Learn how to find compelling stories about the people your nonprofit is helping, create a story bank to pull in stories from clients and volunteers, and use your stories for maximum effect. This presentation will give you tools to build stories that will not only spearhead your fundraising and advocacy efforts, but also strengthen your organization's culture and reinforce its values.
4. Andy Goodman’s ‘sacred bundle’
How we started
Your emblematic successes
Striving-to-improve
Where we are going story
Nature of our challenge
Your values
5. Three Story Types
1. The Challenge Plot
2. The Connection Plot
3. The Creativity Plot
10. 6 Sentences for Storytelling
1. Once upon a time there was ___.
2. Every day, ___.
3. One day ___.
4. Because of that, ___.
5. Because of that, ___.
6. Until finally ___.
From Emma Coat’s “22 #storybasics I’ve picked up in my time at Pixar”
http://storyshots.tumblr.com/post/25032057278/22-storybasics-ive-picked-
up-in-my-time-at-pixar
11. Heather’s Golden Rules
1. It’s not about you…but it is about
somebody.
2. Drop the jargon.
3. Tell the truth.
4. Bring a tear to their eye.
5. Make the ‘so what’ clear.
12. Writing Your Story
Goal is to write a two minute story
Start by being clear about the
audience and message
Write for seven minutes
Share with a partner for feedback
13. Sharing Your Story
It’s time for the speed round
Two minutes to share your story
Two minutes for feedback
Switch to your partner
14. Sharing Your Story
Share your
story (2 min)
Receive
storytelling
consulting
and feedback
(2 min)
Partner
shares their
story (2 min)
Receive
storytelling
consulting
and feedback
(2 min)
20. Collecting Stories
Staff
Sharing at staff meetings
One-on-one interviews
Story bank in Google Docs
Board
Sharing at a Board meetings
Through one-on-one visits
Supporters
Online: Facebook, website, Instagram, Tell Us Your Story
page
In person at events
Everyone knows by heart: Board, staff, volunteers
homework
This is the classic underdog, rags to riches, or sheer willpower triumphing over adversity. The key element of the Challenge plot is that the obstacles seem daunting to the protagonists. E.g., Subway's Jared losing 245 pounds.
A story about people who develop a relationship that bridges a gap -- racial, class, ethnic, religious, demographic, or otherwise. E.g., the Mean Joe Greene commercial of the 1970s where he make friends with a scrawny young white kid. All connection plots inspire us in social ways. They make us want to help others, but more tolerant of others, work with others, love others.
This involves someone making a mental breakthrough, solving a long-standing puzzle, or attacking a problem in an innovative way.
Know the punchline
Andy:
Who is this story about?
What does he want?
What’s in his way?
So what does he do?
And in the end?
Pixar: Up, Toystory, Cars, Wall-E
Andy: people identify with people
Helps communities assess needs and strengths and evaluate a program throughout its life.
Project summary: Method of gathering “micro-narratives” from large numbers of people in areas where partner organizations work in order to yield qualitative data for program assessment and growth. Also serves the field of international development.
Builds strength and leadership within an organization or movement, and serves as a means of exchanging strategies for social change.
Project summary: Leadership framework devised by organizer and Harvard professor Marshall Ganz, adapted as a template by the 2008 Obama campaign for its volunteer teams, and now used by
organizations worldwide. The New Organizing Institute has drawn heavily on Ganz’s framework for its Public Narrative trainings and tools.
Engages a variety of large audiences or publics in civic dialogue and public education.
High school students and others report and write nonfiction stories from New Orleans, publish them in high-quality books, and earn royalties. Promotes media justice, and fosters civic dialogue on
issues facing New Orleans.
Engages diverse civic actors for large-scale constituency building, fundraising, and policy advocacy.
The Here I Am campaign is a global call on world leaders to save millions of lives by supporting a fully funded Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Here I Am brings the voices of people that are directly affected by AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria into dialogue about decisions that affect their lives and lives of millions of others in their countries. Through video testimonies from all over the world, campaign ambassadors, online actions and on-the-ground mobilizations, the Here I Am campaign is building collective power to end three of the world’s most deadly diseases.