Why telling your story can solve your #1 problem
Someone asked me recently what I think is the biggest problem that child- and family-serving organizations are facing right now.
My answer? Funding.
Organizations that are trying to make the world better aren’t doing their work for a profit.
They’re figuring out how to get the funding they need to do the work that matters to them.
And in this political climate, obtaining and sustaining funding has become even more of a rollercoaster than before.
But this is why I feel that using data to tell your story is SO important.
I recently finished reading The Data Detective by Tim Harford. He wrote:
“Good statistics are like a telescope for an astronomer, a microscope for a bacteriologist, or an X-ray for a radiologist. If we are willing to let them, good statistics help us see things about the world around us and about ourselves – both large and small - that we would not be able to see in any other way.”
When we can use numbers – and quotations/personal accounts – to tell the story of the difference an organization is making, people look at that organization differently.
When you can demonstrate that what you do works, doors can open.
That door may not be a federal grant, especially these days.
Maybe it’s a private foundation where you’re talking to a program officer about the work you do to gauge their interest.
Maybe it’s a school district that’s willing to adopt your programming for its students and families.
Maybe it’s a state, county, or city-level grant that can expand your program.
Or maybe it’s just a champion in the community who will have your back and advocate for your work.
But without a concrete story to tell and evidence to show, those conversations don’t go as far.
So once we’ve done the work to start telling your story, it’s critical to build up your internal systems so you can keep telling it for years to come.
That’s why the fourth step of my process is to activate long-term growth.
Sadly, in the world we live in, funding is a key driver.
We need to be prepared and armed with evidence of our awesome work so we can keep it going.
Ready to engage with your data?
Let me help you get started.
This free Google Sheet will guide you through reflecting on the data you have and the data you need to start telling your story.
