Who doesn't like the story of the "Little Engine That
Could?" The 1930 children's book has stayed a favorite for 75 years
because it teaches children that trying hard and often gets you to the top.
It's doubtful that the book would have even survived a week
if it ended on a note of failure.
Most people root for the underdog, but what really moves
them is when the underdog becomes the top dog.
That's the story your nonprofit should be telling.
When you are trying to raise funds, whether you're a
nonprofit or a for-profit, people want to know that they are backing a winner
or at least a solid competitor.
Often the difference between getting funding and going broke
is your ability to prove you have a lasting impact on whatever problem you are
trying to solve.
Nonprofits have a particularly good audience for success
stories, because even little successes, if they are cumulative, motivate people
to help.
We hear a lot about impact statements, but too many people
want to prove their impact with numbers only, leaving out the emotional side.
OK, it's a good thing to be able to say you served 1000 more
meals this year than last, but what difference did those meals make in
someone's life?
Every nonprofit should make an effort to go beyond the
numbers. Follow up with the people you fed or tutored or that you helped to finally
get a job. What positive outcomes did they have beyond a meal, their first
paycheck or a passing grade on a test?
Stopping with the immediate end result of a program sells
your whole operation short.
Go out and contact some of the people you helped, or the
homes where you placed an animal a year or more later. What happened after the
initial good deed?
Sometimes the outcomes aren't as rosy as you hoped they
would be, but that's part of the story.
One nonprofit that worked with rescuing female domestic
abuse victims did just that. What they found was that about 30% of the abused
women had gone back to school and another 35% had found steady employment, but
most of the others had either gone back to their abusers or entered into
another abusive relationship.
That's part of your story too. Use it to show why you still
need support.
Put the stories on your website, start a blog or send out newsletters, but get the word out.
Remember, people want to give you money only because you help
someone or something else. They aren't going to donate just because you need to
pay the rent. Now go out there and start bragging!
