Your organisation’s intellectual property is what differentiates you from other organisations. It is important, valuable and worth protecting. Your organisation’s intellectual property includes the rights it may have in its:

• name
• logo
• the names or logos of any programs or services developed by your organisation
• publications
• training materials
• website design and content
• domain name
• computer applications, programs, or databases it has developed, and
• any ideas, innovations and inventions.

Other people and organisations also have intellectual property rights, and it is essential that your organisation does not infringe those rights, as this can result in legal action.  When publicly communicating, always stop and think about whether you are dealing appropriately with the intellectual property of others.

The Guide below is designed to assist people involved in not-for-profit organisations to understand the basics of making and protecting intellectual property, and avoiding infringing the intellectual property of others. It includes information regarding:

• copyright, moral rights, trademarks, patents and designs
• dealing with confidential information
• ownership, protection and infringement of rights, and
• selling and licensing of intellectual property.

Extra resources