A practical guide for engaging donors and the public.

by Kristin Sheehan, Sheehan Communications

Published June 2025

Clear, compelling communication is one of the most valuable tools a nonprofit can have—yet it’s something most struggle with. Your work is complex, nuanced, and deeply meaningful, which makes distilling it into simple, engaging language difficult. But it’s necessary. When a potential donor asks, “What does your organization do?”, being ready with a clear and concise answer that is informative but not overwhelming can be a game-changer. Whether writing for your website, drafting an email to supporters, or crafting a social media post, the ability to succinctly explain who you are will determine whether someone engages or tunes out.

Here is some practical guidance to help your nonprofit develop a strong, relatable message—one that invites people in, sparks their curiosity, and helps them understand—and then hopefully—support your mission.

People need to “get it” in a sentence. That’s the hook—everything else can come later.

Yes, your organization does a lot. But to engage someone initially, you need a version of your mission that is simple and uses familiar language. Use words that paint a picture, connect with emotion, and fit into categories of service that people already understand.

This is not about “dumbing down” your message. It’s about building a bridge between your work and someone else’s understanding of the world.

If your nonprofit offers multiple services or programs, group them into a few simple categories or “buckets.” This helps people mentally organize what you do.

Humans rely on pattern recognition—we grasp things more quickly when we can connect them to something we already know. Think of your programs like sections on a menu: organized and easily digestible.

Step away from the details and view your work from a 30,000-foot perspective. Ask yourself: “How would I explain this to a first grader?” Then, build your message up from there.

This exercise forces clarity and keeps you from overloading your message with programmatic jargon or internal language that doesn’t resonate with those unfamiliar with your work.

While it’s essential to demonstrate a long history of impactful work, avoid sharing the complete historical timeline of your organization’s accomplishments. Stay in the here and now when introducing your work for the first time. 

Many nonprofits fall into the trap of over-explaining how they do their work. Donors don’t need to know how the sausage is made during the first interaction with your organization. While transparency is important, too many details—especially in early communication—can overwhelm your audience.

Instead of focusing on the process, emphasize the impact. Share the result, the transformation, the human story.

Every nonprofit should be able to answer this: Why you?

Be honest about your strengths and own what you do better, more ethically, more sustainably, or more effectively than others. If you’re in a crowded space, this clarity is especially important.

Stories bring your work to life and illustrate its impact. Always have a simple example ready that shows how your services helped someone—ideally in a few sentences or less. Make it memorable, make it relatable.

Impact numbers are great—but only if they’re easy to understand. Frame your impact data in terms that people can relate to.

Instead of “We provided 2,400 direct service hours this year,” say “This year, we helped 150 families find stable housing.”

The more tangible, the better.

Before locking in your language, test it on people outside your organization—and ideally, outside your sector. If someone unfamiliar with your work (or even someone whose first language isn’t English) can understand and repeat back your message, you’re on the right track.

Think about consumer brands or influencer accounts that resonate with you. What tone do they use? What makes them feel authentic or memorable to you? Identify the elements that attract you to those brands and think about how you can incorporate them into your own branding and communications.

At any networking event, be ready with a brief and confident introduction to your organization that consists of once sentence about what your organization does, one to two sentences that provides a real example or story of impact, and one sentence that explains what sets you apart. 

Share enough to spark someone’s interest enough to ask a follow up question and then keep the conversation going using the same approach—brief, concise answers that don’t overwhelm.

Once your messaging is solid, revisit your website, email templates, social bios, and print materials. Are they simple, clear, and emotionally engaging? Or are they bogged down with jargon and detail?

Start refining with your new language. Be ruthless about cutting what doesn’t serve clarity. 

Too often, those closest to the actual work are not invited to be part of the conversations about branding and messaging. Including the staff who directly interact with your beneficiaries is key to developing accurate and authentic messaging.

You won’t get your messaging perfect on the first try—and that’s okay. The important thing is to start. You can (and should) continue to revisit and revise over time.

Give it time, sit with it, test it, and iterate.