Creative

In today's media-heavy world, in which people are bombarded by ads and asks multiple times every day, charities are frequently told that if they want to attract attention to their causes and raise money they need to create emotive appeals. However, at the same time, charities are often warned against using guilt as a way of encouraging people to give.

But just how effective are emotive appeals of any kind? And how can charities ensure they are carefully balancing emotion without falling into guilt-tripping?

Just as people can sense when they're being handled, they can also sense when someone is being disingenuous in communications. It's not always something they can put their finger on, but you'd better believe they know it when they feel it.

At the heart of every nonprofit’s ability to engage donors and create movements is its ability to tell a compelling story — but not just any story. The further we progress in the information age, the savvier donors become, and the greater the “return” they expect to see on their charitable investments. More and more, it’s become essential for nonprofits to identify, articulate and most importantly, market the impact they make with their programs.

Here are five nonprofits successfully telling their stories through content to help inspire you to tell your own nonprofit's story.

Young donors want to know where their money is going and what their gifts will accomplish. Those are two of the key lessons from young donors interviewed in videos produced by Achieve, a fundraising consulting firm that in July released its annual Millennial Impact Report.

Putting together a strong rationale takes a little time, especially when you're writing under a deadline. But the benefits far outweigh the hassle.

Storytelling is a nonprofit’s lifeline to raising funds, cultivating new supporters and maintaining stewardship with existing donors. Your story is your business. Your business is your organization. Your organization depends on your story. It goes full circle. Well-crafted stories for the nonprofit world generally show (or exemplify) how a societal problem was resolved. Here’s the story …

A lot of people in our sector wax lyrical about being donor-focused/donor-centered/(insert some other supporter centric jargon). Don’t get me wrong. For many, or even a lot of you, your supporters are literally the lifeblood of your organization. They keep your doors open, the lights on, mouths fed. I get that. But you don’t exist for your supporters. They (and you) are the conduit to making amazing things happen. For your beneficiaries.

You just have to accept the fact that some donors pay undue attention to overhead costs. Don't even try to change their minds. You won't be able to. On the other hand, you also have to understand that it's unrealistic to be expected to pursue your mission without ever spending any money. It takes an investment to make an impact. So focus on the impact. Donors will be far less likely to worry about overhead costs if your nonprofit is generating amazing results and if you're communicating those results robustly to your donors.

Keeping it short won't make your job a cinch. I tried to write this all with words of one syllable, and only came close. 

It is up to nonprofits to encourage donors to look beyond the "overhead ratio" measurement to see the true impact of an organization. Here are four ways nonprofits can talk about their impact, beyond “the overhead ratio”: 1. Educate your donors. 2. Build trust. 3. Be transparent. 4. Have conversations.

In order to continue making a positive impact within communities, both donors and nonprofits need to look beyond “the overhead ratio” when considering the effect of the initiatives championed by nonprofits.