[ASK AN EXPERT] How To Tell A Compelling Fundraising Story

Our Ask An Expert series features real questions answered by Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, our very own Fundraising Coach, also known as Charity Clairity. Today’s question comes from a nonprofit employee who wants advice on how to tell a compelling fundraising story when your cause doesn’t have a lot of direct services:  

Dear Charity Clairity,

We provide administrative, educational and financial support to a range of other charities within our statewide member network. In other words, our mission is to underwrite much of the “overhead” for agencies who do the work. Yet they still do their own fundraising, which we help them to do through training. We have a few of our own programs, but don’t have a lot of our own boots-on-the-ground direct services. No one wants to pay for what we do. How do I tell a compelling fundraising story?

— Not Saving Lives

Dear Not Saving Lives,

First, a reality check: Very few charities can actually say they’re in the business of life and death. Yet they still solve very real problems and meet pressing needs within their communities and the world. So, stop feeling “less than” because you aren’t doing work you personally consider dramatic.

I promise, there’s lots of drama to be found!

The key to storytelling is to present the problem – why you exist – in a compelling, emotional manner that draws people in and makes them want to be a part of your drama. You make the “why” somewhat sexy (i.e., stimulating) so it provokes an inspired response.

And so many things can be stimulating in this regard. You intimate a fear “overhead” is not very sexy. That’s like saying a person’s mind isn’t sexy, only their body. The truth is the two cannot be divorced from one another.  “Overhead” is a myth nonprofits persist in colluding with donors to believe is somehow sordid because it’s not a “program.” But, without overhead, there are no programs! Overhead and program are inextricably intertwined. Period.

So, let’s consider the types of stories you might tell.

I don’t know the specifics of your cause, but generally there are two types of stories: before and after. They’re both valid; you’ll just use them at different times.

Unsolved problem story

This is a fundraising story. You’ll use it in an appeal, on your website, in your newsletter or on social media to make the case for support. It’s best to pair this problem with a suggested realistic solution so the donor can envision how their support will resolve the problem.

While it’s relatively easy to craft a story about a hungry child who may die without nourishment… or an abandoned puppy who may die without the solution of a loving adoption… or of a frail, isolated senior who may die without supportive and medical services, it’s not always so easy. But, it’s doable!

For example, here are a few problems that are not necessarily life and death. Yet the solutions offered make a demonstrable difference in people’s lives:

• [Chronic disease] Margaret will suffer tremendous pain from this disease. Funds are needed to provide palliative care.
• [Legal services] People in rural areas don’t have access to services to meet basic needs. Funds are needed to provide attorney staff to bridge the urban/rural legal divide.
• [Arts] People without arts access lack empathy and understanding of how to value things they don’t already know how to value. Funds are needed to provide music to move us… paintings to inspire us… books and films to entertain us.
• [Environment] Overfishing, pollution and climate change will lead to the death of the ocean within our lifetimes. Funds are needed to make our ecosystem more resilient.

The story should be about one person, animal, place or thing. It should be simple enough the donor can immediately wrap their head and heart around it, while simultaneously paced with emotional adjectives and compelling imagery. Begin an appeal with a single emotion-packed sentence that enables people to imagine the situation with which the protagonist of the story is confronted.

You shouldn’t try to tell all your stories at once! You may provide skills and tools to help other agencies harness wisdom, share collective power, and share analysis and insights about systemic trends, challenges, and solutions. But that’s not a story. It’s an organizational mission statement. And people aren’t buying your organization.

People will buy a story of change. To tell such a story, pick one need you address and pair it with one thing you make possible, whether directly or indirectly.

Your best fundraising stories are those where many people perceive the problem and want to solve it. So, think about the root reason for your organization’s existence. What problems do you exist to solve, and which of those do your donors also want to solve?

Solved problem story

This is a gratitude (aka donor retention) strategy. You’ll use it on a thank-you landing page, thank-you email, thank-you letter, newsletter, impact report, gratitude (annual) report, or anyplace else you honor donors and showcase the transformational power of their giving.

You don’t use this kind of story to raise funds, because when the happy ending is already achieved there’s nothing for the donor to do. At the same time, you don’t want to leave donors hanging with the feeling their gift may have gone into a black hole. They need to know they made a real difference.

When donors don’t feel their gift is contributing to progress, they’re unlikely to give again. That’s why you have to tell happy stories as well as sad ones.

Again, with these happy stories it’s important to provide specifics. “You made a difference” is too general. “You provided meals for a week” is something the donor can visualize. It’s likely to make them smile. And, hopefully, to want to do this again.

Donor’s story

Inherent in all your fundraising and gratitude strategies is the story the donor wants to be able to tell about themselves. Focus on who donors want to become.

When you offer the opportunity to give one or more of your stories a happy ending, you make it possible for donors to love themselves when they look in the mirror.

By showing donors how much they matter, you bring them meaning.

Final thoughts

You mention the charities in your statewide network have boots-on-the-ground services. Even though you don’t, you definitely enable them. They couldn’t do this work without your support, so talk about the people they help. And how they’re helped.

If people are helped in a variety of different ways, perhaps even through different organizations within your network, then you have a variety of different stories. Write them down on a white board, and begin to consider which are most compelling. You might even survey your donors to find out which areas are of greatest interest to them; then, use that information to inform future fundraising

You’ve no doubt got many beautiful stories, and ones well worth telling.

— Charity Clairity (Please use a pseudonym if you prefer to be anonymous when you submit your own question, like “Not Saving Lives” did.)

How do you tell a compelling fundraising story when your cause doesn’t have a happy ending? Let us know in the comments.