{"id":10020,"date":"2022-11-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-07T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pro-migration.local\/blog\/how-to-write-a-short-story-for-campaign-appeals\/"},"modified":"2025-06-10T11:29:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T18:29:51","slug":"how-to-write-a-short-story-for-campaign-appeals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gofundme.to\/__proxy\/pro.gofundme.com\/c\/blog\/how-to-write-a-short-story-for-campaign-appeals\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a Short Story for Campaign Appeals"},"content":{"rendered":"

In\u00a0nonprofit marketing<\/a>, the term storytelling comes up often because we witness its impact in everyday examples, from entertainment to advertising. There\u2019s no doubt stories are powerful tools.<\/p>\n

Anytime you ask donors to give, stories can provide\u00a0an emotional connection back to your cause<\/a>. A good narrative then shows people the impact of their gift beyond raw numbers and facts.<\/p>\n

Still, storytelling is easy to talk about, but\u00a0harder to put into practice<\/a>. To help your nonprofit organization get started, here are five tips for leveraging stories within your next appeal or fundraising campaign, along with several fundraising story examples from other nonprofits.<\/p>\n

1. Focus on a Character<\/h2>\n

Every effective nonprofit story focuses on a real character\u2014a person (or group) that gives your target audience a perspective to see the narrative through. Stories are meaningful because of the ability to connect us to someone relatable. Even though their experience isn\u2019t ours, we can better understand them through empathy.<\/p>\n

Your character doesn\u2019t have to be someone your organization serves, either. It\u2019s just as impactful to tell the story through the eyes of an employee, donor, volunteer, board member, or community partner. All these people need to do is act as a stand-in for your target audience and invite them into the narrative.<\/p>\n

You also have access to characters even if your mission isn\u2019t specifically human-focused. Nonprofits whose mission serves the environment or animal rights still have characters, too. That\u2019s because these causes still affect and matter to humans, who then have a story to share.<\/p>\n

Feeding America\u2019s \u201cReal Stories of Hunger<\/a>\u201d fundraising story example showcases the power of character. The organization tackles the challenge of hunger, a massive and complex issue, by showing it through the eyes of real people like\u00a0Lamont<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Brittany<\/a>.<\/p>\n\"fundraising-story-examples\"\n

2. Build Tension and Resolve It<\/h2>\n

Every story your organization tells should involve conflict. Although conflict can make people uncomfortable, this tension gives purpose and meaning to a story. Large or small, these issues drive your narrative forward\u2014after all,\u00a0not including conflict<\/a>\u00a0means there\u2019s no story to tell.<\/p>\n

Think about a challenge your story\u2019s character faces. Perhaps they noticed a social issue they want to help with or desire a sense of purpose for their life and resources. In either case, there was some conflict that compelled them to act.<\/p>\n

This tension hooks the audience and holds their attention. However, they also want to see the tension resolved. Ideally, the character\u2019s involvement within your organization is the solution they needed to overcome the challenge. Thus, your fundraising campaign should focus on a specific tension that people\u2019s donations help to resolve.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0International Justice Mission (IJM)<\/a>\u00a0deals with modern slavery and human trafficking\u2014a cause rife with tension\u2014is a great example of how to build tension and resolve it. The nonprofit\u2019s stories don\u2019t shy away from this conflict, and viewers feel the emotional weight of what real people have experienced. Thankfully, IJM resolves the conflict by the end of each story and reminds the audience of the urgent need for continued support of other yet-to-be-told stories.<\/p>\n\"fundraising-story-examples\"\n

3. Use Strong Visuals<\/h2>\n

Compelling visual elements like\u00a0photos<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0videos<\/a>\u00a0take your nonprofit\u2019s storytelling to the next level. These visuals help your audience picture the character, their issue, and the action they took. In other words, a good image begins to tell the story all by itself.<\/p>\n

However, capturing these visuals doesn’t happen by accident. Compiling and editing storytelling assets takes careful planning and execution. But armed with the right skills and equipment to take relevant photos and record videos of the story, your team can capture the story as it happens.<\/p>\n

For your campaign appeal, gather specific images and videos around the character and theme you want to share. This means considering what visuals support the narrative and help drive your target audience toward a specific action. Then, unveil these images on each component of the campaign\u2014from print mailers to website landing pages.<\/p>\n

Charity: Water<\/a>\u00a0is a leading example of nonprofit fundraising stories with beautiful story visuals. The organization takes photos of every project it completes and displays them\u00a0through stories on its website<\/a>. Notice how these visuals highlight people and the emotions they experience while interacting with the organization\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n\"fundraising-story-examples-3\"\n

4. Connect to a Clear Call to Action<\/h2>\n

Every good story contains\u00a0a clear and compelling action step<\/a>\u2014the bridge that connects the narrative directly to your target audience. The benefit of being a nonprofit organization is the wide array of actions you can choose from, including:<\/p>\n