How Nonprofits can Share Stories of Impact that Honor the Dignity of Clients

Sharing stories of beneficiaries can be a powerful way to show donors, community, and funding sources the impact your nonprofit is making.

However, there can be a line overstepped when sharing these stories that you may not even think about.

For instance, are you sharing super emotional pictures, videos, and stories trying to get emotive responses of despair?

I.e. those animal commercials with Sarah McLachlan playing in the background…

Or are you sharing the overcoming of situations of your clients / issue and the benefits that your nonprofit provides?

Maybe you are like, “Holly, we only show positive impact!”

That’s great, but some other things to consider are:

  • How do you honor the story of clients?
  • Do you have them read (or better yet, write!) the stories?
  • Do you have permission to share videos and pictures?
  • And so much more…

Mary Gladstone-Highland, CEO of Spark Group Consulting,  is on the Grant Writing & Funding podcast and YouTube video to discuss how to share your nonprofit’s mission without misery through your story-telling. 

What We Discuss About Nonprofits Sharing Client Stories:

  • Introduction with Mary Gladstone-Highland
  • About Mary’s Journey into Nonprofit Consultancy
  • Why Nonprofits Might not be Connecting to their Community
  • Verifying Needs for Nonprofits
  • Why Government Processes Can Re-Traumatize People
  • How to Tell the Mission without the Misery
  • Getting Permission to Tell Stories
  • Telling Stories with Dignity
  • Protect Clients on Social Media
  • Telling the Story with Data

About Mary Gladstone-Highland

picture of MaryMary Gladstone-Highland founded Spark Group Consulting which helps nonprofit leaders develop the strategies and fundraising they need to achieve their mission. Mary is a Certified Nonprofit Professional with seventeen years of experience leading organizations. 

Mary is a graduate of the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University. She holds a Master of Public Administration and a Certificate in Advanced Study in Conflict and Collaboration. 

She is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive and has raised over $4.5 million for numerous organizations over the past five years. Mary is skilled at analyzing large amounts of information to find creative solutions to complex problems. She strives to use an asset-based approach in every situation.

Reach Out to Mary Gladstone-Highland:

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