We’re all in this because we believe our work will make the world a little (or a lot) better than it was.
So how can we tell the story of those impacts in a way that will grab our community’s attention? And inspire continued support?
In this issue of Changemaker Mondays ☀️ ☕ 🌍, I wanted to share some creative ideas for showcasing your effort’s impacts to wow and excite your stakeholders and supporters.
Changemaker Mondays is brought to you by:
Most fundraising platforms take some percent of the donations raised. Zeffy is a 100% free fundraising platform for nonprofits.
So far, over 50,000 nonprofits are using Zeffy to raise money across North America! (with a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Capterra reviews, it’s no wonder).
How do you put all that in your impact messaging? 😨
First step: Don’t get overwhelmed. 🙂
Here are 6 creative-and-totally-doable ways to shine the spotlight on your amazing impacts:
1. Let People Tell Their Own Stories
Nothing shows impact like hearing directly from those you’re helping.
Whether it’s testimonials from beneficiaries or stories from supporters and volunteers, this approach creates an emotional connection – and people love a good story!
Video interviews or even written testimonials with photos (where appropriate) can help people develop empathy and understanding, which can be far more compelling than a list of statistics (see: The Science of What Makes People Care; SSIR).
2. Make it Interactive
Does your nonprofit have an “impact” webpage dedicated to showcasing your latest impacts?
Why not make it interactive? 😁
People are used to text and images – but you can create some surprise and delight by including elements like maps, charts, or dynamic graphics.
Examples might include:
A map of your local community with markers representing people, projects, or impact stories from your efforts
Interactive elements can encourage your website visitors to explore your work more deeply, which can be highly engaging!
3. Use Before-and-After Storytelling (How it Started / How Its Going)
I know I love a good “before and after” transformation.
And since nonprofits are all about helping move the world from the status quo to a different (better) outcome, before and after is a great format to tell that story.
There are several ways to do this. Some ideas:
Simple photos showcasing someone’s journey from start to finish (and where privacy for your clients is an issue, creating anonymous representations of that person could be a good stand-in strategy!)
If your organization focuses on efforts like education, literacy, or skill-building, something like comparing before-and-after test scores or grades could be compelling!
Pair stories of individuals served with broader impact statistics sharing how your organization’s efforts have moved the needle. (Ex: “Since starting our work in 2015, we’ve helped reduce the number of cases of homelessness in our city by 30%).
4. Make It Shareable
What if instead of one big impact report with lots of text and numbers and photos, you created a series of “mini reports”?
Maybe they’re even in a format people can easily share or download to send to others?
Examples might include social media friendly graphics highlighting key achievements, milestones, or testimonies.
5. Update in Real-Time
Real-time updates can be exciting and compelling, and they can take a lot of forms.
People want to feel like they are part of your organization’s social impact journey, so providing live or regular updates can bring them along for the ride.
This could look like:
Live stream videos while you and your team are out in the field
Social media posts highlighting milestones reached in a project or campaign (see below!)
Showing fundraising progress with a donation thermometer on your site
Or a twist on the classic donation thermometer – and “impact thermometer” showing how many people served with every donation or volunteer hour logged.
Loving this example from my friends at Great Raleigh Cleanup, sharing a big milestone: Getting their new truck so they can pick up even more litter!
6. Feature Your Donors and Volunteers
There’s a reason peer to peer fundraising is gaining popularity: People like to donate when they are asked by someone they know and trust.
Your donors and volunteers’ networks may extend far into the community.
Why not empower them to be an ambassador and share the impacts they helped create with their own friends?
You might start by spotlighting donors and volunteers on your impacts page or website, and including a brief quote about why they love your mission. Let them inspire others to get involved and show that your cause is a true community effort.
What did you think?
Any creative ideas for showcasing impacts I missed? Hit reply and let me know.
Resource Roundup
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Funding Opportunities
Apply before December 15: The ALDI Community Gift Card Program provides gift cards (up to $500) to nonprofit organizations, K-12 schools, and Native American Tribes/Nations in the communities where ALDI stores are located.
ICYMI: Due by December 15: The Saucony Run For Good Foundation provides grants of up to $10,000 to support organizations that promote running and healthy lifestyle programs for youth.
Due by December 20: The Mosaic Company Community Investment Program provides grants to nonprofits focusing on food, water, disaster relief, or local community efforts in communities with major company facilities in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, China, and India (guidelines).
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Events & Programs
Now Scheduling 2025 Events and Webinars Keep an eye on my Changemaker Cafe events page for upcoming events and video replays of past webinars (where available). Need a speaker or workshop trainer in 2025? Learn more about my offerings here.
In the meantime, check out these free learning events from Instrumentl, a grants discovery database partner: (I will not personally be present at these events – just sharing!)
I have lots of free content for you! Check outmy library of 250+ educational videos on nonprofits, social entrepreneurship, fundraising, and more on my YouTube channel. If you like what I’m trying to do, help me reach more people like you – who want to make an impact – by subscribing to the channel and sharing it with a changemaker friend! 😁
Need extra support to build or grow a nonprofit or social enterprise? While enrollment for my Changemaker Accelerator membership is now closed, you can still get on the waiting list to get an alert next time we open!
Need a speaker or training workshop for your social impact event? I’m currently booking 2025 speaking engagements — check out my speaking and workshop opportunities to learn how I can help you make your event inspiring and actionable!
Hey, Changemaker!
I’m Amber, writer of the Changemaker Mondays newsletter! I’m a nonprofit founder, speaker, and social entrepreneur on a mission to equip you with the tools you need to create positive change where ever you live — whether you’re starting a nonprofit or socially-conscious business, looking for a social impact job, or leading a volunteer project in your city. Don’t hesitate to connect (socials below), or reply to this email if you ever have any feedback on how we can make Changemaker Mondays the best newsletter for supporting changemakers in the world!
