks trademarks must also be exclusively used to advance CiviCRM. Examples include a website regarding CiviCRM with sponsored ads, the net profit of which is used to improve the open source software in an obvious and documented manner. The key is that any revenue generated must be used to benefit CiviCRM.
3. Any of the CiviMarks trademarks are used in the title of a book, newsletter, video, magazine or similar instructional instrument regarding CiviCRM that does not suggest an official link or endorsement. 
4. The CiviMarks trademarks are used for the title of an event, be it online or virtual.
5. You want to display the official CiviMarks logo(s) (whether for commercial or non-commercial use) in a standalone and unaltered form.
6. Your intended use qualifies as "nominative fair use" of the CiviMarks trademarks, i.e., merely identifying that you are talking about CiviCRM in some text, without suggesting sponsorship or endorsement by CiviCRM LLC or by CiviCRM the project.
7. The use of the CiviMarks trademarks are a part of the name of a function, procedure, variable name or similar source code component is also considered "nominative fair use" for which no license is required.

License Grant Requirement

This section explains when you need to follow the license grant procedure. This procedure is required in the following instances:

1. The use of the CiviMarks trademarks suggests an official link or endorsement between your product or service and CiviCRM. 
2. The CiviMarks trademarks are used in combination with the words "conference", "convention" or "association", as well as any translation, abbreviation or variation thereof.
3. The CiviMarks trademarks are used as part of another registered trademark. 
4. The CiviMarks trademarks are used as part of a "civicrm.tld" domain name.
5. The CiviMarks  trademarks are used as part of a domain name that covers either an entire category of products or services that are relevant to the CiviCRM community, that covers an entire target group of CiviCRM users or that is otherwise too generic.
6. The CiviMarks trademarks are used in a domain name, title of a website, title of a seminar, title of a course or title of a software package that is not exclusively intended to foster the CiviCRM software, and this domain name or title does not also mention the CiviMarks trademarks.
7. The CiviMarks trademarks are used as part of the name of a company, organization, trade name or association.
8. You want to use the official CiviCRM, CiviCamp or CiviCon logos in altered form or as part of another logo.
9. There is any doubt as to how this policy should be interpreted or applied to a specific case.

License Grant Procedures

In the license grant procedure, you must contact the CiviCRM Core Team at info@civicrm.org and provide your contact details and a description of the intended use of the CiviMarks trademarks.

It may take time for your application to be evaluated, so please plan accordingly. Applications may be rejected for any reason or no reason at all. A license fee may be requested for any commercial use of the CiviMarks trademark.

Licenses are granted at the CiviCRM Core Team’s sole discretion, and specific conditions or obligations may be imposed. The following factors will be taken into account during the license grant procedure:

1. With respect to a CiviCRM-related product or service, it will be considered whether the product or service:
   1. does not suggest an official link;
   2. promotes or expands CiviCRM adoption and usage;
   3. is licensed in a way that is compatible with the CiviCRM open source license;
   4. substantially strengthens and empowers the CiviCRM community;
   5. is of a high quality in both form and function;
   6. is created by significant contributors to the CiviCRM project;
   7. is created by those with a track record of liberally "giving back" to their communities;
   8. in the case of a domain name, does not create an unfair monopoly towards others because it spans a relevant category of services.
2. With respect to the name of a company, organization or association, it is considered whether:
   1. the name does not suggest an official link or endorsement;
   2. the company, organization or association is founded by significant contributors to the CiviCRM project, who have a track record of liberally "giving back" to their communities.

Please note that it is not the goal of this policy to limit commercial activity around CiviCRM the software or overall project. We encourage CiviCRM-based businesses, and dozens of them are thriving while in compliance with this policy.

Rules of Use

With the exception of the "nominative fair use" of the CiviMarks trademarks, your use of the CiviMarks trademarks are subject to the following rules (irrespective of whether you followed the license grant procedure or obtained an automatic license):

1. Any use of the CiviMarks trademarks implies acceptance of this policy.
2. The CiviMarks trademarks cannot be used for illegal, defamatory or humiliating purposes, or any other purpose that may negatively impact CiviCRM the software and/or CiviCRM the project.
3. The name of your company or organization should be used in combination with the CiviMarks trademarks so that there can be no confusion about the true source (company, organization, association or author) of your product or service. The combination of the name of your product or service with the CiviCRM trademark must be unique and identifiable.
4. In all cases, the CiviMarks trademarks should be accompanied by the following text (or an appropriate translation): "CiviCRM is a registered trademark of CIVICRM LLC".

Brand Standard

1. The relationship of elements (size, positioning, etc.) should never be altered in any way.
2. Colors and fonts should never be altered.
3. When possible, the logo should appear in its full-colour horizontal version.
4. The icon may be used without the wordmark “CiviCRM”, however the wordmark “CiviCRM” should never be used without the icon.

The name CiviCRM, referring to the software product and the community at large, should be written as “CiviCRM”. Variations such as “civicrm”, “CIVICRM”, “CIVIcrm”, etc. are discouraged and should be avoided. Additional punctuation in the name, such as “Civi-CRM” is inappropriate.

Marketing Materials, Logo & Icon Downloads

Links to the primary logo and icon for CiviCRM can be found below. Additional marketing materials can be found online here.

• CiviCRM Logo (AI, PNG and SVG formats)
• CiviCRM Icon (AI, PNG and SVG formats)

Other Applicable Information

1. Any license granted under this policy can be terminated upon sixty (60) days prior written notice if you breach any provision of this policy. If your breach can be cured (and you have not previously breached this policy), you may be granted forty-five (45) days from the date of notice to cure the breach.
2. This policy — as well as the accompanying website - may be changed at any time. You accept that all licenses accorded under this policy are non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sub-licensable, revocable at any time, and subject to changes in policy. Hence, changes in this policy may cause permissions to be revoked or made dependent on additional obligations.
3. If any provision of this policy would be found by any court or administrative body of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, the invalidity or unenforceable of such provision shall not affect the other provisions of this policy, so that all other provisions shall remain in full force and effect. In such case, the invalid or unenforceable provision shall be replaced by a valid or enforceable provision that achieves to the greatest extent possible the economic, legal and commercial objectives of the invalid or unenforceable provision.
4. All disputes in connection with this policy or any permission granted by it will be submitted to the applicable Court of the State of California. This policy is governed by the laws and regulations of the United States.

Changes & References

The CiviCRM trademark and brand usage policies are a combination of those presented by Drupal, Joomla, Ubuntu and WordPress, and were developed to be the least restrictive possible while protecting the CiviCRM brand. CIVICRM LLC reserves the right to modify or update the CiviCRM trademark and brand usage policies with or without notice.

Contact CiviCRM

Compliance with this trademark and brand usage policy does not guarantee your ability to use any trademark or logo covered herein. Please contact the CiviCRM Core Team to discuss your use of the CiviCRM, CiviCon or CiviCamp brand, name and logo.

Legal address: 1350 Ortega Street, San Francisco, CA 94122, United States
Mailing address: Rua Infante Santo 39 RC/DT, Oeiras 2780-079, Portugal
Email: info@civicrm.org