Reframing your nonprofit’s narrative
Welcome to the latest edition of Moving Forward, a newsletter designed to help nonprofits exchange ideas and learn from one another to unlock the full potential of the sector.
Storytelling is a key element of any nonprofit’s success. Telling a powerful, compelling story across every part of your organization’s messaging—from your mission statement to your website copy to your LinkedIn Page—is essential for raising awareness, fostering affinity, and gaining lifelong supporters.?
But nonprofits don’t operate in a vacuum. As the world changes around you, it’s important to continually assess whether your overarching narrative still aligns with the current environment and the shifting expectations and priorities of the audiences you’re trying to reach. If it doesn’t, it may be time to reframe it.?
This doesn’t mean that your mission needs to change, or that you need to radically alter your narrative in such a way that your vision and values become unrecognizable. But it may involve bringing certain programs, data, and goals to the forefront of your narrative to highlight how your organization’s work intersects with world-changing events. While there’s certainly an argument to be made for consistency, there’s also a risk of losing people’s attention if you don’t make a case for the urgency of your work that speaks to what they’re seeing on the news and in their day-to-day lives.
Of course, many nonprofits already incorporate key moments and movements into their messaging. But reframing your narrative requires more than a one-off social or newsletter campaign. Weaving a cohesive story across all messaging channels—and recognizing when and to what extent this story needs to be assessed and realigned—are skills that organizations will likely need to strengthen as the pace of change accelerates.
How has your nonprofit adjusted its narrative in light of recent events? Join the conversation by using the hashtag #MovingForward or sharing your thoughts in the comment section.
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Hey, thanks for including my piece in your roundup (and calling me a "thought leader" ??). It calls to mind this terrific collection of case studies and perspectives from nonprofit and foundation leaders using smart, strategic communications to reframe narratives about their organizations and the issues they're working on to "make ideas move". From Stanford Social Innovation Review and The Communications Network: https://ssir.org/making_ideas_move#
Impact Media Campaign Director | Award winning social entrepreneur | Founding partner at Makhulu & Sunshine Cinema | Christian
2 年Zakithi Buthelezi
Non-profit Brand Builder | Strategic Communications Leader | Workshop Facilitator | Experience coordinating remote global communication projects across Africa, Europe, and the US | Follow on LinkedIn for weekly insights
2 年Thanks for including my content in your newsletter!
Customer-focused content writer/editor for business, education, and nonprofit. When clean, clear, inviting messaging is important, you want a skilled writer/editor with experience in your field. That's me. Let's talk.
2 年So often non-profits do great work and go on to the next thing - without telling their story. And, as you say, the story needs to be told across the spectrum of marketing avenues - from the website and pictures to the newsletters and blogs and thank you letters. It isn't a matter of if you have time to do it; it's a matter that if you don't stay up with this you risk losing your audience and the ability to fulfill you mission.
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2 年Great thoughts! Storytelling and narrative is a great way to showcase your not for profit’s mission and results as it easily highlights the transformation that’s achieved. It makes campaigns so enjoyable to work on as a marketer.