How Telling Stories Will Help You Find New Nonprofit Donors
No matter where you are on your journey — veteran fundraiser or solicitation newbie — the most powerful tool you have in your fundraising arsenal is one that is easy to access and 100% free. Perhaps the most powerful way to amplify your fundraising efforts is by sharing stories from your constituents and community.
Stories that bring to life the impact of our work are one of the most powerful, authentic, and effective ways to connect supports to your mission. Regardless of the focus of your mission, you have the ability to bring to life why your work matters and invite donors to make a personal, emotional connection.
Inspire Donations Through Stories
People often give to nonprofits where they feel like their donation will have an impact. While some donors look at facts, statistics, and the impact of their dollar, more people give where they feel an emotional appeal. They give to the veteran experiencing homelessness (not all veterans across the country) or the dog fighting for its life (not all homeless animals everywhere).
A well-written story makes your cause less overwhelming for donors to connect with, as well, and takes your work from the abstract to the absolute. The challenges you face may seem insurmountable at first: — how will my $100 really have an impact on ending poverty — but the narratives you share illustrate how each donation, each program, and each person served are puzzles pieces that come together for an incredible impact.
Here’s a story from a constituent who became a volunteer for a mental health organization in Austin, Texas. The story points to the power of the organization’s work, while painting a compelling picture of just why that work is so important.
“When I went to my first class, within 30 minutes I was sitting there going “oh my gosh, every parent should be in this class.” As a mental health professional myself I thought I had the skills and tools I needed to support my mentally ill son, but to have support from other parents who were facing the same challenges was just amazing. It was different than having a doctor or a case manager. Facing his illness alone made it a crisis. This organization helps parents realize “oh my gosh, I’m not alone. I’m not a bad parent. I didn’t do this to my kid.” Our work crosses cultural, ethnic, and racial boundaries. We come from all walks of life but ultimately are facing the same thing, and there is real power in that.”
Read More: How to Keep Your Best Donors from Forgetting About Your Work During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Use Stories to Strengthen Fundraising Solicitations
Share your stories as often as you can, in fundraising solicitations, social media platforms, and grant proposals. They are the key element of your donor communications and offer you a core element of any and all donor-centered writing.
Share constituent stories and photos on social media on a regular basis, to demonstrate how and what you are doing and to keep donors engaged with your work.
Make a constituent story the heart of your email and direct mail appeals. Focus on telling one compelling story and weave your calls to action and fundraising asks throughout the narrative. Remember: no one wants to give money to you just because you are a nonprofit. They want to invest in the change you are having on your communities. Your story demonstrates that.
Strengthen grant proposals by using stories to reiterate the impact of your work. When you are discussing your programs, goals and objectives, and impact, a succinct story or quote paints a clear picture for funders — and appeals to the emotions of trustees who are making funding decisions.
Here’s another example from an organization that works to keep at-risk youth in school.
Eddie is a freshman at Smith High School and a first-year student in our program. Prior to joining our supportive programming, Eddie struggled with behavior, academics, and attendance. However, in Eddie’s own words “My days are different because I know I have someone to talk to when I need help. I also know that if there is an issue with a teacher, my mentor can help me and the teacher resolve the issue so I can go back to class. My attendance and behavior have improved and I haven't been getting any referrals. I am also learning to listen more and trying not to always respond and get defensive. I am a young man who just wants to be successful in life.” This program has been a game-changer for Eddie: he has been able to utilize the support provided through our programming in a positive way, and now has the confidence and reassurance to mediate situations, utilizing his own plan as a guiding pathway to success.
Read More: The Secret to Writing Goals and Objectives that Captivate Donors and Win Grants
Writing Your Fundraising Stories
Your fundraising stories can profile just about anyone who has been impacted by your work. Your constituents, volunteers, and even board members have unique insights and experiences with your work, and you’ll be surprised by how thrilled people are when you ask them to share their stories.
There’s no right way to collect constituent stories. A short 30-minute phone interview with a, recorded video, or bullet-pointed email should all give you ample content for you to craft into a cohesive narrative.
Take the stories that your constituents share and write them into a conversation, engaged, and brief narrative. Each narrative should take the constituent from challenge (the reason your work exists) to action (their work with your programs and organization), and ultimately outcome (how your work helped them in the short- and long-term).
Remember, these stories are not about your organization. They’re about the journey and transformation of your constituents and donors. Your constituent gets the Fundraising Oscar for best actor, while your donor takes home the prize for best supporting actress. Your organization? You’re the director making it all happen.
Giant Squid Group firmly believes that nonprofits are critical to helping our communities through this crisis, and we’re committed to supporting you. We’ve opened our calendar to pro-bono coaching calls. If you have a fundraising challenge, want to discuss COVID-19 messaging, or just want to chat, book a free call today.
