Nonprofit Storytelling Conference Living Room Podcast

How do you win the attention of your donors in an overloaded world? In this podcast, Ian Adair tells you how to use storytelling to break through the noise and gain your donor's attention.  You'll also discover how to use stories to deliver value to your donors. 

Wouldn't it be nice to know what the best story is to tell in your grant applications? In this podcast, Diane Leonard shares some of her grant writing techniques, and how she's been able to secure over 61 million dollars in grants.  You'll learn the 5 "R's" of grantwriting, and the secret to inspiring grant makers with your stories.

Is donor data dull? Did you know that donor data has the power to make your fundraising easier?  If you know the stories donors are telling you through their data, then you'll be able to be more strategic.   In this episode, Sam Laprade introduces you to the exciting world of donor data.  She also shows you the storytelling power that's locked up in your donor database.

Why do some special events raise more money than other events? In this podcast, you'll meet Samantha Swain and Kristin Steele.  They'll talk about raising money at special events and how to better engage donors.  You'll learn how to choose the ideal client story.  You'll also learn where in the schedule to put the fundraising portion of your event - Hint - it's not where most people schedule it.  Listen to this podcast so you can start raising more money at your next event.

It can be hard to get great stories to share with donors.  In this episode, you'll discover strategies and techniques for gathering the best stories to engage donors.  You'll learn powerful interviewing techniques. And you'll also learn how our brains react to stories and why donors give with their hearts and not with their heads. Join Rachel Bearbower, Chris Davenport, and Leah Eustace as they talk about why storytelling is such a powerful fundraising tool.

Aimee Sheridan, founder of A Sheridan Company and Chris Davenport discuss how to bring the story back into your plan when acronyms have taken over.   Most of us have created and been part of creating a plan full of acronyms and checklists that take hours to create and then sit on the shelf. Chris and Aimee discuss how organizations can turn their org-based plan into a donor-centric plan and why having the donor in mind will help organizations internalize their plan and more importantly use it.  

Denise Jacobs, Speaker + Author + Creativity Evangelist, along with Rachel Bearbower and Chris Davenport, discuss why a personal tool kit is essential to banishing your inner critic. Sometimes the face we share publicly doesn’t reflect the person we are when no one is looking. There is so much good work being done, and positive change is being created, but often self-doubt is standing in the way of finding where you’re your brilliance lies. Denise, Chris, and Rachel have a thoughtful discussion about the techniques for busting through creative blocks in order to help individuals find their brilliance, cultivate collaboration, and develop leadership skills.  

Everyone said don’t start a conference. The founders of Nonprofit Storytelling Conference knew that there was value in helping nonprofits tell better stories and raise more money. These three trailblazers share the origin story of how they joined forces, fumbled through logistics and were sincere in their effort to create a community around storytelling.   Join Rachel Bearbower as she talks with Chris Davenport, Shanon Dolittle, and Marc Pitman (the founding members of the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference).  They'll share how a seemingly bad idea turned into a close-knit community.