The second part of our short series on nonprofit storytelling. This week Beth connects with fundraising expert and author of The Grow Report, Pamela Grow, about the value of stories in nonprofit communications. Beth advocates for donor-centric communications, and explains how nonprofit ‘storytelling’ is a key part of that. Pamela also shares why stories from surprising, unexpected places, can also have great impact: It’s not always about client case studies!
Beth and Pamela discuss:
- How can a story be more effective than numbers and bullet points?
- How to write a grant proposal everyone wants to read.
- Where do nonprofit communications often struggle the most?
- How can you encourage people who are resistant to changing their organization’s communications to try it?
- Why a board member should never have the power to veto a story.
- The template Pam uses to gather stories.
- How to ask open-ended questions that invite story sharing.
Resources:
- To connect with Pam and get updates on her next Nonprofit Storytelling course www.pamelagrow.com and simpledevelopmentsystems.com
- TED Talks https://www.ted.com/talks/browse
- Marie Forleo http://www.marieforleo.com
- Lisa Sargent Open Ended Questions Tip Sheet http://www.lisasargent.com/images/PDF/TipSheet-AdvancedInterviewing.pdf
- Blackbaud Charitable Giving Report 2013 http://media.wix.com/ugd/5649eb_9b07bbfbfc204eec89be00889cf4f620.pdf
- Susan Howlett http://susanhowlett.com/
- Issuu www.issuu.com
- Scribd www.scribd.com
- Best Friends Animal Sanctuary http://bestfriends.org/
- Heifer International http://www.heifer.org/
- Soidog Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SoiDogPageInEnglish
- Nashville Rescue Mission http://www.nashvillerescuemission.org/
Books
- Train Your Board and Everyone Else to Raise Money by Andrea Kihlstedt and Andy Robinson
- On Writing: 10th Anniversary Edition: A Memoir of the Craft By Stephen King
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