Nonprofit messaging framework and key narrative
Different staff say completely different things about your work — your messaging is inconsistent, too technical, or so vague it could apply to anyone.
What you'll achieve
A compelling, consistent narrative that captures your mission, your impact, and your distinctiveness in language that lands with funders, partners, and the public.
How a Nonprofit Builder consultant helps
- Interview your team and stakeholders, distil your impact evidence, and develop a messaging architecture with adaptable versions for different audiences.
Key deliverables
- Core narrative document, messaging hierarchy, audience-specific message variants, elevator pitch, approved language guide.
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Often paired with
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From the resource library
Free tools and guides to get started
- 9.1C116
Framing Issues for Social Justice Impact
An online directory from the Commons Social Change Library that collects framing and messaging research on about 35 issues, from abortion and climate to crime, economy, housing, human rights and transport. Each entry gives the title, the producing organisation, country, year, format and a short summary of findings. Campaigners and communicators use it to find tested messaging research before writing their own messages and narratives.
CurrentKey online resourceFree - 9.1C114
The Role of Brand in the Nonprofit Sector
An article from the Spring 2012 issue of Stanford Social Innovation Review for nonprofit leaders, communicators and funders. The authors observe that many nonprofits still use their brand mainly for fundraising. They describe a shift toward using brand to pursue long-term social goals and to build internal identity, cohesion and capacity. They set out the brand IDEA framework: brand integrity, brand democracy, brand ethics and brand affinity. Readers use it to rethink the job of a brand.
ClassicShort readFree with sign-up