When I first became Program Manager of a small nonprofit in 2015, one of the first requests I received from our Board of Directors was to transform our organization into a “storytelling nonprofit.” I had no idea what that meant, what that would even look like, much less how I would accomplish such a goal.
That fall, I attended “The Art of Storytelling for Nonprofits,” a workshop taught by Barbara Ganley, Vermont Story Lab co-founder. I took what I learned during that workshop – and a few more Vermont Story Lab workshops along the way – and hit the ground running.
I’ve learned that stories are powerful for nonprofits. Stories inspire and motivate community members to do more for our missions and those we serve. Stories engage our board members and support them in being great advocates and ambassadors. Stories convey our gratitude to our donors and show them the impact of their giving. And stories can even help us, the nonprofit leaders, when we are nose-deep in balance sheets and annual planning, to remember why the work we do is so important to our community.
Today, I am thrilled to be a partner of the Vermont Story Lab, helping other nonprofits to discover the transformative power of storytelling for their own communities. I also work as a nonprofit consultant, specializing in communications, board development, and strategic planning.