In today’s busy, noisy world, raising funds is about much more than numbers and statistics. It’s about connection, emotion, and making people feel like they’re part of something bigger.
Which is where storytelling comes in.
For social enterprises, community interest companies and charities, storytelling is not just a tool; it's a bridge that connects donors to the heart of your cause.
Why stories matter
People give because they care. They want to feel like their donation is making a real difference, and when you tell the story of your cause, you humanize it, you give it a face.
Telling a story enables you to move beyond financial reports and show the real impact behind the numbers.
Think about it: would you rather read a list of bullet points about how a project is helping disabled entrepreneurs, or hear a real story about someone whose life has been transformed by the support they’ve received?
About Kelly, in a wheelchair since she was 13, who has just opened her own bakery?*
Or about Sean, whose MS diagnosis meant he had to give up his favourite hobby, cycling, then lost his job, and now runs his own bike repair workshop?*
Stories allow potential donors to see themselves as part of the solution, making their contribution feel more personal and meaningful. They can connect on an emotional level. They might not remember all the details about your latest project, but they’ll remember how it made them feel. And emotion drives action.
And the dry but important stuff—facts and statistics—doesn’t fall by the wayside; the numbers become more memorable when embedded in a narrative.
*The examples given are fictional and solely for illustration.
Bringing your cause to life
Not all the stories have to be about beneficiaries or clients. Every organisation has a story. Every one.
Whether it's the journey of how your social enterprise was founded, or the challenges your project has overcome, these narratives are powerful tools in fundraising.
Founder stories or origin stories give donors, beneficiaries and potential volunteers an insight into the driving force that ‘birthed’ the organisation, and this can be immensely powerful.
Sharing these stories brings your cause to life. It gives donors something to connect with on an emotional level. Whether as a core part of your website, or a short video regularly embedded in blogs or newsletters—or even a bigger piece of stand-alone content such as an e-book or a longer video—founder stories bring credibility and a sense of connection.
Building trust through transparency
Storytelling in fundraising also helps build trust.
Donors want to feel confident that their money is going to a worthy cause and that it’s being used wisely. By sharing the stories of those you’ve helped, and being transparent about how donations make a difference, you create a sense of trust and reliability.
It’s not just about telling success stories, either. Being honest about the challenges your organization faces or has faced can be just as powerful.
This kind of authenticity resonates with donors and fosters a deeper connection.
Inviting people along for the journey
In fundraising, the story you tell is as important as the cause itself.
When you tell a compelling story, you’re not just asking for money; you’re inviting people to be part of something meaningful. You’re showing them the bigger picture and how their contribution plays a vital role in the success of your mission.
Through storytelling, you offer them a chance to not just support a cause but to join you on the journey toward real change. And since a story needs, not only a protagonist who pursues something and who faces obstacles, but also a beginning, a middle and an end, it really is a journey. (The most universal story template is, after all, often known as The Hero’s Journey.)
The fundraising ‘quest’ thus becomes the donors’ chance to contribute to a cause—and a happy ending.
Finally, a practical pointer or two…
Storytelling is basically the heartbeat of fundraising. It connects, inspires, and drives people to take action. For social enterprises, community interest companies, and charities, the power of a good story can turn a simple donation into something deeply personal and impactful.
As you plan your next fundraising campaign, think about...
Who?: whose story do you want to tell, who is to be the hero of the story; is it to be a donor story, beneficiaries (individuals or communities), the organisation itself or an individual founder figure?
How?: what medium, what length, what platform? Is it to be a 500-word blog, a ten-minute video or something shorter that you can embed, or perhaps slides or a series of drawings? What about user-generated content, or interviews? And finally, is it for your website (or someone else’s), a blog page, or maybe (depending on audience demographics) social media, or indeed for print?
Why?: what is your ask? Is it purely fundraising or are you looking for new volunteers, or perhaps sign-ups to your mailing list?
Don’t forget your Call to Action
… and think of the lives you’ll touch along the way.