A guide to nonprofit storytelling

A well-told story is one of a nonprofit’s most effective tools to spread their message, attract donors and engage beneficiaries. Nonprofit storytelling is about much more than just saying what you do. Storytelling can help to spark emotion, inspire action and illustrate real-world change made possible by your nonprofit’s work.

Whether you’re launching a new campaign, preparing an annual report or simply updating your organization’s website, storytelling helps people connect with your mission on a personal level.

This guide walks through the key elements of crafting narratives that help to transform audiences from casual supporters to committed advocates.

Step 1: Understand your audience

Before writing a single word, define who you are talking to. Storytelling is not one-size-fits-all. The way you frame your message and the language you use should depend on the people you’re hoping to engage. Here are some insights into different audience segments to help you better understand their needs and motivations:

Donors

• Motivations: Impact, emotional connection, shared values, tax benefits, or legacy-building
• What they want to know: How their donation is making a difference, shown through concrete results
• Example: After just three months in our shelter, Maria found a full-time job and a safe place for her children—thanks to donors like you.

Beneficiaries

• Motivations: Seeking help, community or information
• What they want to know: How your organization can help them and what sets you a part; tone should be empowering, relatable and respectful
• Example: When Jamal discovered our job training program, he was skeptical—but he gave it a shot. Today, he’s mentoring others just like him.

Volunteers & partners

• Motivations: Purpose, belonging, skill-building, impact
• What they want to know: How their involvement makes a difference and what they can do to help
• Example: As a retired teacher, Sharon wanted to give back. Her tutoring sessions now help dozens of kids each week feel confident in school.

These audience outlines can be homed in on further by creating personas, making the definitions of your target audiences more real and tangible.

2. Identify your key message

A key message should communicate your mission in a single sentence. If you’re struggling to give a clear and concise answer when asked what your organization does, chances are high that your key message isn’t strong enough. Remember: If you’re confused, your audience probably is too.

While your organization might have several missions, a singular goal should exist to tie them all together. When creating a piece of content, ask yourself:

• What is the main takeaway?
• What feeling or action do I want the reader to leave with?
• Does the story align with our values and strategy?
• Does this messaging/language fit the platform I am using?

Here are some examples of strong key messages:

• Together, we can close the education gap for immigrant youth.
• Your donations bring clean water to communities that need it most.
• Your support makes hope possible, even after a disaster.

These are powerful examples because they do three things: address the audience, say what the organization does and say who the organization helps. In just a few words, the reader as been told who needs help, why they need help and why the reader should be involved.

3. Build your story structure

Most memorable stories follow a structure that creates emotional tension, introduces relatable characters and ends with a sense of hope and possibility. While real life is rarely that simple, bringing donors along on a narrative path can build a stronger connection. Here are some key players and plot points that drive traditional storytelling:

The Protagonist

Remember: The protagonist isn’t your organization—it’s those you’re helping.

Choose a person, family or small group to highlight. Personal stories create intimacy and allow your audience to imagine themselves in someone else’s shoes. Avoid leading with your organization and instead lead with the person at the center of the story.

The Challenge

Describe the issue your protagonist faced and make it specific.

• Instead of this: Many people struggle with food insecurity.
• Try this: James often skipped meals so his kids could eat. Some nights, he went to bed hungry.

The Helper

Here’s where your organization steps in. Explain clearly and specifically how your programs have helped and continue to make a difference.

• Example: Our food bank delivered weekly groceries to James and enrolled him in a job placement program.

The Transformation

Paint a picture of change. What’s different now? Use clear outcomes and emotional reflection. If you have photos of your subject before and after, that can be extremely powerful. If not, take the time to write something that reflects the change meaningfully.

• Example: Today, James has a steady income, and his fridge is always full. His daughter just started school with a new backpack and lunchbox.

The Call to Action

Invite your audience to be part of the story. You don’t always need a hard ask, just an invitation to believe in your mission. Your key message will help inform your call to action.

• Example: Your support helped James’ find food security. With your donation, we can provide food for more families in your city.

4. Show, don’t just tell

The strongest stories are immersive. Instead of making declarations, use storytelling techniques to bring scenes to life.

• Sensory detail: Where does the story take place? What season is it? Can you hear birds? Does the person have a beautiful laugh or kind eyes? You don’t need to write something flowery or overly sentimental, however, adding some genuine details can make your story stick.
• Dialogue and quotes: Hearing someone’s experience from them directly is often more moving. Instead of saying, “Jane felt helpless until she heard about our organization,” share her words: “I felt lost when I first arrived in this city and this organization provided resources and community space I needed.”
• Concrete actions: These are human stories, so describe the things they like to do and their actions. Rather than telling the reader, “Jane is hopeful about her future,” you could say, “Jane plans to plant a garden this summer for her whole family to enjoy.” 
• Data for depth: Numbers and data help your message resonate even more strongly. When possible, use statistics to contextualize, not dominate. For instance, “Jane is one of 200 women we’ve helped this year.”

5. Embrace authenticity & empathy

Audiences crave authenticity. Overly polished, corporate-sounding stories can fall flat at best—or at worst, feel exploitative. Here are a few tips for remaining authentic:

Be real

• Use simple language at an accessible reading level.
• Acknowledge complexity and ongoing struggles. Sometimes stories don’t end neatly, and to pretend everything is perfect will ring untrue.
• Keep the humanity of your protagonist front and center.

Respect consent & privacy

• Always get written permission to share stories, especially photos or names.
• Consider using pseudonyms if necessary.
• Allow people to review their stories before publishing when possible.

Focus on empowerment

• Avoid overly dramatic portrayals or over-the-top language.
• Emphasize the resilience and agency of the people you serve and let their experience speak for itself.

6. Choose the right medium

Where and how you tell your story matters as much as what you say. Think about how your audience consumes information.

Formats to consider

1. Written: Blogs, case studies, appeal letters, email series
2. Visual: Photo essays, infographics, carousel posts for social media
3. Video: Mini documentaries, event recaps, testimonials, explainer animations
4. Audio: Podcasts, recorded interviews
5. Interactive: Digital timelines, story maps, or web narratives

One story can become many pieces of content. A video interview can be transcribed into a blog post, quotes can be pulled for social, and the visuals used in your annual report. Just remember to edit you content for each platform. A flyer you made for a gala won’t make a good image for a social post, and an interview could be promoted with a few short quotes and a link via email.

7. Practice, refine & share widely

Storytelling isn’t a one-and-done activity; it’s a continuous practice that strengthens with time.

Build a storytelling system

1. Collect regularly: Create an intake form for staff, volunteers and program participants to share stories.
2. Get permission: Create a general release form for interviewees to complete; verify they are comfortable with you sharing their story.
3. Train your team: Teach staff to listen for story moments during their workday and build in a process to collect stories; these can be surveys, interviews or even as simple as asking for a quote.
4. Create a story bank: Maintain a shared drive or database with approved quotes, photos and story outlines; ensure it’s regularly updated.

Improve your craft

1. Workshop drafts with your team.
2. Ask trusted donors or supporters what stories resonated most with them.
3. Track engagement across formats and platforms, then optimize based on performance.

Share consistently

1. Integrate stories into campaigns, events, donor updates and internal meetings.
2. One story can be told many ways, so make sure it’s not a one-and-done situation.
3. Let your storytelling become a part of your culture.

Conclusion: Stories that move the mission forward

When done well, nonprofit storytelling does more than raise awareness—it builds trust, deepens loyalty and drives people to take meaningful action. It’s one of the few tools that speaks to both the heart and the head.

By grounding your stories in authenticity, focusing on real people and staying aligned with your mission, you can transform how supporters engage with your work—and how your organization changes the world.