Questions and answers

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Why do we have to use this logo?

We want the public to know where Lottery money is being spent in their community. By using this logo,  people can see that Lottery money has supported your work.

Where should I use it?

All grant recipients should acknowledge the support of the Big Lottery Fund when producing any form of promotional or publicity material, including press releases, leaflets, posters, brochures, annual reports and stationery, such as letterheads.

  • If your project has a website, our logo must appear on the home page.
  • When advertising a job funded by us, our logo should feature in the ad.

Please do not use our logo below the minimum size in newspaper ads as it becomes illegible. If you do not have the space include the logo please mention us in the text.

Do I have to use it?

Yes - by accepting your grant you have made a commitment to using our logo to acknowledge your grant publicly. This is a requirement of the grants contract.

Why are there so many rules we have to follow?

The mark is owned by the National Lottery Commission (NLC). We are licensed to use it and to allow you to use it as a condition of receiving a grant from us. We need to follow the rules that the NLC have laid down and ensure that you do too.

What about if I have already acknowledged my grant using the old BIG, New Opportunities Fund or Community Fund logo?

We don’t expect you to change your current publicity materials or stationery, and you don’t need to replace any permanent branding you already have in buildings or on vehicles. However, if you are updating your website or reprinting any materials, you should use the new logo.

Which logo should I use?

There are two formats of the beneficiary logo: the standard and the high-impact. The standard logo should be used wherever possible, such as on your documents. If the standard logo is not practical because of space restrictions or because more impact is required (on a sign for example), please use the high impact version.

You have two Big Lottery Fund colours: do I have to use one in particular?

Our logo comes in two full colour options: pink and blue. You may decide just to use one, or you can use both (although not at the same time). If you can’t use these, you can use it in black or white on an area of solid dark colour.

Can I change the colour of the logos to one of our own colours?

No -  you must use the logo in one of our colours or in black. You can also use our reversed out logo (white) version.

What file format should I use?

The logo can be downloaded from our website or from the CD in your Next Big Steps pack in a range of formats to cover a variety of applications. Please ensure you use the correct one for your purpose:

  • Signs - EPS
  • Merchandise - (such as balloons or T-shirts) EPS
  • Print stationery - EPS
  • Online - GIF
  • PowerPoint - JPG
  • Electronic templates - JPG

If you are using the logo large scale, EPS is the format to use.

What if you have funded a staff member, service or something that I can’t put a plaque on?

There are other places you can put our logo - on your website, in publicity materials or in advertising. Further guidance can be found in the Big Is Brighter booklet. The key point is that you do acknowledge your grant and we are flexible about how you do this.

There are minimum sizes for print, but what if that is too big to go on my business card or letterhead?

We have a minimum size to make sure our logo is clear and easy to read. If you are using the standard logo, make sure the crossed fingers symbol is at least 12mm high. If you are using the high impact format, make sure that the symbol is at least 14mm high. If these sizes are still too big for your purpose, please call the branding team on 020 7211 1728 / 1856 and we will try to help you.

Can I have more Next Big Steps packs?

Yes, to order another pack please call our advice line on 0845 4 10 20 30. However, in the interests of saving money and the environment, we would prefer that you use our website.

How much of your free Big Stuff can I order?

Owing to the cost of producing these items and the number of projects who will need them, we have to limit items. We would like you to order as much as you need, but not so much that it sits in a cupboard getting dusty. You can have one plaque for each site and the limits for the stickers are stated on the order form. Please bear in mind that the stickers are designed for equipment and should not be used on stationery and the like.

To obtain a stainless steel plaque, the order form states that a project needs to have been awarded £250,000 or more. Is there any flexibility with this?

Most capital build projects are eligible for these plaques. If you believe that a stainless steel plaque is the best way of branding your project but have not been awarded £250,000 or more, please call the branding team. We also take into account how many members of the public will use your facilities and the life span of your project.

How big are the plaques?

The blue plaques are oval and measure 340mm long by 225mm high.

The perspex and stainless steel plaques are 600 x 130mm English and 600 x 180m welsh bilingual.

What are the consequences of not acknowledging my grant?

Acknowledging your grant is part of your contract with us, and not acknowledging is a breach of that contract. We monitor projects closely for acknowledgement, and contact all projects that don’t meet these guidelines.

I cannot open the EPS version of the logo.

To open this artwork you need to have the programmes PhotoShop or Illustrator installed on your computer. These are standard packages for design, print and manufacture. If you are getting a designer to produce anything for you they will be able to open this format.

You can email these formats even if you cannot open them. If you are designing the item yourself and need this format (especially if you are doing anything that is going to be large) you can get your printer to open this artwork for you if you indicate the position in your artwork for the logo.

Is the acknowledgement material available in Community languages?

We produce acknowledgement material on request in the recognised community languages. Requests should come to branding@biglotteryfund.org.uk.

What does CMYK mean?

These are print process colours. This means that they are made up of the inks that all printers use for any colour printing, and are not a special colour that would cost more. They are also the colours of a standard office colour printer. If you would like to produce our logo in the strong fluorescent colours you should use the pantone artwork which is available on the CD or on this website. These are called by their pantone reference numbers (P801,813 and 2747).

Can the logo be animated?

No, the logo cannot be animated or manipulated in any way.

Is there any merchandise available for use at events?

If you are organising an event and would like some merchandise such as T shirts and balloons please contact the marketing team. We also lend banners for events. An order form can be found in this part of our website.

How can I make sure that I have used your logo in the correct way?

If you are unsure about using our logo on your materials, please call us or send us the proofs and we will be happy to help.

Contact

For branding advice email: branding@biglotteryfund.org.uk or phone 020 7211 1728/1856

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