Gather Funders Around Your Campfire: Kindle. Ignite. Stoke. - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Strengthening the not-for-profit community

Gather Funders Around Your Campfire: Kindle. Ignite. Stoke.

Moderator: Brenda B. Asare, The Alford Group Panelists:

• Cate Fox, MacArthur Foundation
• Deborah Liverett, Northern Trust
• Steve Sarowitz, Paylocity

• Kindle. Ignite. Stoke.

Kindle the fire: Gain attention Ignite the fire: Secure the funding or partnership Stoke the fire: Sustain the relationship and ultimately the funding/investment

Chapter One: Overview

Why is storytelling so important?

• Attracts and retains the attention of your audience
• Creates a visualization and affiliation that statistics and

facts don’t

• Creates an emotional connection
• Demonstrates your impact versus describing/explaining

your impact

• Gives you the opportunity to differentiate your
• rganization from others
• Stories inspire feeling, connection and action

Your mission versus your story

Mission Story Aspirational Big picture Goal-oriented Quantifies impact Motivates staff Inspirational Uses emotion Individual context Gives voice to the work Donor-centric

Different types of stories

Stories Elevator Speech Direct Mail Appeal In-person pitch Promotion

3-5 mins 1-2 mins < 1min

Donor-centric stories

Listen and then tell. Donors are interested in how their investment changed lives, not how it kept the lights on. Customize your story to your donor. Give your donors someone to care about.

Structure of a good story

What is the problem? What is the solution? What makes your organization uniquely able/capable? What is the call to action?

Pitching your story checklist

Do your homework. Speak their language. Grab attention in 15 seconds. Use a clear structure. Appeal to the heart and head. Use examples. Use the appropriate visual. Keep it conversational. Give your pitch energy. Practice, practice, practice.

Chapter Two: Funders Panel

Chapter Three: Storytelling Tank

Valerie Donnelly, University of Rochester, NY Heather Estus, The Smith Center for Performing Arts Justin Kern, Make a Difference – Wisconsin Daniele Reisbig, Greater Lansing Food Bank Katy Shamitz, Chapman Farm School

Chapter Four: Questions & Answers

Final thoughts

• 1. You have to be good at listening to stories before you

can be good at telling them.

• 2. Donors will tell you what they care most about. Position

your ask accordingly.

• 3. Storytelling is building meaningful relationships with

donors.

• 4. Stories are not statistics, you need to evoke emotion

and a desire to help.

• 5. The universal resides in the particulars.

“People will forget what you tell them, but never forget how you made them feel.”

• - Maya Angelou