This document discusses how non-profits can use storytelling to build better relationships with donors. It notes that storytelling can help bridge the "donor knowledge gap" by providing context and emotionally connecting donors to an organization's cause. The document then provides guidance on how to implement storytelling strategies, including defining goals, knowing your audience, incorporating character and conflict, collecting stories, and sharing stories through various touchpoints with donors. The overall message is that storytelling can transform a non-profit by strengthening donor connections and relationships.

1. Non-Profit Storytelling:
The Basics You Need to Know to Build
Better, More Loyal Relationships with
Donors
Vanessa Chase
The Storytelling Non-profit

2. Share Your Thoughts
What’s one thing you know
about storytelling?

3. Why Storytelling

4. Common Problems
Resonating with donors
Communicating clearly
Being creative

5. A Broken Approach
you’re not able to connect in an
impactful way
donors don’t understand
donors stop caring
they feel unconnected, so they
sever ties

6. STORIES AS SOLUTIONS
Stories help bridge the Donor Knowledge Gap in
two key ways: The Organization
they provide context
they emotionally connect
your donors to the cause.

7. The Donor Knowledge Gap
The Donor The Organization
Stories

8. Share Your Thoughts
Is your organization doing a
good job of bridging the gap?

9. What Is Storytelling
Storytelling is the process of
combining facts and narrative in order
to communicate a message and an
emotion to a target audience.

10. Donor Relations + Storytelling
demonstrate accountability
provide context
avoid too many facts
used in many touch points
make donors the hero

11. Telling Your Stories
DEFINE YOUR GOAL & CORE MESSAGE
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
CHARACTER & CONFLICT
COLLECTING STORIES
SHARING STORIES

12. Your Goal
let strategy drive your
efforts
identify a goal and a core
message
what is the end goal of
telling this story?

13. what is the overarching
message that you want to
convey?
(the reason why someone
would answer the call to
action)
Core Message

14. University of Toronto
http://boundless.utoronto.ca/story/holly-zoe-
katia/

15. Know Your Audience
Am I your donor?

16. Know Your Audience
Create an audience profile

17. Character
Client Staff Members Board Members
Volunteers Donors Community
Advocates

18. Conflict
conflict is the problem that your character
needs to solve
conflict’s solution makes your donors feel
like a hero

19. Cancer Care Connection

20. Collecting Stories
KNOW WHAT THEY NEED
“Tell me a story.” is far too broad, be specific:
“I’m writing our donor stewardship report and I want to be able to
share a story about someone from (program name). Ideally,
someone who has had a positive experience in the program and
you think has really benefited from it. Do you have any thoughts
about people who might be good to speak to?”

21. Collecting Stories
CREATE TOOLS
Put tools and systems in place to collect stories:
create a story
collection form
send out a
monthly email

22. Sharing Stories
USE YOUR STORY STRATEGY
When/how will you be communicating with
donors?
What opportunities do you have for
storytelling?

23. Sharing Stories
Is what you’re doing working for your
donors?

24. Humane Society of New York
The Organization
http://www.pinterest.com/pinterestpower/non-profits-on-pinterest/

25. Mercy Ships Canada
The Organization
http://mercyshipscanada.com

26. UNICEF USA
The Organization
Subject Line:
Your Impact in 16 Photos
http://on.fb.me/VFxuVT

27. STORYTELLING CAN TRANSFORM
YOUR NON-PROFIT

28. STORYTELLING CAN TRANSFORM
YOUR NON-PROFIT
The most important stories are the ones you
tell yourself and the ones you tell each other.

29. QUESTIONS?

30. Share Your Thoughts
What’s one thing that you’ve
learned today?

31. THANK YOU!
www.thestorytellingprofit.com
vanessa@thestorytellingprofit.com
@vanessaechase
storytellingnp/