Reframing nonprofit language and storytelling for greater impact
Storytelling is the cornerstone of nonprofit communications, and for good reason. A powerful narrative can connect with new donors, make your work memorable, and grow both funding and awareness.
But how we tell stories matters just as much as whether we tell them. The words we choose and the images we share shape how people see the communities we serve. Too often, we see storytelling habits that can harm those communities, the people in them, and the credibility of nonprofit work as a whole.
It's time to change the story
1. Go beyond the victim narrative
When nonprofits highlight the people they serve, they sometimes use language and images that frame them as victims. That framing tends to emphasize neediness and vulnerability, and it creates an us-versus-them mindset for readers.
In recent years, it's become common for organizations to put trauma on display to make their work feel urgent and fundable. Think photos of children who are crying or malnourished, or adults shown in fearful, compromising situations.
This approach can do real harm. It can reinforce stereotypes and a "less-than" view of the communities being served. It can also nudge nonprofits, and their donors, toward a "savior" mentality. When we portray people only through their hardships, we risk exploiting their situations rather than empowering, uplifting, and supporting them.
Psychiatrist, writer, and futurist Charles M. Johnston puts it this way:
"Victim narratives are ultimately disempowering—and in a particularly insidious way. When we place all responsibility outside ourselves, we also, in the end, put authority outside ourselves."
So instead of focusing on poverty, need, vulnerability, and lack, center your stories on strengths, resilience, community growth, restoration, and the positive transformations your work makes possible.
2. Be deliberate about the words you use
Nonprofits often rely on blanket terms like "neglected," "deprived," or "underserved" to describe entire communities. But these labels flatten the nuance and complexity within each community, leaving readers with a vague, incomplete picture.
Words like "underprivileged" or "disadvantaged" also imply an opposite: "privileged" or "advantaged." That reinforces an us-versus-them divide. The goal is to empower the communities you serve, not to put them in a box.
Research backs this up. As Krysten Crawford from Stanford News wrote:
"In an experiment conducted in Kenya, the researchers find that language that conveys dignity and empowerment, in culturally relevant ways, diminishes shame, increases confidence and motivates recipients. Words suggesting neediness had the opposite effect."
A few swaps to consider
❌ The poor, the needy
✔️ People living on low incomes; families we partner with
❌ Underprivileged children
✔️ Children in our after-school program; young learners
❌ Victims
✔️ Survivors; people who have experienced specific situations
❌ Helping the helpless
✔️ Working alongside communities; supporting local leaders
❌ Underserved communities
✔️ Communities with limited access to specific resources
❌ Giving them a voice
✔️ Amplifying their voices; sharing their stories in their words
The best language is specific, respectful, and ideally shaped by the people you're describing. When in doubt, ask them how they'd like to be described.
A quick before-and-after
Before: "Your gift will save a desperate, starving child in a poor village."
After: "Your gift helps families in [community] grow nutritious food and build a stronger future for their children."
The second version is just as compelling, but it centers agency, dignity, and hope.
3. Be specific about inequality
When discussing inequality, use clear, precise terms. Is your work addressing income inequality, gender inequality, racial or ethnic inequality, age inequality, religious inequality, class inequality, unequal access to opportunity, or something else?
Specific language helps everyone, you and your readers alike, understand the root causes of a problem. It supports more focused programs and advocacy, makes data-driven conversations easier, and allows for a more accurate picture of your impact.
For a deeper look at different dimensions of inequality, the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals are a helpful framework. They cover areas like hunger, education, health, sanitation, economic growth, energy, infrastructure, and sustainability.
In the pursuit of a fair and inclusive society, precise language matters.
A checklist for dignified storytelling
Before you publish your next story, appeal, or social post, run through these questions:
Did the person featured give informed consent, and do they know how their story and image will be used?
Does the story highlight strengths, choices, and hopes, not just hardship?
Are we using the person's own words wherever possible?
Would the person feel proud and respected if they saw this?
Have we avoided blanket labels in favor of specific, accurate language?
Do our images show people with dignity, rather than in moments of distress?
Does the story position donors as partners rather than saviors?
If you can answer yes to each of these, you're on your way to storytelling that's both powerful and respectful.
The bottom line: think about your words
Get crystal clear on what you stand for, what you want to say, and how your words affect not only your organization but the communities you serve. Build people up rather than tearing them down. Use storytelling to share the powerful impact of your work and the futures it helps create.
Every nonprofit has a different mission, set of programs, and community, so every organization faces its own storytelling challenges. If you're feeling stuck or unsure where to go next, we'd love to help guide your messaging.
At Sereth Design, we help nonprofits and impact-driven organizations build brands and websites that move people to act. See how we've done it in our case studies or start a conversation about your organization's next chapter.
