Build-a-Brief Interactive Tool

Build-a-Brief: Your new tool that makes briefing creative partners easy

You'll know that the best fundraising activity needs creative elements to connect it with your audiences.

Bringing your campaigns to life, supporting your brand, showcasing the impact of your work - it can all be done through film, photography and creative design work.

In order to get the results you want, you need to start with a brilliant brief. And if you've never briefed a creative professional before, you might feel like you don't know where to start. Or perhaps you have an old briefing template but it doesn't always work quite right for you.

That's where this Build-a-Brief tool comes in. We've created this interactive tool so that you can build a brief that will help your creative partners deliver exactly what you need.

It's free and easy to use - just select the type of brief you want to make, and the tool will provide you with boxes to input your requirements. It has helpful hints and tips throughout it, and at the end you can download your completed brief as a Word file, so you can amend it again if you need to.

What kind of brief will you build today? We hope you'll find this tool useful - do send any feedback to membership@ciof.org.uk.

The benefits of working with a professional designer

Professional design elevates a charity's brand image and ensures consistency across all communication materials, including websites, social media, and print collateral. A strong brand identity builds trust, credibility, and recognition among donors and supporters.

A design professional can create visually compelling fundraising campaign materials that capture attention and inspire action. Powerful graphics, layouts, and typography can evoke emotions, tell stories, and convey the impact of a charity's work.

Working with a design expert saves time and resources for small charity fundraisers, allowing them to focus on their core mission. A skilled designer can efficiently create a variety of visuals, such as infographics, presentations, and event materials, enhancing the overall quality and effectiveness of a charity's communications.

Partnering with a creative design professional empowers fundraisers to strengthen their brand, create impactful campaigns, and achieve better results in their fundraising efforts.

The benefits of working with a professional photographer

High-quality images can capture the essence of a charity's work, showcasing the people, projects, and communities they serve. These visuals can evoke emotions and create a stronger connection between the audience and the cause, inspiring them to take action.

Professional photographs can also elevate a charity's brand and credibility, enhancing their reputation among stakeholders and the public. Consistent, well-produced images in marketing materials, websites, and social media platforms demonstrate a charity's commitment to excellence and professionalism.

Lastly, professional photography can contribute to the success of fundraising efforts by creating compelling images that appeal to donors' emotions and motivate them to support the cause. A strong visual narrative in campaign materials can increase engagement, promote sharing on social media, and ultimately lead to more donations.

Investing in professional photography can provide numerous benefits for small charities, from strengthening their brand identity to boosting fundraising results. By leveraging the power of visual storytelling, small charities can amplify their impact and achieve their mission more effectively.

The benefits of working with a professional film company

High-quality film can capture the heart of a charity's work, bringing to life the people, projects, and communities at the centre of your mission. A well-crafted film can evoke powerful emotions and forge a deeper connection between your audience and your cause, compelling them to act.

Working with a professional film company can also strengthen a charity's brand and credibility, signalling to stakeholders, donors, and the public that you take your communications seriously. Consistent, well-produced video content across your website, social media, and campaign materials demonstrates a commitment to quality and helps your charity stand out in a crowded landscape.

Film is also one of the most powerful tools available for fundraising. A compelling story told on screen can move audiences emotionally, build trust, and motivate people to give. Strong video content drives higher engagement, encourages sharing, and can significantly extend the reach of a campaign beyond your existing supporters.

Investing in professional film production can deliver lasting returns for charities of all sizes, from building a stronger brand identity to driving measurable fundraising results. By harnessing the power of visual storytelling, charities can amplify their impact and bring more people with them on their journey.

How did we create this?

We used original materials created by the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, coupled with AI support to create this tool. It has been led, reviewed and approved by members of CIOF staff.