Money can’t buy love.
At least that’s what investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett, 94, once said.
“If you get to my age in life and nobody thinks well of you, I don’t care how big your bank account is, your life is a disaster,” he said.
His definition of true success? That love should outweigh wealth.
“…the more you give love away, the more you get.”
Love. That’s really the impetus behind your organization’s mission. It grew out of care and concern (i.e., the love) one person or one group had for another neighbor, animal, protected place, the elderly, children and so on.
They saw a need, they formed a fledgling nonprofit, they got to work. Perhaps their early efforts in cultivating donors were unsophisticated, but they had the passion and drive to successfully grow their circle of support.
Now, imagine you’re at a community event and someone asks you about your nonprofit and what you do there.
What would you rather hear?
“We help people in need find stable housing and support services throughout the tri-state area. We provide safe places to sleep, meals and access to resources like job training and mental health care. We help about 100,000 people of all ages annually.”
OR
Why you work for XYZ nonprofit: “I grew up seeing my aunt and uncle working multiple jobs to keep their family afloat. …”
Why a donor made their gift: “Jane had family members struggle, which led her to volunteer for the food bank. She got to know the people who came through and wanted to help even more. …”
Why you and other staff put in extra hours: “Every week, two of our clients, Joyce and Bill, are in the front row of our job-training classes. They tell us how much they appreciate that someone out there hasn’t given up on them. …”
Sharing stories, instead of leading with a canned elevator pitch, kindles an undeniable “oomph,” or passion. It’s a vibe that spreads and ignites love and support for your organization’s mission.
4 Ways to Tell Your Nonprofit’s Story
1. First and foremost, it’s got to be authentic.
- It doesn’t matter if you speak it or write it; your nonprofit’s story has got to be real.
- Never fabricate or speak loosely about the details for dramatic effect.
- If you can’t share it with conviction, your audience won’t buy it.
2. Build your story around people, or better yet, a person.
- A singular story is more relatable. Start talking about dozens, hundreds or thousands of anything and you’ll lose your audience. This is known as the identifiable victim effect—a tendency for people to feel more empathy and a stronger desire to help when a tragedy involves a single, clearly identified person, rather than a large, anonymous group.
- Give your people faces, names, personalities. Talk about a grandparent, a co-worker or a kid down the street.
- Highlight the before and after: “When Maria came to our shelter, she was 17 and scared. Today, she’s a college graduate advocating for other teens.”
3. Thoughtfully share trials and tribulations.
- Be transparent about bumps in the road and how your organization changed course, if necessary, to achieve success—and why your donors choose to join you for the journey.
- Transparency tells supporters that despite challenges, your group is capable and committed to seeing the program or initiative through.
4. Tailor the story to your audience.
- Find the nugget of the story that connects with your particular audience.
- Tell them the “what’s-it-got-to-do-with-me” piece of the story.
- Make it relatable, addressing their concerns and ultimate hopes for their family, cause or community.
Final Thought
At Stelter, we’re working to “grow love” through philanthropy psychology, or Phil Psych.
This excerpted story from a Stelter client shows how personal connections, relationships and philanthropic opportunities allow us to grow love and make the world a better place.
“… As the final paperwork was being signed, the donor became emotional, and tears flowed as she shared with Adam how proud her mother would have been to have a scholarship created in her name. The gift left an indelible imprint on Adam’s heart because it brought such profound joy to the donor. ‘It’s not the biggest gift I’ve worked on by far, but it’s definitely the most meaningful because I saw just how personally significant it was to the donor,’ he said.”
Read Adam’s full story and one from Sharon, senior director, planned giving, at the International Rescue Committee, in “How Trust Transforms: Heartwarming Stories from Nonprofit Leaders.”