Ask April: Nonprofit Storytelling
Dear April:
I am part of a small fundraising team at a youth service organization. We raise just over $2 million annually and are fortunate to have an engaged donor community that appreciates regular updates about our programs and services.
We do not have a dedicated marketing department so raising awareness and sharing our success is a team responsibility. I often find myself struggling and at odds with my colleagues in meetings because, while we have success stories in abundance, the way we talk about the youth we serve does not sit well with me. There is a continued emphasis on poor communities, broken homes, and a lack of ambition.
How do you strike a balance with storytelling? I want us to be effective but not exploitative.
Trying to Get It Right
Dear Trying:
Thank you so much for asking this question. I have seen some downright cringeworthy representations of people and communities.
When we think about nonprofit storytelling, it is tempting to focus only on what will make donors feel good, on what pulls the heartstrings the hardest. After all, many of us are taught to show donors how they are making a difference. And, by your own awareness, there is something about your organization’s current messaging strategy that is actually working. Donors are engaged and want to hear from you.
But social issues are complex, and so are the interventions designed to help solve them. It is a hard pill to swallow for some but nonprofits and donors are not the heroes. Nonprofit stories should focus on how we, collectively, are helping solve a problem. Here are some ways you can do that:
Tell a complete story. If a community is under resourced, consider all of the structures and systems keeping it that way. Don’t assume your colleagues are coming to the table with the same context that you are.
Adopt a storytelling template that does not depend on tropes. Use a structure like Public Narrative to tell stories that bring together the personal and the collective with a sense of urgency.
Help your colleagues get into the habit of asking these questions before you finalize stories of impact: Who is the hero in this story? Who is being celebrated? Would I be comfortable if someone wrote this about me?
As fundraisers, we have an opportunity to create advocates. Develop an advocacy strategy alongside your leadership team and board. Embrace the ways civic engagement intersects with your organization’s mission.
That you are trying so hard to get this right is why the philanthropic field needs you. Give yourself and your colleagues grace to learn as you grow and improve.