When I led the marketing department at Lutheran Social Services (LSS), one of the biggest challenges wasn’t designing campaigns, segmenting donor lists, or deciding which channel to use. It was collecting real, human stories from our programs. You would think it would be the easiest part. After all, the most powerful stories lived right where…
A recent Chronicle of Philanthropy article titled, ‘Food Insecurity’ and Other Words That Sanitize Poverty, put clear language around something I see often in nonprofit communication. It was a powerful reminder of why human-centered nonprofit messaging matters now more than ever. The article points out that we often describe very real hardship with abstract, academic…
Lately, I’ve been struggling to make an important decision about my business. It’s not for lack of information or ideas. It’s that frustrating kind of stuck where you can see both paths clearly and can’t seem to take a step in either direction. That’s what led me to The Science of Stuck by Britt Frank.…
In 2022, I wrote a post called Shoulds and Social Contracts about my growing awareness of one small but powerful word: should. Back then, I realized how often I used it; mostly when I was talking to myself. That reflection was the start of my journey toward letting go of “should.” Each time I said…
In my last post, How a Smart Blogging Strategy Can Transform Your Nonprofit, I shared why a blog is one of the most powerful storytelling tools your organization has. A consistent, mission-driven blog can boost visibility, deepen donor engagement, and build lasting trust. But strategy alone isn’t enough. How you approach blogging (what you say,…
Most nonprofit leaders know the power of storytelling. You’ve seen it firsthand: one moving story about a child, a family, or a community can inspire people to act. Yet too many organizations rely on only emails and social media posts to tell their stories. One of the most powerful storytelling tools is often overlooked: a…
When it comes to nonprofit or purpose-driven communications, the language you use says a lot about how you see your supporters. Are they simply donors? Or are they valued partners in your mission? Many Nonprofits Use Transactional Messaging Think about the phrases we’ve all seen: This style is clear and to the point, but it…
Here’s a very personal and vulnerable admission. For most of my life, I’ve worked hard to be invisible. It wasn’t a conscious choice at first. It was a defense mechanism, a way to feel safe after childhood experiences that taught me to shrink rather than shine. I took it as far as developing an eating…
When fundraising works, it’s not just because a donor recognized a problem. It’s because they saw themselves in the solution. The recent NonProfit PRO article “Why Empathy and Creativity Are the Keys to Raising More Money” by the legendary Claire Axelrad nails two indispensable ingredients for successful nonprofit fundraising: But I think there’s a third…
Finding My Voice in Nonprofit Advocacy When I think back on my time at LSS, the work that left the deepest mark on me wasn’t a program launch or a capital campaign. It was advocacy. Before that role, I had never pictured myself digging into legislation, watching hours of the Ohio Channel and C-SPAN, or…
