A Guide to Nonprofit Storytelling: Writing Content That Raises Awareness and Money
Your Nonprofit Has Special Stories to Tell
Stories are a natural way for us to connect to each other. I share a story about being a kid and learning to play the cello so you learn something about me. You, in turn, might remember your grandfather playing the violin. Or perhaps your mother forced you to play the flute when, really, you always wanted to play the cello. See? Here we are – telling a story together.
Building a story for your nonprofit organization starts with the people who help your cause: your staff, your volunteers, those you serve, and your donors. Did a family come in last month asking for services in a language other than English? Tell the story of how your colleagues stepped up with modern technology and helped them by using a translation tool. Did you have a volunteer appreciation event and honor a young teen member? Share the heartwarming story about why they are devoting their time to your cause.
As proud as you are of your pie-chart, a story (or two) makes the impact of your work much more visible. So how DO you tell your nonprofit story? Here are some guidelines that can help you on your storytelling journey.
Short or long, every story has a goal and a structure.
Set a Goal
There are many reasons to tell a story about your nonprofit. Deciding on a goal can help define which story to tell and who needs to hear it. Do you want to:
Inspire loyalty and trust among those you serve?
Attract new people to your organization?
Raise money for a specific project?
Thank donors for their gifts?
Improve click-throughs?
Answer that question first. This will help you decide on which nonprofit story will be meaningful to your readers, and which channels to use to share your story.
Is this a donor newsletter?
Is this an appeal?
Is this a social-media post?
Is it all of the above?
If you are planning ahead, you can consider multiple versions – a longer one for print (newsletter, appeal) and a shorter one for digital (e-newsletter, social media).
Story Structure: A Beginning, a Middle, and an End
Nonprofit storytelling includes pictures, and words that paint a picture. Let’s say you are sending out a donor newsletter twice a year, and you want to include a feature about the woman you helped fill out a job application at your job fair.
Start at the beginning: Introduce the moment or context. Do you have an image of people at the event? Why was this moment special? Go ahead and boast about how many people attended your event, including families with kids.
In the middle, show the challenge your organization was addressing with this event. Without your organization and dedicated staff, how many people would be without the services you provide?
End this story with the shining quote from the woman who found a new job because of your event. Include a picture of her that shows how much it means to individuals in our community to have these resources because of your organization.
Story structure can work well in an appeal, too! Grab your donor’s attention immediately with a striking personal challenge, then create an arc about where it all began to turn around. Finish strong with the success—all made possible with the donor’s help!
Use Resources to Help Tell Your Story
What about your own challenges? Perhaps you feel you don’t have a great story. Maybe you’re unsure of how to tell it. This is when you turn to others in your organization to share stories of the great work happening every day at your nonprofit.
Pictures and infographics can help people connect with your story! Supercharging your story with visual content helps build empathy, understanding, learning, and engagement. Plus, visual cues help build your brand, ensuring that people find your web site or check out your next event. Got somebody on staff who can help make a short video or slideshow? Simple one-minute video content can be easily linked or embedded to enhance your message.
Be aware: visuals are a great storytelling asset, but only when combined with clear, intentional content. There is a lot of flashy technology out there. What you want is a story that engages people with your cause.
Stories are a conversation. Stories are a way of being generous. Your volunteers, staff, and donors are generous every day. Storytelling is a way to share some special moments that they have made possible. You’ll be surprised at how many people are happy to tell you their experiences of hope and helping to meet a need in your community by being part of your nonprofit.
Need more resources from Five Maples?
Follow these handy links to help you include your nonprofit story in every communication this year. We’re always here to help!