Nonprofit Storytelling: Fundraising & Beyond
One of the best - learning from Michael will take your storytelling skills to a completely new level in a way that will elevate you and your organization!
–Michael Tringe, CEO of Creator-Up
Harness the Power of Story to Supercharge Fundraising, Community Building, and More!
At this point, almost all of us know the we need to share powerful stories to support our work, our missions, and our communities.
But how do we craft compelling narratives consistently?
How do we make sure we’re telling the right story to the right audience?
Where do we find great stories in our everyday work so that we’re not constantly scrambling or repeating the same story over and over again?
And how do we do all this ethically, ensuring that our storytelling celebrates humanity and lifts up the voices of all?
This course explores those questions and much more, deepening and expanding your understanding of how story works and how it can enhance almost every aspect of your work to deepen your impact!
What you’ll learn
This self-paced class, developed over the course of 15 years consulting, coaching, and facilitating for nonprofit and social impact organizations all over the world, is a deep and accessible dive into the art & science of storytelling in the not-for-profit world.
Reconnect with Story by exploring how it works and unpacking the elements of powerful stories and why each element is essential to connecting with your audience.
Learn a Reliable Story Recipe to take you from a ‘story seed’ to audience analysis, to a fully crafted story that incorporates humanity, data, and a compelling call to action.
Discover Applications of Story including fundraising, culture & community building, values discovery, and leadership.
Explore Ethical Storytelling practices, tools, and frameworks to ensure that the stories you tell and the way you tell them are aligned with ethical best practices and, more importantly, don’t do harm in the name of doing good.
By the end of the class, you’ll have new tools, ideas to implement storytelling in your own work, and an expanded understanding of both the opportunities and challenges that storytelling represents for nonprofits.
Throughout the course, you’ll also have access to a Q&A form to ask any questions that come up as you make your way through. I commit to responding to questions within 24 hours.
(Please note that this course does not go into storytelling for social media. Because the algorithms change so quickly and because AI is set to radically change social media practices, anything I cover will be obsolete within 6 months. That said, the concepts and frameworks we cover are applicable to social media and any type of storytelling!)
This course is for you if. . .
You are a nonprofit leader, fundraiser, or communicator desiring to supercharge and deepen your storytelling!
You’ve been frustrated by storytelling advice or guidance that feels outdated, stale, or out of touch with the evolving reality we’re in.
You know that there’s a better way to ‘do story’ in your work, but haven’t found it yet.
You’ve heard about ‘ethical storytelling,’ but aren’t sure where to start and don’t want to ‘get it wrong.’
You want a new approach to support cultural transformation, values discovery, and team building.
What people are saying
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While we may not know it, we all have the ability to be amazing storytellers. Michael's workshop teaches you the tactical skills to tell stories effectively while also building your confidence to embrace the authentic storyteller inside.
Nonprofit Participant
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The workshops and training sessions you conducted illuminated the path for us, emphasizing the importance of authentically sharing the triumphs and challenges our clients face. Your compassionate nature and insightful guidance have been instrumental in navigating the delicate balance between harnessing the power of storytelling and honoring the individuals we serve.
Diana Hill, Executive Director
Pathways to Independence -
I've been writing stories for 15 years, and yet I still walked away with new storytelling techniques that I could immediately apply to my craft and my leadership
John Wolcott, Founder
When you sign up, you get. . .
Video Lessons
. . .that walk you through each concept, step by step with lots of practical tips and examples. Each lesson also includes an audio download so you can listen on the go.
Worksheets
To help you integrate and apply the concepts, tools, and frameworks as you go along. All worksheets are downloadable and can be shared with your team.
Certification Option
Want to make it official? There is a Certification option for those who would like to share their achievement with your professional network.
Detailed Curriculum
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A working definition of ‘story’
Why It Works: The Science of Story
Elements of Powerful Stories
Deep Dive: Story Structure
Applying the Concepts
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Strategic Storytelling: A Delicate Balance
Connecting With Your Audience
Find Powerful Stories: 6 Story Types
Finding Powerful Stories: Intimate Epics
Crafting an Undeniable Call to Action
Putting it All Together: Public Narrative
A Presentation Secret: The Alternation Method
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Introduction to the Field of Ethical Storytelling
Ethical Challenges of Common Story Types
Tools & Strategies to Craft More Ethical Stories
Ethical Story Gathering Tools and Strategies
Navigating Common Pitfalls and Challenges
Tool & Resource Library
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Story as Facilitator of Transformation
Core Tool: StoryCircle Methodology
Surfacing Strengths & Values Through Story
Story as Collective Wellbeing Practice
Building an Inclusive Future: Story-as-Practice
About Your Instructor
Michael Kass is the Founder of Story & Spirit and truly passionate about helping not-for-profits and social impact organizations rediscover and harness the power of story to facilitate change.
His workshops and talks on the power of story have been featured at the 501(c)onference, Annenberg Foundation Alchemy+ Program, Pan African Leadership Institute, Opportunity Collaboration, SOCAP, Nonprofit Finance Fund, Dignified Storytelling Forum, Google, and Walt Disney Company, among many others.
Since 2017, Michael has been a leading voice and advocate for Ethical Storytelling in the sector. He is the co-author of the Hollywood Homeless Youth Partnership’s Ethical Storytelling Whitepaper, serves on the Advisory Board for the Dignified Storytelling Project, and is a principal contributor to EthicalStorytelling.com.
This course represents the synthesis of over 15 years of experience and learning in partnership with incredible leaders and clients. He (or, let’s be honest, I) am super excited to share it with you!
Start Learning Today!
Explore the art & science of nonprofit storytelling in this dynamic, comprehensive course that includes explorations of storytelling for fundraising, leadership, community building and more. Includes material, including approaches to ethical storytelling, not found anywhere else.