3 Ethical Storytelling Practices All Nonprofits Should Use

Nonprofits tell stories every day—in newsletters, promotional materials, conversations with donors, and more. Effective storytelling is powerful for nonprofits because it breaks down barriers between your organization and your audience, connecting them to the human element of your work and inspiring them to get involved.

But when you tell the stories of real people (which you should!), it’s important to keep their best interests in mind and tell their stories responsibly. In this article, we’ll provide three best practices and tips for telling ethical, respectful stories that boost support for your nonprofit while staying true to your values.

1. Respect the people whose stories you tell

According to Meyer Partners’ direct mail fundraising guide, successful nonprofit storytelling relies on resonance, relevance, and respect to engage readers. This means the stories you tell should evoke positive emotions, clearly express the role of donors, and respect everyone involved—starting with the person whose story you’re telling.

Whether the central figure of your story is a beneficiary, volunteer, or other community member, it’s essential that your writing respect:

• Their story: Stick to the facts of your constituent’s story, making sure not to embellish or add unnecessary details. Let them lead the way so that the story remains as accurate and genuine as possible.
• Their wishes: If the subject of your writing wants to remain anonymous, or would prefer that their story not be told publicly, it’s vital to honor their wishes. Discuss exactly what they’re comfortable with and stay within those boundaries.
• Their agency: Don’t paint your beneficiaries or community members as helpless or play into stereotypes. Instead, challenge stereotypes when possible and lift the subjects of your stories up by centering their own agency and power. Tell the story of how they overcame a struggle and add details of how your nonprofit was able to help, not how your organization alone solved an issue they were facing.

This is especially important when writing or speaking about beneficiaries, but it should apply to everyone whose story your nonprofit tells. For instance, if a staff member allows you to tell the tale of how they discovered their passion for the cause, don’t try to embellish the details or exaggerate their circumstances. 

It’s also important to make sure that your storytelling respects the audience. Avoid evoking negative emotions like guilt or using false urgency to inspire donations from your readers or audience members. 

2. Always ask for permission

Make sure you get express, written permission from each person whose story you want to tell. If the central figure is under 18, this means attaining both the child’s and their parent or guardian’s permission.

When you reach out to start this conversation, be clear about the reasons you want to tell their story. For example, you might explain how their specific triumph or achievement could inspire donors to give so your nonprofit can help other community members. Or, if you plan to include a program participant’s story in a publication like an impact report, you might explain how sharing this story could help your organization secure further funding.

After getting an initial “yes”, you can go into more detail about how exactly you plan to tell their story and ask whether they are comfortable with your nonprofit:

• Sharing their name
• Publishing photos or videos of them
• Using their own words
• Including their age, location, or job in the story
• Retelling their story in future marketing materials

Additionally, let them know where the story will be published. Someone may feel comfortable sharing their story via direct mail or donation appeal letters but not on social media or your website, or vice versa, so it’s important to be clear with these details.

3. Center the voices of your constituents

You can make your stories compelling by infusing them with data and donor-centered copy, but you should also be sure to include plenty of the constituent’s own words whenever you can. By including direct quotes, testimonials, and video interviews, your stories remain authentic and will align with your constituents’ own experiences. 

When appropriate, ask to interview your subject one-on-one to get these direct quotes and ensure you stay true to the core of their story. You can also ask them to share the details in their own words so you can pull quotes. Then, incorporate their voice into the final story as much as possible.

For example, say you’re creating a year-end giving appeal that includes a story about a beneficiary named Jaylen who completed your career readiness program this year. To center Jaylen’s voice in the appeal, you might ask him to fill out a survey answering questions about his experience. Then, you could use his answers in a storytelling element like this:

For Jaylen, our career readiness program was a “game changer.” He joined the program three years out of high school because “finding work was an incredible challenge.” A month after graduating from our six-week program, Jaylen not only found a job he enjoyed—he said, “My whole outlook on life changed. I realized that I wasn’t stuck and that I really do have a future. That’s all thanks to the program.”

How to tell beneficiaries’ stories respectfully

Practicing the art of respectful and honest storytelling is a continuous journey. Along with adopting these ethical practices, you can elevate the stories of your nonprofit’s beneficiaries, participants, and clients by:

• Empowering them: Allow your constituents to tell their stories in a way that they are comfortable. If they’re interested in speaking at an event or recording a voiceover for a video, offer to support them in doing so. 
• Prioritize inclusion and diverse points of view: Include community members from all different backgrounds in your storytelling,  and focus on lifting up and empowering their voices rather than your nonprofit’s.
• Focusing on positive emotions: Tell stories that evoke feelings of hope, empowerment, and pride in both the readers and the people whose story you’re telling. Remind your constituents that their stories are inspiring and impactful and that they can make a difference through their experiences.

As you practice telling stories for your nonprofit, keep an open mind and seek out advice from other nonprofit leaders. Consider exploring resources like Double the Donation’s list of nonprofit webinars or attending a panel about storytelling in the nonprofit space to sharpen your skills.

When you share stories respectfully and ethically, storytelling becomes a powerful tool for marketing, fundraising, and relationship-building. If you’re not sure how to incorporate these stories into your fundraising strategies, you can consider engaging a marketing or fundraising consultant. We work with trusted partners like Quam Taylor and Firefly who can help you harness your storytelling to its full potential.

For more website and content strategy inspiration, browse past web design projects with nonprofit organizations.  

This article includes tips from a consulting company that advises nonprofits.