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194: The Story You’re Telling Is Costing You Funding

Season 1 Episode 194 Published 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Description

Somewhere along the way, many nonprofit leaders start carrying a version of their story that is heavier than it needs to be. A missed goal becomes proof they should be further along; a hard year becomes evidence they're behind; and what's tricky is that this story can sound incredibly responsible, measured, even accurate, but it's still a story. And it's costing you funding.

In this episode, I introduce the concept of the wound version versus the hero's version, and why the story you're telling about your organization (to your donors, your board, your team, and yourself) changes everything about how people experience your leadership and your asks. I walk through how to identify your wound story, rewrite it as the hero's version, and why this isn't about spin or fake positivity. It's about refusing to lead from a place that weakens you. Same facts → Different meaning → Different results.

Topics:

  • Why the story nonprofit leaders tell about their organization directly impacts funding
  • The wound version vs. the hero's version, and how to tell the difference
  • How a wound story leaks into donor conversations, campaign language, and board updates
  • Why "realistic" language often shrinks leadership and repels donors
  • A step-by-step process for rewriting your wound story into the hero's version
  • Real examples of how the same facts can be told in two completely different ways


For a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits like yours. Book your demo here. Read The 2026 Giving Signals Report here. 

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