How can we uniquely present our impact in a way that encourages donors to support our work in marginalised communities?
Question was submitted by: Dr Miriam Siwela, Teach For Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
Every organisation working in marginalised communities has a story. The real question is whether that story is being told in a way that honours the people at its centre and moves the right people to act.
Lead with a story, back it with data.
People connect through stories. A well-told account of one person’s experience draws the donor in, builds empathy, and makes the work feel real. But stories alone can leave donors wondering about scale. Data answers that question. It gives them a rational justification for acting on what they already feel.
Not all data carries equal weight, though. Activity numbers tell donors what you did. Outcome data tells them what changed. “We trained 300 women in financial literacy” is an activity. “Two years later, 78% reported starting or growing a small business” is an outcome. Lead with outcomes wherever you have them. That is the data that confirms a decision.
Tell stories with dignity, and with the community.
Sob stories may generate short-term sympathy, but they reduce real people to their worst moments. Over time, they also erode the trust of the communities you serve, who are watching how you speak about them.
The alternative is not to sanitise reality. It is to tell it more fully and more honestly. Involve community members in shaping how their stories are told. What do they want donors to know? What are they proud of? Participatory storytelling takes more time, but it produces something extractive storytelling never can: a story the community would tell about itself. Lead with strength, show the barrier honestly, and let the person be more than the hardest moment they have lived through.
Know your audience, and put them inside the story.
Not every story works for every donor. A community foundation, a corporate partner, and an individual philanthropist are motivated by different things. Before deciding which stories to tell, be deliberate about who you are trying to move. The same impact, framed differently, lands differently.
And once you know your audience, place them inside the narrative. There is a subtle but important shift between “here is what we did” and “here is what your support made possible.” The second framing positions the donor as a participant in the story rather than an observer. That is a more powerful emotional position, deepening their sense of shared investment in the outcome.
Use multiple voices, not just the organisation’s.
Most impact communication is narrated by the organisation about the community. But a story told by a local leader, a peer volunteer, or a programme participant carries a different kind of credibility. Third-party voices, especially from within the community, add authenticity that the organisation’s own voice cannot provide. The closer the narrator is to the experience, the more convincing the story feels to someone encountering your work for the first time.
Show long-term transformation, not just annual outputs.
If your organisation has been working in a community for several years, go back. Identify beneficiaries from five or ten years ago and find out where they are now. Reach out, ask if they would be willing to share their story, and document what has changed in their lives since you first met.
The shift this creates in donor perception is significant. “We supported 400 young people last year” is forgettable. “Here is Amara, who came to us ten years ago, and this is her life today” is not. Long-term tracking transforms your organisation from a service provider into a genuine partner in people’s journeys. It also demonstrates something funders want to see: that your work has roots, not just reach.
Invite donors into proximity with the work.
When a donor experiences the work directly, something shifts that no report can replicate. Where possible, create opportunities for site visits or community conversations. Remember, proximity doesn’t always require a flight. Video diaries filmed by community members, live virtual calls with programme participants, and behind-the-scenes content bring donors into the everyday reality of the work. Community-produced content in particular carries an authenticity that polished organisational communications rarely achieve.
Consistency over campaigns.
The organisations that build the strongest donor relationships treat impact communication as an ongoing conversation, not a periodic performance. When impact sharing only happens around reporting deadlines or fundraising drives, it signals to donors that they are being managed rather than trusted. Regular, honest updates, including setbacks and learnings, build the kind of relationship that survives a difficult year.
The goal is not to make donors feel sorry for the communities you serve. It is to make them feel privileged to be part of the work.
Click here for more reflections on this issue.
(This answer was provided by Wanjiru Kinuthia, a Kenyan resource mobilisation and partnerships professional)
