Natwerk Designs

How do I stop a non-profit from using my creative work?

I am a creative professional. During a course of 8 months, as a volunteer for a start-up non-profit, I produced a large body of creative work - a logo, a slogan, a website, a printed brochure I designed utilizing graphics I created, and some written articles, all which has established an image highly beneficial to the organization and, I can demonstrate, contributed to their success. I spent approx 200 hrs of free time in this endeavor. It was not work for hire. I was not an employee. No contracts were drawn up. No documents regarding terms of use were drawn up. It was not given as a charitable donation. I can document I was the sole creator, and that the organization acknowledged me as such. Therefore, I assert that I am the sole copyright owner of this body of work. Parts of this body of work appear on printed materials, electronic media, social networking websites, and clothing and accessories. Relationships soured when new officers took over and I have been ill-treated and since ceased all affiliation with the group. Given my altruistic nature, there appears to be an assumption that I will simply hand over this body of work for their use. No officer has even approached me about negotiating fair use; I have been treated without respect despite my outstanding contributions as a volunteer, or even with common courtesy. I desire to sever all ties with them, including refuse them to use any part of this body of creative work. I do not wish to hurt them financially, nor due I wish to incur significant legal fees in proceeding with this matter. How do I proceed? Do I file for a motion for a court to order an injunction, or file for an injunction myself? This is a small matter, as I do not seek financial compensation, apart from filing fees, if I am entitled to reimbursement for these. I seek only to forbid them to use any part of this body of work. Can I seek to make them stop distributing the brochures? Can I seek to make them stop selling items with the logo on them? Thank you for your time. There is a legal definition for donation: it has to be explicitly granted in a written document. They did not contract with me for use. Therefore, it is solely their negligence that they did not do so. As I stated, it was not sold to them. It was not work for hire. I was not an employee. It was not donated to them - there was no written or oral contract. I was merely a volunteer. At this point I cannot accuse them of stealing it; they will be made aware that they are infringing on my copyright. If they continue to use any part of it, I will take the legal action "PooPooLa" has thoughtfully recommended. I do not desire monetary compensation of any kind; I just don't want them using my work.

Public Comments

1. I don't see how you think you can prove it wasn't a donation. Otherwise how did they get it in the first place? You either gave it to them, sold it to them or they stole it. It will up to you to prove that they didn't count on the status of your "donation" before they produced the items with the materiel. Especially the printed materiel.
2. Write to them and tell them you are revoking permission to use your work. Give them a time frame to stop using it or you will pursue remedies for copyright infringement. Send it via certified mail, return receipt requested. Retain a copy of the letter. Depending on how they respond, your only recourse may be to hire an attorney to convince them. Unless you registered your work, you will not be able to obtain monetary damages, but you can compel them to stop using your work unless you signed some sort of agreement that allowed them rights in perpetuity (no time limit).