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Storytelling is a robust software. It not solely connects our donors with the people we’re serving. It additionally permits these we serve to see themselves mirrored within the tales of others. It offers real-life examples that may dwell alongside quantitative information. Lengthy story-short, storytelling connects our work in significant, transformational methods to our neighborhood members. It’s a highly effective software that, when used with an fairness and justice lens, can honor the tales and experiences of these you serve and invite others into your motion or group.
Nevertheless, when fairness and justice will not be thought of and utilized, when the main target of storytelling is solely to boost extra funds or “consciousness,” (which is usually coded language for elevating more cash), we will hurt these we purport to serve. This observe additional circumstances donors to the concept that they need to reply primarily to emotions of sympathy and saviorism.
My expertise with this stability round moral – and equitable – storytelling is not only from a fundraiser and advisor, but additionally from an individual with my very own lived expertise.
In my first nonprofit function as a Growth Supervisor, I labored carefully with our Advertising and marketing Supervisor on our quarterly publication. We might comb by means of details about the households the group served, hoping to search out the proper content material to hook our readers and drive donations. We had been rewarded when our collaborative efforts paid off – measured by {dollars} obtained, press alternatives secured, and elevated on-line engagement. One spring, we highlighted the story of an area mother whose religion neighborhood was on our mailing checklist. Upon seeing her story, the church reached out to grasp what extra they may do to assist her and our work. Although she agreed to an interview and knew we had been highlighting her journey in our publication, she expressed embarrassment and disgrace when it appeared like her expertise was merely getting used to boost cash. Certainly, we had crafted a story that didn’t spotlight her power, generosity or resilience, and in doing so, we prompted hurt.
About 5 years into my nonprofit profession, I discovered myself on the opposite aspect of the desk. Shortly after the beginning of my son, I suffered and survived a uncommon postpartum complication known as a Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD). A fast google search performed by my aunt revealed little or no details about my situation apart from memorial posts and mortality narratives in medical journals. On the age of 28, I had turn out to be a brand new mother and a medical miracle. It got here as no shock once I was invited to share my story at a well being group’s gala lower than a 12 months later.
I used to be excited to share my expertise and lift consciousness with the hope that different girls won’t must expertise what I did. And actually, I assumed I used to be excited to make use of what occurred to me for “good.” That night, the group confirmed a video (that I had considered prematurely) of my husband telling the story of how we met, my being pregnant and my complication. Standing backstage, I may hear the audible sobs of the viewers who believed I had died when the video concluded. My husband and toddler son took the stage and “stunned” the viewers by introducing me. I did my greatest to ship my remarks in a compelling means and general the night was a monetary success. Nevertheless, I used to be hit with the fact that the group had manipulated a room stuffed with donors and used my story and my trauma in a means that was not true to my expertise. Following that night time, I knew then that I’d by no means enable my ache for use in that means once more: maybe to the detriment of causes who may have advised my story with extra care.
In my time as a advisor, I’ve sat with dozens of organizations’ fund growth and advertising departments as they pitch concepts and tales that might compel paddles to boost or on-line donations to stream. Storytelling is highly effective and vital, however once we think about different folks’s tales, I ask that you simply think about the next issues:
Practices for Moral/Form/Accountable Storytelling
Somebody granting you the chance to share their story is a present to your group. It must be handled as such and dealt with with care. In doing so, you will need to bear in mind the next issues:
- Acquire their permission and consent to share their story. Make certain they perceive how it will likely be used and what you anticipate taking place from its use. Additionally, guarantee their privateness, particularly in relation to minors, abuse victims or well being data.
- Permit them to inform their story the way in which they need it to be advised. You’ll be able to advise on size or format, however this isn’t the time so that you can function tone police or form the narrative into one thing it’s not.
- Keep away from stereotypes and perpetuation of white saviorism. Too typically in our work, in an try and seize the eye of distracted donors, we attempt to create narratives that drive a higher sense of empathy and would possibly spur donors to behave. These narratives will not be reflective of the entire individual whose story you need to really feel honored to be telling and thus, can create hurt.
“Poverty Porn” Doesn’t Elevate Extra Cash
In non-profit fundraising and communication, “poverty porn” is any sort of media or storytelling that exploits an individual’s situation (whether or not it’s monetary, well being, et cetera) to generate the mandatory sympathy for gaining supporters to a given trigger. After 15 years elevating tens of thousands and thousands of {dollars} for non-profit organizations all around the nation, I can say with full certainty that participating on this conduct is dangerous to the topics, and it’ll not clear up your fundraising challenges.
Whereas every now and then, it’d create a surge of income (however even that’s rarer than you assume), it doesn’t create long-term dedicated donors and it’ll not assist you to extra successfully serve the inhabitants on which your mission focuses. Moreover, this work would require you to be increasingly dramatic to garner the identical quantity of consideration out of your donors.
If we as a substitute give attention to telling true tales, deliberately connecting donors with the work, and naming the programs and practices which have created hurt for these we serve, we will higher create long-term relationships with our donors that maintain our work.
Though the hurt created by poverty porn could be unintentional, the impression is actual. It’s time to deconstruct the “we serve them” narrative and as a substitute think about how we will carry supporters and people we serve collectively to repair the damaged programs that perpetuate hurt to our most marginalized communities.
Compensate Your Lived Expertise Knowledgeable
Once we ask somebody to share their story, we’re asking them to relive their trauma – publicly – for the good thing about the group. Whereas many, if not most, folks you serve are desirous to assist your group and trigger, it’s crucial that we acknowledge the sacrifice they’re making. I may no more extremely suggest that you simply embrace stipends to your storytellers in your advertising price range.
As nonprofits proceed their vital work throughout our communities, we should do our greatest to share the tales of our shoppers, neighbors and stakeholders with the care and dignity we’d give to our dearest family members. If we’re prepared to commit to moral and equitable storytelling, we open new doorways for these desirous to be in relationship with and develop our impression.
In 2015, Rachel based Gladiator Consulting, a boutique consultancy with a holistic strategy to nonprofit organizational growth. By way of Gladiator, Rachel has mixed her information of Organizational Tradition & Fund Growth along with her deep private dedication to centering neighborhood, in search of justice and creating belonging for individuals who have been disenfranchised or focused by establishments, programs and coverage.
To be taught extra about Rachel’s dedication and work, learn her full bio.
