How To Tell A Nonprofit’s Story (All Year Long)

Or: Your Nonprofit Is Not The Hero (Usually)

One of the core ways Capital Hope Media helps nonprofits is through storytelling. “Telling Stories of A World Gone Good” is all over our website for a reason. Storytelling is powerful because it’s literally how the human brain works. It’s how humans learn. Even things that seem disconnected from story, such as arithmetic, were learned in early stages by telling stories (ever been in a preschool classroom?). That’s why stories are so powerful for nonprofits: it’s how humans think. 

Now, storytelling is a creative act, but there is more process and formula to it than you might imagine. That’s good news for your nonprofit!

We use two common storytelling tools with our work in nonprofit communications. The first is a well-known set of paradigms called “The Hero’s Journey.” That’s what we’ll talk about in this post. It was articulated most clearly in the Western World by Joseph Campbell. You might recognize his name from his novel,  The Heart of Darkness.  The other tool is something of an expansion of Campbell’s work (if you squint): Jungian Archetypes. We’ll probably address that in a later post. 

The hero’s journey is very useful to nonprofits. Let me explain what it is, then I’ll explain how nonprofits can use it. Basically, the hero’s journey is a common story found in stories globally. The hero begins trapped in nowheresville, looking for direction in life. A guide comes along who helps them discover their true purpose. In so doing, they conquer great difficulties…but even more importantly, they discover who they truly are.

So in Star Wars (Episode IV), Luke is a nobody moisture farmer, dreaming of adventure. He meets a guide (Obi-Wan Kenobi) who leads him to a place where he can show who he truly is. He discovers, by the end of the story, that he is a hero.

In Moana, Moana is on an island she loves, but feels constantly called to the sea. Eventually her guide (Grandma) empowers her with a journey to find Maui and restore the heart of Te Fiti. She discovers, by the end of the story, that she is a Master Voyager, and her character is a gift to repair the world.

This pattern is not only a Western pattern, it is a structure found in stories across humanity. That is an indication, some would argue, that it speaks to something basic in humanity. Even if that’s not true, it does shape the stories most of us grow up with, and that means it is the story that shapes how we all see the world.

Cool. So how does a nonprofit use The Hero’s Journey in basic marketing?

Example: Donor Thank You Letters

Many nonprofit leaders are familiar with advice to center the donor when thanking them. You can do that in many other situations, too. For example, consider writing an email to donors that centers them as the hero. The problem your nonprofit exists to address is, obviously, the problem your donor faces. In facing that problem, they discover their own identity.

So where does that put your nonprofit? It makes you The Guide. Your organization is not the center of the story, the donor is. For example:

Thank you [Donor], for your work to help youth escape the difficult neighborhood of Acme. We know that you live a busy life, with lots of important concerns demanding your attention. We also know that one of the most important things you are doing is giving these teens a future. You are making the world better. How many people can say that? 

At Acme Community Center have seen the way lives are changed through the work you fund. Teenagers in the neighborhood finish high school at higher rates, etc. etc. etc. And it’s true: the most important place credit should go for these changes is to the teens themselves. It is also true that much of the credit goes to you. 

Example: Client Stories in Social Media

You can also use The Hero’s Journey in, say, social media posts telling the story of your clients. In that scenario, your client is the hero of their own story, struggling to overcome…whatever problem your organization exists to improve. That problem keeps the client from reaching who they really are. And again…your nonprofit is the guide, just helping along your clients. 

Example: Your Branding Videos

So when is your nonprofit the hero? Honestly, it’s pretty rare. 

One place, though, where you do call attention to your nonprofit as the hero is in your branding videos. Occasionally, it’s important to remind people that you, too, are doing phenomenal work to make a difference for your cause. Do this in branding videos, occasional update videos, and the like. These should be a relatively low percentage of your total content (you don’t want people to think you’re just promoting yourself), but it happens in some of your more high profile content.  Nonprofit video production

Don’t mistake your role in these stories, by trying to make your organization the hero at the wrong time. People will appreciate what you do with the logical part of the brain, while your storytelling helps them empathize with the importance of your work. Which is true. That’s probably how you perceive your role, too! 

Thinking concretely about this basic story structure will help clarify your communications.

We use these tools in concrete ways to make nonprofit communications better. We would love to chat about how these tools can be used for your nonprofit. Schedule a call with us, and let’s chat about how to amplify your work!