CCE ‘Tools for success’ charity guides

Small format easy-to-use reference booklets for charities

Tasks included

• typography and graphic design
• clear language editing

What was needed

The Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness (CCE) exists to maximize the effectiveness of organisations and individuals within the voluntary and community sector. Funded by City Bridge Trust, the CCE researched and created a toolkit of useful information to help small voluntary and community organisations ensure that the basics contributing to long-term sustainability are in place, enabling them to become organisations in which others want to invest.

CCE needed to turn what they had created into a toolkit which was visually appealing, approachable and easy to use.

Our approach

We reviewed the existing copy and diagrams, and discussed the nature of the audience and what they should gain from the toolkit with our clients. We then produced draft designs for approval before settling on an approach. Our designs had to meet the brand guidelines of Cass Business School as well those of CCE.

The booklets were colour coded which helped to identify the subject of each, as well as adding interest and visual appeal. We also redrew the diagrams to make them clearer and to fit the colour coding.

We also copy-edited the text for clarity, to aid understanding for an audience which could be from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Our solution

We created a design style for the series of guides, that could be extended for similar CCE publications. We designed

• a suite of eight A5 booklets covering key topics such as compliance, governance, direction, finance, people, operations and networks;
• a folded A3 self-assessment 'map'; and
• a simple custom-printed clear plastic case to hold all the items in the toolkit.

We later produced web-friendly pdfs for the CCE website.

The launch

The toolkit was launched to much acclaim. Our client said: ‘...we now have the guides in their boxes – they are fabulous and everybody is thrilled... Well done.’

Ongoing work and the online toolkit

'Tools for success' is now in its second edition and includes an extra guide on collaboration and income generation.

We have also designed and built an online version of the toolkit (see www.knowhownonprofit.org/tools-for-success/self_assessment).

[see similar projects]