An introduction to nonprofit storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful tool for create an emotional connection between the cause of your nonprofit organisation and your audience. 

Too often, nonprofit marketing relies on policy-speak — the legacy of too many meetings with government and corporate officials — or desperate appeals for funding. The fact is, neither of these approaches work particularly well.

Policy-speak typically lacks emotional appeal, and is too easy to ignore. On the other end of the spectrum, desperate appeals for funding are too emotional, and don't convey the sense of competence — i.e. the sense that your nonprofit can do anything about the issue — that you need for successful campaigns. 

Storytelling lands in the middle of these two extremes. Good stories will more effectively — and subtly — communicate why your nonprofit exists, what it does, and where exactly any contribution of time or money will go. Done well, these stories will have a significant impact on the metrics you're tracking.

Want to learn more about nonprofit marketing? Check out our guide to digital marketing for nonprofits.

CAFOD

The success of a fundraising campaign boils down to how effectively the cause is communicated. Does your fundraiser inspire hope and capture attention? Does it demonstrate how your work is important, and how your supporters' donations can help achieve your goals? 

Does the presentation compel readers to share your message well beyond the bounds of your existing supporters?

To raise money for drought-stricken Uganda, The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) produced this unique, eye-catching campaign. 

The story begins with an illustrated first-person story that reads almost like a graphic novel. When the illustrations slowly morph into real photographs, it becomes clear that this isn't an abstract story about violence and access to water — it's someone's reality.

After the emotional introduction, CAFOD uses data to explain the issue, and provide concrete examples of the positive impact of different donation levels — empowering information for readers and potential donors.

Habitat for Humanity

The world’s leading non-profits are building immersive annual reports — turning an obligation into an opportunity.

These reports are building on techniques used by media brands like Sky, BBC, and NBC News to keep the readers' attention.

One great example comes from Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organisation that relies heavily on fundraising and volunteers. Their mission is to help build better housing around the world — something that’s clear from the start of the report, which opens with a video of their projects in action and a quote from a volunteer.

Their report also stands out for its structure. Instead of starting with information about the organisation, each section of the report tells the story of someone who has worked with or benefited from the non-profit, with each story then linked to a specific goal or programme.

World Vision

Another great annual report comes from World Vision, a non-profit focused on children’s wellbeing around the world.

In their report “Our Progress”, World Vision achieve a strong sense of brand identity, held together with World Vision’s signature colour scheme of orange and black.

World Vision want to focus on the children they help, so the report is illustrated with photos of kids and is very easy to read. Wherever possible, they let the people helped by World Vision speak for themselves through quotes and testimonials.

For more examples and advice on creating annual reports using Shorthand, check out our guide, How to write an annual report.

The Woodland Trust 

For many charities, getting readers actively involved is just as important as raising funds. It can be challenging to translate online goodwill into offline action, but this is where your story becomes incredibly important. By creating a rich interactive narrative and communicating your cause clearly, you can more easily inspire readers to volunteer their time, and to take concrete actions for change in the world.

The Woodland Trust compellingly advocates for trees in the Shorthand story, Street Fighters. By delving into the history of street trees and their myriad benefits to the environment, health, and society, The Woodland Trust creates a strong case for the importance of trees in our neighbourhoods. In particular, the interactive image layering in the section "What do street trees do for us?" visualises the significance of healthy greenery in cities. One image represents a reality with trees (clean air, dry sidewalks, wildlife), and one without (smog, floods, cities devoid of nature).

The campaign also features interviews with individuals about their contributions to conservation: an effective strategy for motivating readers — after all, it proves that a single person can make a real impact. The story concludes with concrete steps and resources for readers ready to engage with their local community.

United Nations Development Programme

Championing personal responsibility and encouraging readers to think more critically about their own actions is the aim of many nonprofits. Perhaps you want people to recycle more, or use less electricity and water. For promoting awareness and stewardship, it's important to express urgency, but also leave room for hope. Visual storytelling can help you achieve this delicate emotional balance.

When it comes to environmental degradation, nothing is quite as impactful as visuals. In the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) story A Tidal Wave of Plastic, the photos of plastic speak for themselves. By giving outsize attention to photos and maps of plastic in our waters, readers come to understand the scale of the problem.

The UNDP effectively communicates the gravity of the situation using multimedia and interactive infographics. But the story ends on a positive note — it highlights the progress that organisations and governments have made to tackle plastic pollution, and provides a set of directives to the reader. An appeal to emotion, as made in this story, can compel audiences to reflect on their personal impact, to become aware of how individual action can make a difference, and to ultimately make choices that better the world.