Storytelling is the focus of this year's Nonprofit Day. Before I get into the notes from the keynote this morning, I want to tell a story about CompassPoint.
Before I moved to San Diego (from the San Francisco Bay Area) I took full advantage of all the amazing professional development resources and trainings that CompassPoint provides. While I was working as a nonprofit manager for Low-Income Families’ Empowerment through Education (LIFETIME) in Oakland, I attended the Fundraising Academy for Communities of Color and learned from some talented fundraisers in the sector: Kim Klein, Robert Weiner, and Madeline Stanionis. I also attended several professional development workshops on creating a nonprofit website, being an accidental techie, and conducting nonprofit bookkeeping and accounting. In addition, I purchased and vigorously read Sue Bennett’s Accidental Techie Book and Jeanne Bell’s Financial Leadership for Nonprofit Executives book. And, I attended numerous Nonprofit Day Conferences.
CompassPoint is continually evolving and sharing best practices that reach nonprofits, nonprofit leaders, and social change agents where we are at.
I was awe and inspired by Peter Bratt, this mornings keynote speaker who discussed the importance of storytelling in our lives and in our nonprofit work. I didn’t realize how much the stories we learn and we share are embedded in how we perceive the cultures within our society. He said “Unlearn some stories that have been imposed over us and reclaim new ones share them with your community. Share ourselves in a new light!! ” As a storyteller and movie producer (see La Mission -- wow!) He also opened up the floor for the audience to be able to share their own stories about the nonprofit community. I personally feel that storytelling is a form of nonprofit marketing. When we improve storytelling in our organizations, we improve our marketing efforts and how the community views our organization.
Now that I shared my story about CompassPoint and notes from this mornings keynote, what is your nonprofit story and how will storytelling help your organization?
As a point of clarification I am volunteering for CompassPoint and not getting paid by them to say these nice things about them. :) I just really like the services that they provide and how relevant these professional development opportunities are to the current needs of the nonprofit community.
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