The Social Impact Storytelling Framework
Grab my powerful, FREE social impact storytelling framework. A 36 page guide to help you create powerful proof of your impact for funding applications, socials, websites and impact reports.
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Social Impact Storytelling Frameworks & Guides
How to build a charity storytelling plan that actually wins funding
A charity storytelling plan is a strategic framework that connects your organisation's stories to specific outcomes - funding secured, trust built, action taken. It is not a content calendar. An effective storytelling plan for charities starts with the Emotional Destination (the feeling and action you want from your audience), audits what stories you already have, triages which stories to develop first using the Story Triage Matrix, and builds in responsive capacity for moments you can't predict. This guide covers each step with practical frameworks used by UK charities.
How to turn boring charity data into a story funders actually feel
Turning charity data into stories requires combining specific numbers with real human experiences so that neither stands alone. The One Number Method is a three-step framework: pick your most human data point, find the real person inside it, and show what happens if the number moves. This approach works in grant applications, impact reports, board papers, and digital content. The key insight is that a number on its own is a claim - a number with a person inside it is proof.
I Watched an 81-year-old Lady Get Arrested on Saturday
When 81-year-olds are being arrested for sitting peacefully, we're not talking about public safety anymore. We're talking about silencing dissent. And if we can't see that, if we can't talk about that, if we can't share that, then we've already lost what matters most. The freedom to tell the truth.
I Used to Think Doing Life-Changing Work Was More than Good Enough
I want to share with you something that comes up quite often when I speak with small to medium-sized charities and social impact teams. It's a lesson I learned the hard way myself with a funder.
3 Brutal Truths About Why Social Impact Projects Fail (And How The Successful Ones Win)
I've watched brilliant social impact projects fail, simply because no one knew they existed. Here's how you can avoid the same mistake.
The Uncomfortable Truth About Your Charity Photos (And How To Fix Them)
The uncomfortable truth is that many of these well-intentioned photos are reinforcing harmful stereotypes, stripping away dignity, and ultimately undermining the very change they aim to create.
What is the Meaning of Social Impact?
Discover what social impact truly means, see powerful examples, understand impact theory, and learn how businesses create genuine change in communities and environments.
Why Small Stories Matter in a World of Dangerous Climate Breakdown
I've spent a decade documenting social impact, and I've noticed something that changes everything about how we communicate climate breakdown.
10 Trends in Social Impact Storytelling
Ten years ago, after losing my fiancé to suicide, I learned something powerful about storytelling that would change everything. That moment taught me why some stories move people to action, while others just move them to scroll past.
Social Impact: Most Brands Are Failing Their Communities
Your brand's "purpose" could be destroying the very communities you're trying to help. I discovered this uncomfortable truth after a decade leading a frontline charity in London. Here's what I'm seeing…