1. Fundraising is an invitation, not an appeal for pity.

People don’t give money because your organization has a need; they give because your organization meets a need. We shouldn’t approach fundraising as if we’re begging for help. Instead, we’re inviting donors to be part of a successful mission. When we talk to donors, the focus should stay on the big picture of how lives are changed, rather than a dry list of every service we provide.

2. Master the five-sentence success story.

Brevity is vital for keeping a donor’s attention. Every effective fundraising story should follow a simple, five-point structure: the introduction, the “once-upon-a-time” struggle, the “then” moment that altered the timeline, the “because of that” transition, and the “now” outcome. By owning the narrative and keeping it brief, we ensure the story highlights our organization’s effectiveness without getting lost in unsympathetic or unnecessary details.

3. Position the donor as a primary partner.

The goal is to make the audience feel good about funding the mission. Instead of talking about what we give to our clients, we should talk about how their lives are changed because the donor made it possible. We are ambassadors for the donors, and their contributions are what allow us to do this work. By using humor and focusing more on our own positive actions than the opposition’s tactics, we build the kind of rapport that turns one-time givers into long-term partners.

Using stories for fundraising

You’re here because you understand the power of the story. A story has a name, a problem, and a solution.

Your goal is to convince your audience that they’ll feel good about funding your organization. Stories do that, not numbers.

Communicating with donors

It’s important to understand what makes people want to donate to your organization. People have an endless list of non-profits that they could donate to. Why should they pick yours?

People don’t give you money because you have a need. They give you money because you meet a need. Donors see your organization’s success and they want to be part of it.

Some people (mainly women) are moved more by personal stories, while others (mainly men) are more interested in numbers. Thus, successful fundraising efforts should include both client stories and hard numbers of babies, moms, and dads helped.

Most of your audience doesn’t care about the details. It’s not necessary to list how many of various services that you provided or to explain how each program works. Focus on the big picture.

When you’re speaking to your donors, don’t talk about all the things that you give your clients. Talk about the ways their lives are changed because the donor funded it. Help your donor understand that you are simply an ambassador for them. You are fortunate to be in a position to help them rescue children. Present yourself as the donor’s partner.

Don’t be embarrassed about asking for donations! When you fundraise, you’re not begging for money, you’re inviting people to join something that’s good. You’re not “asking people for money.” You’re inviting them to a party. Few things are better than saving a life.

The fundraising story

Fundraising stories should inspire people to want to be part of your organization’s success. Thus, stories told for fundraising should be success stories. They should bring the client from one point to another and have happy endings. People want to be a part of success. They want to accomplish something. They want to feel like their efforts matter.

Telling client stories

Every client story can be told in five sentences. Have multiple client stories in your mind that you can use. Start a story with the minimum, and then add only what needs to be in the story. Don’t give your audience more than they can handle.

Stories should follow a simple outline: introduction (client’s name), once-upon-a-time (this was my life), “then” (event that altered the timeline), “because of that” (transition), “now” (outcome).

For example, “Hi, my name is Monica (intro). My life was a mess of drugs and alcohol and tragedy after tragedy after tragedy, and I made a lot of crazy mistakes (once-upon-a-time). One day, I found myself pregnant, and I didn’t know what to do (“then”). But fortunately, I walked into the Pregnancy Center of Albuquerque. They listened to my story and said, ‘We can help you make the right choice.’ I was scared., I didn’t know if I could trust them, but for some reason, I did. And making the choice for life is the greatest choice I ever could have made (“because of that”). And I want to thank you for making that program available to someone like me. You made a difference in my life. This is my son. He is here because of you. Thank you (“now”).”

You don’t need to include every detail of a client’s story. Avoid dwelling on details that make the client seem unsympathetic or that show a failure on the part of your organization. Present your organization as a successful, client-based program, not as a welfare program that simply hands out diapers.

Finally, it is important to own the narrative. Pregnancy resource center directors often run into trouble when they ask clients to share stories on the client’s terms. Your organization should take authority of the story. Recognize that the “client story” isn’t really about the client; it’s about you. The story is your story: it starts with you and ends with you and the client is part of it. Instead of asking a client to share their story, ask them to work with you to write the story. You should be in control of the narratives that come from your organization.

Telling your organization’s story

In addition to client stories, there is the story of your organization. You need a five-sentence story of who you are. Brevity in storytelling is important. People don’t have time to hear it all. You need to grab their attention with something that comes off well.

For example, “For many years, women have been lied to. They’ve been, being told that abortion is safe and that there are’s no side effects. Women started having abortions, and they found out that they had been lied to. They found out that they didn’t just get over it, that they didn’t just walk away, that it affected their psyche and their emotions for the rest of their lives. In 1971, the Pregnancy Center of Albuquerque was formed to meet women who were in need and help them make a choice that they could live and be happy with and that their children could live and be happy with too. I’m happy to tell you that, since we started, over 10,000 children who would have been lost and 10,000 mothers who would have been grieving for the rest of their lives are living joyful, happy, prosperous lives. With your $25,000, I can save 250 children.”

Other considerations

For groups that don’t give direct aid to women and children but instead do other forms of pro-life work, fundraising strategy is similar. Focus on what you’re doing well and what you’re doing successfully. Avoid talking about failures. Your narration needs to explain how you’ve been effective thus far. Have a story that goes from the need to the rescue to the cost to do it.

The same principles apply for in-person and online appeals and for large and small groups of people. The same storyboard works individually too. Remember: you won’t raise money unless you actually talk to people. You can’t just give speeches to groups.

Things to remember

Recognize the power of humor. Humor is a strategy for opening people’s minds (and pocketbooks). This doesn’t mean telling life jokes or abortion jokes. Pro-life humor doesn’t have to be, “Two fetuses walk into a bar…” Just work in humor here and there, naturally.

As a pro-life organization, you don’t need to constantly talk about abortion. You’re saving lives. Talk about what you do. Spend more time on what you’re doing than on what your opposition is doing. Tell the audience your story, tell them what you do, and invite them to be part of it.