Your Nonprofit Pitch

Developing a 15-30 second elevator pitch for your nonprofit requires careful consideration and concise communication. In this brief timeframe you want to capture the essence of your nonprofit's mission, unique approach, and impact.

• Start by clearly defining your nonprofit's purpose in a single sentence, and then identify the unique selling proposition that sets your organization apart.

• Tailor your pitch to resonate with your target audience and structure it around three key components: the problem you aim to solve, your solution or approach, and the tangible impact you have or plan to make.

• Practice and refine your pitch, ensuring it remains conversational, authentic, and impactful. With a well-crafted elevator pitch, you can captivate attention, inspire action, and open doors to new supporters and partnerships for your nonprofit organization.

SAMPLE

I'm Charlene and I provide business services and learning opportunities to women in nonprofit leadership.

I work with entrepreneurs all across the country to help them improve their nonprofit businesses, prepare for funding, and achieve career satisfaction.

I host a Mastermind for Women where we supporting each other, learning together and developing grant proposals.

You can visit us online at DevoCenter.org for more information or contact me directly.

Storytelling Template

As nonprofit leaders we are one of our organizations key representatives - a cheerleader for our teams, and an advocate for the people we serve. As nonprofit leaders we are developing strategies to address lack and celebrating every win. We have to be prepared to communicate a powerful and compelling stories about the need in our communities and our readiness to provide solutions.

Storytelling is how most people are introduced to our organizations. Our websites, social media, videos, proposals and presentations should all tell a consistent story about who we are, what we're doing, who we're doing it for, and what we hope to achieve. Storytelling motivates staff and partners to give their best effort and share our stories with others.

STORYTELLING TEMPLATE AND SAMPLE

Title: No Stones Movement is Connecting Young Adults Ready Serve and Lead in Atlanta Georgia

Who We Are: No Stones Movement is an educational nonprofit based in Atlanta, GA

What We're Doing: Offering Mentorship, Service-Learning and Career Training Opportunities

Who We're Doing It For: Young Adults Ages 18-25 in Atlanta, GA

What We Hope To Achieve: Students who participate in the program will:

1. experience improved relationship building and leadership capabilities

2. contribute to community service in a mindful and meaningful way

3. acquire new knowledge and skills in preparation for college and career opportunities

Participant Narrative: Mellitia is a graduate of TSK Preparatory Academy. In the summer before college she wanted to connect with her peers to serve in her neighborhood, and learn what it takes to organize and lead important projects. She joined the Seeds Connect Volunteer Club to show her community love, improve her resume and have some fun! Continue the story...

Call to Action: What do you want people to do after reading or hearing your message? Donate, Volunteer, Register, Connect on Social Media

Describing Your Nonprofit

Vision: Big Picture
What the community will look like when the work is done

"Your vision statement expresses the impact you hope to make. When writing your vision statement consider “What is the impact I hope to make in 5 years? In 10 years? It should be a big, and almost unattainable goal."

Mission: Action Statement
What we do, who we do it for, and how we do it

"Your mission statement should focus on the why behind your brand. It states the principles of your company and communicates how you are actively meeting your objectives."

Values: Guiding Beliefs
What principles are important to the organization

"Organizational values are the guiding beliefs and principles that provide an organization with purpose and direction. They help nonprofits manage their interactions with the people they serve and other stakeholders."

Values state what is important to the organization, they inform the culture and dictate behavior.

EXAMPLE: DevoCenter Value Statement

We value and promote innovation, professional excellence and compassionate service. We believe that through professional service-learning women will be both inspired and prepared to serve and uplift fellow citizens, and we’re most excited about encouraging deep reflection on love, leadership and learning in our communities

EXAMPLE: Bayhealth Values List

Bayhealth is the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in central and southern Delaware. Its mission is to bring the nation’s best healthcare to the communities it serves, and this is reflected in their core values:

• Compassion: We are kind and caring to everyone we encounter.

• Accountability: Each of us is responsible for our words, our actions, and our results.

• Respect: We value everyone and treat people with dignity and professionalism.

• Integrity: We build trust through responsible actions and honest relationships.

• Teamwork: We achieve more when we collaborate and all work together.

Ten Examples of Company Core Values

• Integrity. Acting with strong ethics is a priority for everyone representing the organization as well as the company’s behavior as a whole.

• Honesty. It’s not just the best policy. It’s a core business practice to act in a transparent, trustworthy manner that earns the respect of colleagues, customers, and the public.

• Fairness. Treating everyone with the common decency we all deserve and expect.

• Accountability. Accepting responsibility for your actions (and inactions) is the ultimate way to build trust internally and externally.

• Promise to Customers. Creating a great customer experience begins with staying true to the words we speak and the bonds we make.

• Diversity and Inclusion. Organizations succeed by bringing different lived experiences and a range of backgrounds into a shared environment where everyone has equal opportunity.

• Learning. No one has all the answers. A culture of humility and continuous learning is a bedrock principle of successful companies.

• Teamwork. When people work together, they can create something greater than themselves as individuals.

• Passion. Having a joy not just for the work itself but also the people around us, so that everyone can be bold, innovative, and creative.

• Quality. Companies are judged by the craftsmanship of their products and services, so the highest standards must be maintained.

Writing an Executive Bio for Nonprofit Leaders

An executive bio describes your personal values, interests, career history and accomplishments. You’ll need a bio for your website, professional networks, and for the many applications and proposals that are submitted to raise funds for your business.

You should have two versions available:

• Informal bio - short and written in first-person

• Professional bio - longer, written in third-person narrative

Here are a few tips to writing a compelling and concise executive bio:

• Be Consistent: your bio should reflect and summarize information on your resume, linkedin profile and other professional online channels

• Focus on Action: be sure to explain both who you are and what you do.

  • Example: “Vanessa King is an experienced community advisor, known for educating and supporting students as they transition from high-school into post-secondary opportunities.”

What to include in your bio?

• Share Your Passions and Personality: Let readers know what inspires you and how your interests and experience inform your current work

• Summarize Your Career Path: tell a story about your professional experience including your current role, showing how it all hangs together

• Share Professional Accomplishments: provide an account exemplary projects and the impact you’ve had on the organizations you’ve served

• Include Relevant Qualifications: Describe significant educational experiences, degrees, professional memberships and other credentials

• Get Personal: Briefly tell your readers who you are and what you enjoy outside of work