Community Credits

• For every dollar you spend with The Cultural Brokers, we create $1 in Community Credits.
• Those credits are set aside for charities, NGOs and social enterprises in Australia.
• You can either:
  • Nominate a charity to receive the credits, or
  • Contribute your credits to a pooled Community Impact Project at the end of the year.
• We convert those credits into pro bono or low-bono communications support, delivered in a planned and sustainable way.

Community Credits are not cash and are always subject to our capacity and scheduling, but the intent is simple: your paid work helps fund practical, skilled support for organisations that need it most.

Community Credits focus on work that builds long-term communications capacity. Below are some of the specific products charities can access.

Communications consulting sessions (from 300 credits)

What it includes

• Strategy advice, messaging and campaign focus
• Fundraising communications guidance
• Channel choices and priorities

Why it matters
Charities get clear, practical advice so they can make better decisions about what to say, where to say it and how to connect with supporters.

Website review and recommendations (from 300 credits)

What it includes

• Review of website structure, content and clarity
• A look at basic user experience and key supporter journeys
• Short written recommendations or a walkthrough session

Why it matters
A clearer website makes it easier for donors, clients and partners to find what they need, understand your impact and take action.

Team capacity diagnostics (from 1,000 credits)

What it includes

• Individual interviews with team members
• A summary of how communications work is currently done day to day
• Identification of strengths, gaps and pain points
• Practical recommendations on roles, processes and priorities

Why it matters
This gives leaders a clear picture of how the team is functioning and where there are opportunities to improve workflows, reduce bottlenecks and support staff to do their best work.

Websites (from 20,000 credits)

What it includes

• Site structure and wireframe level content
• Build using an agreed platform
• SEO strategy and basic on page optimisation
• Focus on clarity of story, fundraising and stakeholder needs

Why it matters
A well structured, easy to navigate website makes it simpler for donors, clients and partners to understand who you are, what you do and how they can support or access your services.

Aligning fundraising, marketing and communications strategies

What it includes

• A short project or focused work as part of a wider communications plan
• Review of appeals, campaigns, brand and everyday communications
• Alignment so all activities support the same story and goals

Why it matters
When fundraising, marketing and communications pull in the same direction, charities raise more, confuse people less and show a stronger, more consistent identity.

Strategic and tactical communications plans (from 10,000 credits)

What it includes

• Discovery session to understand context and goals
• Clear objectives and priority audiences
• Key messages and proof points
• Channel plan and a high level content outline

Why it matters
A simple, realistic plan gives teams a roadmap to follow so communications stop being reactive and start supporting fundraising and stakeholder relationships in a deliberate way.

Media relations and stakeholder engagement support

What it includes

• Advice on media strategy and key story angles
• Guidance on working with journalists and preparing spokespeople
• Stakeholder mapping and engagement approaches

Why it matters
Being prepared for media and key stakeholders helps charities build trust before there is an issue and respond more confidently when attention arrives.

Beyond these core products, Community Credits can also support:

• Communications consultancy for CEOs and teams
  Leadership level conversations about narrative, positioning and how to talk about impact.
• Team capacity diagnostics
  Light reviews of how communications work is done now, where the gaps are and what to prioritise.
• Training and workshops
  Sessions for boards and teams on topics such as storytelling for impact, fundraising communications or social media for small teams.
• Toolkits, templates and message frameworks
  Reusable assets such as key message guides, basic campaign templates and simple communications calendars.
• Governance and social media guidelines
  Clear boundaries on who signs off what, which channels to use for which messages and how to manage issues when they arise.
• Appeal, donation page and newsletter reviews
  Optimising the way charities invite support, thank donors and keep their community informed.

We focus on strategy, words and structure. Our aim is to leave organisations clearer, more confident and better equipped to communicate their impact.

When you choose to work with The Cultural Brokers, you can:

• Direct your Community Credits to a charity you already support, or
• Ask us to recommend an Australian charity or NGO that would benefit from capacity building support, or
• Allow your credits to be pooled with other businesses to fund a larger Community Impact Project.

At the end of each year we report on how Community Credits have been used, the types of projects delivered and the kinds of impact they supported.

The for purpose sector often has to choose between funding services and funding communications. Yet without clear, consistent communications, it is harder to raise money, build trust and show impact.

Community Credits are our way of helping to change that.
Your project helps fund the next charity’s step forward.