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Storytelling For Impact

October 22, 2024  |  accessible storytelling, communications strategy, community engagement, effective communication, effective narratives, ethical storytelling, grant applications, inspiring action, nonprofit storytelling, soliciting donations
An adult sits at a table writing in a notebook while looking at a phone

Small non-profits have a lot of balls in the air. It can be easy for communications and storytelling to slip through the cracks when other issues feel more pressing. Sharing the story of your work, however, is a key ingredient in achieving your organization’s mission. Good storytelling builds community support, attracts new program participants, recruits staff and volunteers, hooks funders, and amplifies awareness of the issues your work addresses. Powerful and effective storytelling should be part of your organizational strategy. Even if it’s not feasible to have a staff member dedicated to communications, simple strategies exist that can help integrate storytelling into your daily work instead of it being a stressful afterthought.

First, storytelling can take many forms. It could be a written newsletter or blog post. Your organization’s storytelling strategy also could be focused on videos or podcasts or social media posts. Photos and art can be just as powerful as a well-written essay. Invest in the kind of storytelling that you enjoy and feel comfortable with, while also considering the needs of your audience and issues of accessibility. For example, an email newsletter may not be appropriate if not all members of your community have reliable internet access, and you may be limiting your audience if you only provide information in English. You won’t be able to meet everyone’s needs 100% of the time, but switching up modes of communication and considering who you may be missing in a given campaign can help you broaden your impact.

A group of people pose together for a selfie while picking up trash

Second, center people and tell specific stories. Instead of asking your audience to grasp the full scope of your organization’s work or all of the nuances of a complex social issue, tell a more cohesive story by narrowing in on how individual people are affected by a problem. Then, share examples of how your programs have offered solutions. Even though it can be tempting to show everything you do, focus on the experiences of community members and people outside your organization. Ultimately, storytelling should help other people feel included in your work, so tell stories that are meaningful to the people you’re trying to reach.

A woman stands talking to others and handing them papers

Next, remember to highlight the audience’s role. Once you’ve shared a powerful story, don’t forget to end with an action item or way for new people to get involved. The call to action will look different depending on the context, but it could include inviting your audience to donate, volunteer, become a program participant, or share your story with their networks. You can even offer multiple modes of engagement, so the audience can get involved in the way that works best for them. For storytelling aimed at fundraising or grant applications, your narrative might also highlight existing gaps in your resources and what would be possible with additional support.

An adult and child touch hands while standing near trees

Finally, be sure to practice ethical storytelling. Effective stories center real lived experiences, but you should only tell other people’s stories with consent and after thoughtful conversations. Your story should honestly reflect the experience of the person it’s about, even if that means it’s not perfect and that person should be involved in crafting how they are presented and talked about. This is especially important for stories involving youth who should have the opportunity to consent for themselves, and also require a parent or guardian to approve use of their image or story. With permission, you may even be able to use art, writing, or other work produced by youth through your program to enhance your narrative.

When storytelling starts to feel overwhelming, try going back to the basics. Who are you seeking to reach? How do you want your audience to walk away feeling? What stories best highlight the most important issues for your organization? Start by telling one story well and then build from there. Chances are you’ll encounter new ideas and perspectives along the way that will help spark your next story. And most importantly, remember that storytelling should feel authentic and fun – both for the people telling the story and the people the story highlights.