Knowledge Sharing
CFGV Nonprofits
Tell Us a Story
Navigating Storytelling
CFGV asks agencies to tell us a “story” in their report narratives. Below is a framework to help you navigate storytelling. Scroll down to find additional resources on Stories and Storytelling.
We really do mean “tell us a story”. A story has characters, action, color, atmosphere, emotion… We’ll use your stories with prospective donors, with the press, and in our Annual Report to show what a difference you are making in the Valley. Think about moments when you were looking at a child, a mom, a rescued animal, a family with a home of their own, a restored habitat…a time when you might have choked up a little and thought, “Yes, this is exactly why I know this work matters.”
Beware!! Here is an example of what we are NOT looking for! This is an overview, not a story.
“Our mission is XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Our board meets 10 times per year to plan exciting events which usually draw 50 people or more. Our donor pool is expanding, we are getting more and more press coverage, and we are highly acclaimed by the Denver Post as being an outstanding example of an organization doing much with a very small budget.”
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There are tons of great resources out there. Here are a few to get you started:
Short and sweet
From the great Seth Godin’s blog: How to tell a great story
Below is a comprehensive article on storytelling. (Get Cozy! It’s ten pages but worth the read.)
The piece linked below by Helen J. Mitchell is a wonderful article on storytelling. The original article was posted at https://www.usq.edu.au.
ABSTRACT
Knowledge sharing is recognized as being critical to the ongoing development and growth of an organization. Sharing knowledge occurs in many ways and story telling, often regarded in a light-hearted way and frequently accompanied by wry comments, or even skepticism, is now being recognized as having a place of value within the knowledge sharing environment. This paper will consider situations affecting knowledge sharing, examine issues surrounding story telling, the place of technology in the story telling environment, and the value to the organization of story telling will also be discussed.