Tell your story!

I just read about this resource in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and I can't wait to share it with all of my great nonprofit pals!

It is "a web platform to help organizations gather, curate, and use stories to effect change." Check it out here:

http://www.stori.es/

Storytelling is having a moment. For years, research has shown that people (i.e. potential donors) respond more, and more generously, to the story of ONE person who is being helped by a nonprofit's work, rather than a barrage of statistics - even if those statistics are really impressive. 

Now, it seems like storytelling is everywhere:

The Meyer Foundation and the Georgetown University Center for Social Impact Communication just released Stories Worth Telling: A Guide to Strategic and Sustainable Nonprofit Storytelling.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy's November 6, 2014 edition included a major spread on nonprofit storytelling (sorry, most content is currently limited to subscribers, but that will likely change).

A Nonprofit Storytelling Conference in Seattle earlier this month was completely sold out.

NPR correspondent Shankar Vedantam (yes, I'm a superfan) recently told us "Why Your Brain Wants to Help One Child in Need - But Not Millions."

Through Consumer Union's stori.es, your organization can gather stories through the use of questionnaires, curate the answers, and develop meaningful stories to share with your stakeholders, including potential donors.

All nonprofits know that they have to do this - gather and share stories - but they don't know how, don't have the staff to devote to the task, can't get organized, etc. Hopefully, this new resource will make it easier to tell the world about the great work you do!

My own resources on creative grant writing, which can help you tell your organization's stories in more compelling and impactful ways, can be found HERE. Check out Grant Writing for Creative Souls.

Happy storytelling. Once upon a time...

Donor Giving Levels That Made Me Cheer

In the fundraising business, we're always trying to come up with creative ways to express donor levels. I'm so tired of:

• Platinum
• Gold
• Silver
• Bronze

or

• Benefactors
• Supporters
• Friends

Oh, sorry, are you still here? I thought you might have fallen asleep, as I almost did. YAWN!

I recently went to a SpeakeasyDC event, and I was so thrilled to see the titles they assigned to their giving levels. Creative, related to the work that they do, and FUN, which reflects the fun spirit of the organization! Their donor levels are:

• Bringing Down the House
• Encore Performance
• Standing Ovation
• Hootin' & Hollerin'
• Whistles & Cheers
• Enthusiastic Applause

Here is SpeakeasyDC's Mission Statement: Through the art of autobiographical story performance, SpeakeasyDC gives voice to the authentic experience of ordinary people, builds community, and promotes understanding. We have a three-part mission: to produce high quality storytelling performances; provide ongoing storytelling training and performance opportunities to the public; and preserve the oral tradition in a way that speaks to and enriches contemporary life.

OK, I know that their mission statement sounds all serious and academic and stuff, but their storytelling events are REALLY fun! Some of my best laughs and most memorable experiences in DC.

As another example of their creativity - at the end of the event, they presented their outgoing chairperson with a thank you gift for her service. It was a T-shirt, with the organization's name on one side and "I'm Kind Of A Big Deal" on the other side. Love it!

Kuddos to SpeakeasyDC! You should check them out!