RISEaid looks clear to register. "Together we RISE!" does not.
We replace the tagline, file the RISEAID trademark in three classes for $1,050 in government fees, and use the name consistently while the USPTO reviews it.
A first-pass search of federal trademark records (October 2026) found no filing for RISEAID or RISE AID. But a foster care charity, Together We Rise Corporation (now Foster Love), registered TOGETHER WE RISE in 2015 for charitable fundraising and foster care awareness, and still uses the name. That is our exact use and one of our six programs, so we replace the tagline and the sponsorship program name before the cards go to print. This is a screen from public records, not a legal opinion; a trademark attorney confirms before we file.
Risk read
Closest: TOGETHER WE RISE. Same words, same services (fundraising, foster care). The owner says it still uses the name in projects.
Closest: RISE marks in social services. RISEAID is one coined word. The field is crowded, so RISE alone is weak. No RISE AID filing found.
Closest: RISE (Renew, Inspire, Support, Empower). A pending application for women's coaching. We use our acronym inside the program, not as a brand.
Closest: None found. No design search was possible in this screen. The attorney's search should include designs.
What's already out there
"RISE" is crowded in nonprofit services, so each owner's rights are narrow. We can likely coexist, and we protect RISEAID as one word, never RISE alone.
| Mark | Owner | Services | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOGETHER WE RISEConflict | Together We Rise Corp. (Foster Love) | Charitable fundraising; awareness for children in foster care | Registered 2015 |
| RISE | Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality | Charitable services on race relations | Registered 2017 |
| RISE LIFE SERVICES | Aid to the Developmentally Disabled, Inc. | Supportive housing, food pantry, counseling | Registered 2019 |
| REACH & RISE | YMCA of San Francisco | Mentoring children and youth | Registered 2014 |
| RISE RECOVERY | Rise Recovery | Mentoring and help with substance use | Pending, filed 2023 |
| RISE PROGRAMS | AGI Business Group | Counseling, including at-risk youth | Pending, filed 2019 |
| RISE RELIEF | Rise Relief Inc. | Charitable fundraising (clean water abroad) | Pending, filed 2022 |
| RISE (Renew, Inspire, Support, Empower) | Fyli Tribe Inc. | Mentoring and coaching for women | Pending, filed 2021 |
Statuses from Justia's copy of USPTO records, which can lag. Two older look-alikes, RISE Restoring Individuals Safely and Effectively and The Rise Initiative, were cancelled.
What we file
The word mark RISEAID, owned by the RISEaid nonprofit corporation. A word mark covers the name in any font or logo; the heart logo can follow once the design is final.
| Class | Covers | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Charitable fundraising: donations, sponsorships, donor-funded help for members | Intent to use until online giving opens |
| 45 | Social services: connecting people in our six transitions with resources | In use |
| 41 | Mentoring and life-skills education for members | In use |
Cost and timing
USPTO fees since January 18, 2025. Attorney fees are extra. First examiner review takes about 4.5 months and registration about 10 months from filing (USPTO, fiscal 2026).
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application, per class | $350 |
| Word mark RISEAID in classes 36, 41 and 45 | $1,050 |
| Statement of Use for class 36, after the first online gift | $150 |
| Custom wording instead of the USPTO's pre-approved entries, per class | $200 (avoid) |
| Incomplete application surcharge, per class | $100 (avoid) |
| Heart logo as a second filing, per class | $350 |
| Upkeep in years 5 to 6, then renewal every 10 years | $325 per filing, plus per class on renewal |
Protect it day to day
RISEaid™ on the site, cards and merch. Using ® before registration is false marking.
Always RISEaid in text and the full heart logo in graphics. Never "Rise Aid" or "RiseAid" in our own materials.
Dated screenshots of riseaid.org, the first printed cards, the first merch sale. The USPTO asks for specimens, and dates matter in a dispute.
riseaid.org and riseaid.com. Claim @riseaid on every social network, even ones we don't post on.
Check new USPTO filings for RISE AID and RISEAID twice a year, or use a watch service once registered.
Written permission and brand rules before a partner or vendor uses the logo.
Checklist
Due dates are targets. Founders and staff signed in to Hope check items off; changes show here right away.
Fix the tagline
0/4- Pick the new tagline
Vote in Hope > Brand protection. A founder records the final choice.
Due Oct 16Open site ↗ - Pick the new name for the sponsorship program
Replaces "Together we RISE!" as the program name on the site, in Hope, and in the books.
Due Oct 16Open site ↗ - Replace "Together we RISE!" everywhere
About 35 places: footer, menu, sponsorship pages, share and invite text, newsletter, Stripe checkout text, Hope.
Due Oct 20 - Regenerate the print files, then print the cards
Business card and pass-along card, PDF, PNG and SVG. Don't print the current versions.
Due Oct 20
Use the name well
0/3- Add ™ to RISEaid on the site, cards and merch
™ needs no registration. Switch to ® only after the USPTO registers the mark.
Due Oct 20 - Save dated proof of first use
Screenshots of riseaid.org and photos of the first printed cards and merch, kept in Hope.
Due Oct 20 - Claim @riseaid on every social network
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky. Hold the name even where we don't post.
Due Oct 31
File the trademark
0/4- Confirm the RISEaid nonprofit corporation exists
The corporation owns the mark and files the application. Matches the launch checklist's Articles of Incorporation step.
Due Oct 31 - Hire a trademark attorney
Ask for a flat fee covering the clearance search and the filing.
Due Nov 6 - Full clearance search, words and designs
Confirms RISEAID and checks the heart logo and the new tagline.
Due Nov 20 - File RISEAID in classes 36, 41 and 45 ($1,050)
Use the USPTO's pre-approved service wording to avoid the $200-per-class surcharge.
Due Nov 30Open site ↗
After filing
0/3- File the Statement of Use for class 36 ($150)
After the first online donation through riseaid.org/donate.
- Decide on a second filing for the heart logo
$350 per class. Worth it once the logo is final and on merch.
Due Jan 31Optional - First twice-yearly watch for new RISE AID filings
Search new USPTO filings for RISE AID and RISEAID; repeat every 6 months.
Due Apr 30