This document provides tips for non-profit organizations on how to gather, write, and publish donor stories. It recommends listening for potential stories around the office or at events, conducting interviews with open-ended questions about the donor's involvement and experiences with the organization, and focusing the story on key components like the donor's motivations and hopes for the organization's impact. The goal is to produce compelling stories that will engage readers and help raise more funds.

1. How to gather,
write and
publish your
donor stories
Leah Eustace, CFRE
Principal & Chief Idea Goddess
leah@goodworksco.ca
@LeahEustace

2. Why stories are awesome…
• Keep the reader’s attention
• Help you communicate better
• Enhance your credibility
• Linger longer
• Get passed along
• Raise more money!

3. Gathering stories

4. Look… and listen
• Listen to what’s being said around
the water cooler
• What’s your founder story?
• Talk to people on the front lines
• Think about your own story…
• Attend your charity’s events
• Keep an eye on the blogs
• At the end of every day ask
yourself “what happened today
that would make a good story?”

5. Extend an invitation

6. Pay close attention

7. Always be prepared

8. Conducting an interview

9. Preparing your interviewee

10. Preparing yourself

11. Tips and tricks

12. What to ask
• Why don't you start by telling me a little bit about
yourself
• How did you come to be involved in [charity]?
• What role does [charity] play… what sets it apart
from other charities?
• What impresses you most about [charity]?
• Tell me about a particular person you've met, or a
program you've been involved with (or a story
you've read) involving [charity’s] work that has
stood out for you

13. What to ask
• Do you remember when you first heard of
[charity] and under what circumstances it
was?
• What prompted your first gift to [charity]?
• Where does your philanthropic spirit come
from? What values were you brought up with?
• What led you to consider a bequest?
• What do you hope your bequest will help
accomplish?

14. What to ask
• What difference do you hope [charity] will
have made when you look 25 or 50 years into
the future?
• Why should people consider leaving a bequest
to [charity]?
• If you had an opportunity to speak to other
donors who were considering a bequest, what
would you say to them?

15. Probe
• Walk me through…
• Paint a picture of…
• How old are…?
• What is that person’s name?
• How did that make you feel?
• What’s it like to…?
• What went through your mind when…?
• How did you react to…?
• What hurdles did you face when…?

16. The last best question
Is there anything
else you’d like to
add that we haven’t
touched on?

17. What’s next?

18. Writing

19. Components of a great story
With thanks to Mark Phillips www.queerideas.co.uk

20. Think about the end product

21. Involving the donor in the process

22. The end product? A work of art
Download at www.goodworksco.ca/who-we-work-with/portfolio

23. Thank you!
Leah Eustace, CFRE
Principal & Chief Idea Goddess
Good Works
leah@goodworksco.ca
www.goodworksco.ca
@LeahEustace