Stop struggling with fundraising. Tell better stories and bring in LOTS more money for your charity. - Nonprofit Storytelling Conference

Stop struggling with fundraising. Tell better stories and bring in LOTS more money for your charity.

Could your nonprofit increase giving by 1,000% -- just by telling better stories?

One brand-name children's hospital did ... and it wasn't a "medical miracle," either.

Why are some charities setting records in annual fundraising -- while others remain trapped like tar-bound mastodons in a death spiral of diminishing returns?

In two words: better storytelling.

...the kind of storytelling that makes the donor the hero.

...the kind of crisp storytelling suited for today's hyper-fast message environment, in both digital and print.

...the kind of unabashedly emotional storytelling that connects directly with the human limbic system -- a.k.a., the place in our brains where purchase decisions (e.g., gifts to charity) are made.

"Can we talk frankly?"​

Look, the truth is, this conference isn't for everyone.​

  • It's for those of you who are already fundraising stars ... but know you still have something important to learn about effective storytelling.
  • It's for determined younger fundraisers who don't want to repeat the storytelling mistakes of the outgoing generation. (And speaking as one of that generation, I know those mistakes are legion ... leaving billions in unrealized gifts on the table!)
  • It's for capital campaign fundraisers who want to get off to the fastest start possible ... by fielding a great story that inspires wealthy donors to share the vision (as Bow Valley College did in Calgary).
  • And it's for savvy, success-oriented nonprofit CEOs who know that top-quality storytelling is THE secret to increased donor support and long-lasting organizations.

There are plenty of conferences to choose from: AFP, AHP, CASE, ADRP, ALDE and so many others. "We offer more than 150 educational sessions!" boasts one heavily advertised fundraising conference scheduled for 2015.

But that's exactly the problem, in our view.

Typical fundraising conferences cover every conceivable topic ... and nothing in depth. You sip and sample. But you do NOT feast.

It's expensive to go to these things ...

... and you have to ask yourself, to what end? Where's the return on investment? Was it worth the cost to my organization?

Seriously: when was the last time you attended a conference ... and made back those hefty registration fees and expenses, thanks to what you learned?

"I was there when everything changed!"​

​The 2015 Seattle Nonprofit Storytelling Conference is radically different.

What makes it different?

This conference has a single focus: increasing your profitability through better storytelling. And because of that, attending the conference should quickly pay for itself ... many times over. [1]

I repeat: this particular fundraisers' conference is about just one thing -- helping your charity make FAR more money ... by changing the way you tell stories ...

... in your appeals, your newsletters, your website, your e-blasts, your annual reports, your social media, your bequest marketing, your capital campaign materials, face-to-face ... and more.

You'll get the training and you'll get the tools. You'll practice the skills and be gently coached.

Bring your special problems, too. You'll have up-close access to the best practitioners, all of them dedicated to making you more successful.​

​You'll get individual attention

During both days, we’ll have open “Story Labs” where you can get individual attention. Whether you’re looking for help writing a story, telling a story face to face, or crafting a video story, we’ll be there to help you one on one.

Our goal is for you to feel like you are part of a very special family.​

​Harness the Secrets of Hollywood

Would you like to harness the emotional power of Hollywood films to enable you to raise more money?  Then don't miss "Movie Night with Christopher Davenport" on Thursday night (Nov. 12th).

We'll watch a special feature film. Christopher will then take you behind the scene and show you how you can use some of Hollywood's storytelling secrets to raise more money for your organization.

Can't travel to
Seattle for the conference?

Attend the conference online.

We'll be filming the presentations and making the videos available online for you. You'll also get the pre-conference training, all the materials, and also all the post conference support and training.

If you'd like to get all the the videos from the conference, click below.​

Only 300 lucky people will experience this.

Because we want to give you individual attention and a rich experience, we are limiting the number of people who can come to only 300. So I'd suggest getting your ticket today.

This is truly a very special conference for you to attend...and one where you will walk away with the knowledge and a customized plan for bringing in more donations to your organization. (Get your ticket here)

Build a culture of storytelling.

Have you ever struggled to find the right story?

Staff members and volunteers aren’t trained to find stories. And sometimes they also don’t see the value in collecting stories for you. That makes your job extra hard.

At this year’s conference, we’ll show you how to create a culture of storytelling where staff and volunteers will gladly find and collect stories for you.

Attract and retain more donors.

Do you struggle with trying to find enough time in the day to get everything done? Do you often wear many hats and feel stretched thin?

It can seem difficult to find new donors and also put the time into building deeper relationships with the donors you already have.

At this conference, you’ll learn advanced ways to use stories that will attract new donors to your organization. Plus, you’ll also learn how to get others to share your stories.

Our goal is to take care of YOU and create an atmosphere of unparalleled learning and fun.

At many conferences, you are treated like a generic attendee. But not at the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference. We want you to experience something truly unique and memorable. It’s why we’re paying as much attention to you as we are the content you’ll learn.

Everything tells a story, from the way you are greeted at the conference, to the way lunch is served. Not everything you’ll be learning will come from a presenter in front of you. We’ve made it so you’ll experience stories everywhere at the conference. We are going to be serving you story experiences that you can replicate and bring back to your organization. Because of this, you’ll be able to give your donors extra special experiences. This is fun and powerful stuff!

Improve your storytelling BEFORE the conference.

Because much of what you’ll be learning is intermediate to advanced storytelling, we’ll make sure you have the basics before coming to the conference. So, upon signing up for the conference, you’ll receive written materials and videos that will give you and your board the fundamentals of nonprofit storytelling. This way you’ll have a solid story framework, and you’ll know how to tell and craft powerful stories even before you come to the conference.

…and AFTER the conference.

We want you to start off next year at full speed. So to help you, between the end of the conference and December 31st, you’ll have access to a special support website.

All the best knowledge in the world is useless if it’s not acted upon. So, after you leave the conference and you’re back at your office, we’ll be there to support you and help you implement everything you learned at the conference.

Storytelling is the #1 skill you need to master if you want to develop more meaningful donor relationships and raise a lot more money.

The nonprofit storytelling conference is unlike any conference you’ve ever attended. And it's going to help you raise a lot more money. Sign up today.

[1] Attending the conference should quickly pay for itself ... many times over assuming (a) that you apply the lessons learned at the conference and (b) your demented overlords leave you alone to do as you see fit. In a well-regulated nonprofit -- one that's aware of best practices and serious about raising money -- the chief fundraiser has EXCLUSIVE control over all donor communications. Neither the CEO, nor the board chair, nor any committee has a vote or a veto.

Don't miss out on being able to raise more money in way that is more effective and quite frankly, a lot more fun for you and your donors.​