Why Donor Stories Matter: The Missing Link in Nonprofit Storytelling
When nonprofits think about storytelling, the first instinct is often to spotlight the people served by their mission. And for good reason – these stories are powerful, emotional, and compelling. But there’s another perspective that often goes untold: the stories of your donors.
Sharing donor stories isn’t about glorifying giving. It’s about honoring the values, motivations, and personal journeys that connect supporters to your cause. These narratives deepen trust, foster community, and, when done well, strengthen fundraising efforts. In this article, we’re going to explore why it is important to collect stories that belong to your donors, the benefits to sharing these stories, as well as a series of thoughtful prompts you can ask donors to spark great storytelling.
Why It’s Important to Collect Donor Stories
1. Understand What Motivates Your Supporters
Behind every gift is a reason. Maybe it’s a childhood experience, a personal connection to your mission, or a desire to give back in a meaningful way. By taking the time to collect donor stories, you gain valuable insight into what truly resonates with your audience, and that knowledge can inform everything from fundraising campaign messaging to effective donor stewardship.
2. Build Stronger, Long-Lasting Relationships
Asking someone to share their story shows that you see them as more than just a donation. It demonstrates respect, appreciation, and genuine interest in bringing them into your nonprofit’s community. Many donors are eager to tell you why they give – it just takes an invitation to begin the conversation.
3. Fill a Story Bank of Authentic, Diverse Content You Can Use Any Time
Having a collection of donor stories readily available means you’re always equipped with authentic content that can be used in newsletters, appeals, social media, or even grant proposals. Investing effort to collect stories from diverse perspectives, all year long, will pay off again and again over time.
Why It’s Important to Share Donor Stories
1. Reinforce the Culture of Giving
When donors see others like them giving generously and speaking about their “why,” it helps normalize philanthropy and makes it feel more accessible. Donor stories aren’t just about big checks. They’re about values, community, and impact. Giving your donors a platform to share their values with the greater community will reinforce how deeply you appreciate their support.
2. Inspire Others to Give
Sometimes, hearing from someone outside your organization is the nudge a prospective donor needs. Peer influence is powerful. A compelling donor story can shift a reader’s perspective from “I support this cause from afar” to “I want to be part of this movement.”
3. Foster Transparency and Trust
Sharing donor stories shows your community who is standing behind your work. It helps illustrate the collective support that makes your mission possible, which is a powerful trust-builder in a time when transparency is more important than ever. Being able to visually convey the support your community has given your nonprofit is a natural, authentic brand awareness multiplier.
4. Generate a Domino Effect of Storytelling
When people see others sharing their donor stories, it lowers the barrier to entry. It sends the message: “That wasn’t complicated. I could share my story too.” Sharing stories publicly creates a ripple effect, encouraging more supporters to come forward and share their own connection to your mission. It builds a culture where storytelling becomes part of how your community expresses support.
10 Prompts to Ask that Spark Great Donor Stories
Collecting and sharing testimonials from your donors doesn’t need to be hard! However, the key to gathering meaningful, sharable content is asking thoughtful questions that represent the narrative you’d like to share. Let’s explore 10 prompts you can use to begin your donor story journey:
- Why are you passionate about our mission?
- What inspired your gift today?
- How did you first hear about our organization? What sparked your interest in learning more?
- How is our organization helping people in our community?
- What gap does our organization fill in our community?
- How does giving to our organization make you feel?
- What would you say to someone who’s thinking about donating to our organization?
- What advice do you have for people who are interested in learning more about our organization?
- What is it about our organization’s mission that aligns with your values?
- There are a lot of nonprofits out there — what is special to you about our organization?
While not every one of these prompts will work for every donor, they should get your wheels turning as you create your next story collection campaign.
Final Thought: Every Story is an Important Piece to the Puzzle
Nonprofit storytelling is often centered around the people served. But, when you weave in donor perspectives, you show a more complete picture of your mission in action. You highlight the relationships and shared values that fuel your work every day.Donor stories are more than just a “nice to have.” They are a vital part of an ethical, well-rounded storytelling strategy. In fact, they might just be the missing piece in your communications toolkit! Start collecting great donor stories today with our suggested prompts, or connect with the MemoryFox team to build your first story collection campaign.
About the Author
Carly Euler
Marketing Director, MemoryFox
Carly comes from the nonprofit world ready to elevate the hundreds of nonprofits in the MemoryFox community. She currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Wily Network’s Young Professionals Association, and has previously held positions at the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, the Code of Support Foundation, Kenya Lacrosse Association, and the BOMA Project, where she has specialized in marketing, communications, and fundraising. Storytelling has been an integral part of each role.
