I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me… Stories Can Be Ethical & Still Raise Funds

When I first started working in the nonprofit sector, I was bright-eyed, eager, and deeply passionate about the causes I served. Like many new graduates entering this field, I wanted to use my skills to make a difference and to contribute to my community. 

I found myself starting my first nonprofit position as a Development Associate for a veteran service organization. I had a lot of experience fundraising for causes throughout high school and college, so I was eager to take my boots-on-the-ground learnings to the next level, by learning from seasoned fundraisers. My role quickly developed into one where I “wore many hats”, including crafting email communications, managing peer-to-peer campaigns, writing grants, attending community events and organizing special events.

As widespread as these tasks were, they all had one thing in common: storytelling.

I rapidly learned that our supporters, potential donors, grantmakers, and community members yearned to hear the stories of the people we served. They wanted to understand exactly how our programming impacted the lives of veterans in need. They wanted to know how their monetary contributions led to massive impact. They wanted to understand why these hardships happened to our nation’s heroes, and how we planned to provide long-term solutions.

They wanted real stories, told by real people.

But what I didn’t know at the time was that collecting and sharing these real stories from real people can result in real harm. Looking back, I wish someone had told me: You do not need to risk retraumatizing your community to raise money. Through ethical storytelling, we can do better, for everyone involved.

The Well-Intentioned Harm

In my earliest nonprofit roles, the dominant narrative was: “Stories are the currency of fundraising” – and that remains true to this day! Authentic impact stories are the most powerful tool to connect donors directly to the mission. 

But there are old-fashioned story collection methods that are problematic. Often, we would ask people to relive their most painful moments on camera. We would lean into the “before” of their story, sometimes more than the “after,” because the struggle made for more compelling appeals.

And we called it “impact.”

The truth is, impact stories should be about dignity, agency, and empowerment – not voyeurism or pity. When we rush to collect stories for fundraising campaigns, grants, or special events, without careful thought, we risk using people as props in our fundraising narratives. We risk reducing individuals to the worst thing that ever happened to them.

That is not to say that we did these practices with the intention of causing harm. In fact, it was much the opposite! We truly believed that this was a reasonable thing to do in order to raise more funds to continue serving more and more veterans in crisis situations. 

But what I know now, and what I want to tell every new nonprofit professional, is that there is a better way. You can collect powerful, moving stories without causing harm. And it starts with embracing ethical storytelling principles.

The 5 Principles of Ethical Story Collection

Through my work at MemoryFox, I have had the unique honor of creating the nonprofit sector’s first Ethical Storytelling Report. Now in its second iteration, the 2024 Ethical Storytelling Report is equipped with strategies from more than 30 ethical storytelling thought leaders and nonprofit professionals. Today, I’d love to share the basics of collecting stories from your community in an ethical way. Here are the five principles I wish I had known from the start:

1. Give Your Community the Microphone

With today’s technology, nonprofits no longer need to speak for others. When you give your community members the opportunity to share their stories themselves, you empower them to express their experiences in their own words and in their own way. This approach not only amplifies authentic voices but also shows respect for the individuals’ autonomy, allowing them to shape the narrative and highlight what’s most important to them.

2. Encourage Sharing When & Where They Are Comfortable

Providing a safe and comfortable environment for storytellers is crucial. When individuals feel pressured or uncomfortable, they may not share the full extent of their experiences, or they might feel vulnerable afterward. By allowing storytellers to share when and where they feel most at ease, you reduce stress, build trust, and create space for genuine and impactful storytelling. Consider letting them choose their preferred setting, time, and medium – whether that’s face-to-face at a park, through a written submission in a letter, or by video submitted via MemoryFox from the comfort of their own home.

3. Be Upfront About How You Intend to Use Their Story

Providing information ahead of time is the type of transparency that is absolutely key in ethical storytelling. Storytellers deserve to know exactly how their story will be used and in what contexts it will appear. For example, an individual might be more willing to provide personal details for a confidential grant report but may feel uncomfortable sharing the same information on social media. By being clear and upfront about your intentions, you give them the power to decide what they’re comfortable with and adjust their level of sharing accordingly. This honesty fosters trust and mutual respect.

4. Use Prompts With Strength-Based Messaging

The questions you ask will shape the stories you receive. Strength-based prompts encourage storytellers to focus on resilience, achievements, and positive outcomes, which can lead to powerful, uplifting narratives that celebrate the strengths of the community rather than emphasizing challenges. Reflect on whether your questions highlight empowerment, hope, and growth. By framing prompts this way, you not only receive stories that align with these values but also support storytellers in sharing experiences that they feel proud of.

5. Capture Stories in Real-Time & All Year Long

Memories fade, and emotions change. Capturing stories as close to the actual event or experience as possible helps to retain the authenticity and passion of the moment. Real-time storytelling provides a more accurate, vibrant account of the storyteller’s feelings and experiences. This approach ensures that your narratives are rich, engaging, and genuine. Whenever possible, provide opportunities for immediate reflection, such as recording short videos or audio clips on-site, or offering digital options that allow community members to share while the experience is fresh.

Why This Matters for New Nonprofit Professionals

When you’re early in your career, you might feel torn between the demands of fundraising and your personal ethics. You may hear, “We need this story to close a grant,” or “Our gala video won’t work without a compelling client story.” But your role isn’t just to collect content – it is to protect the dignity of the people whose stories you are privileged to hear.

Ethical storytelling is not just a “courteous thing to do”, it is a responsibility. The trust that program participants place in us is sacred. We must steward that trust with care.

The good news is that there is a growing movement in the nonprofit sector toward trauma-informed, consent-based storytelling! In fact, 84% of nonprofit professionals say that they consider ethical storytelling to be extremely important to them. 

If you’re reading this as a new graduate, know that you have the power to advocate for better practices, even early in your career. Ask questions when collecting stories. Speak up if you feel uncomfortable with how a story is being used. Suggest alternatives that honor both the storyteller and the mission.

Remember, You Can Raise Funds AND Protect People

Here’s the best part: Ethical storytelling works. According to the Ethical Storytelling Report, 42% of nonprofit professionals have already seen ethical storytelling practices lead to an increase in funds raises, while 37% have not personally made changes, but believe it will work when they do.

The most compelling stories are not the ones that exploit vulnerability, but the ones that celebrate resilience. As you enter the nonprofit sector, I hope you carry this lesson with you. You don’t have to choose between raising funds and doing what is right. You can do both!

Because at the heart of every nonprofit mission is a commitment to people. Let’s make sure our storytelling reflects that.

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