Give Your Messaging a Makeover: 4 Tips to Sharpen Your Story to Secure More Funding

When you’re applying for grants, reaching out to donors, or sharing your impact on social media — one thing is always at the center of it all: your message.

If your nonprofit’s messaging feels inconsistent, outdated, or unclear, it could be holding you back from funding opportunities. The good news? You don’t need a total rebrand to see major improvements. Sometimes, all it takes is a thoughtful messaging refresh rooted in strategy and story.

Here’s how to give your organization’s messaging a makeover that supports your grant writing, fundraising strategy, and overall growth.

1. Start with clarity: who you are, what you do, and why it matters

Your mission statement is important, but your messaging needs to go beyond that. Too often, nonprofits focus on what they do (services, programs), and skip over the why — the human impact that drives it all.

Ask yourself:

• Can a stranger understand what we do in under 30 seconds?

• Do we explain the problem we’re solving in a way that’s easy to care about?

• Is our story consistent across our grant proposals, website, and donor materials?

If not, it’s time to simplify and refine your messaging.

2. Align your messaging with funders and donors

Effective messaging doesn’t just tell your story; it tells it in a way that resonates with the people who can help fund it. Whether you’re applying for private foundation grants or writing a donor appeal, you need to connect the dots between your mission and the funder’s priorities. 

That means:

• Leading with community outcomes, not internal operations

• Using impact storytelling backed by clear data

• Speaking in the language of transformation, not just activity

The right message can make the difference between being “eligible” and being funded.

3. Audit your materials for inconsistencies

If your messaging has evolved over time, your materials may not be saying the same thing — and that can create confusion for funders. Do a quick check of your core materials:

• Grant proposals

• Website & About page

• Social media bios

• Donor outreach emails

• Program descriptions

• Impact reports

Look for inconsistencies, outdated language and jargon. Then create a short messaging guide your team can use to stay consistent moving forward.

4. Listen first. Then, refine your language.

If your messaging feels flat, outdated, or vague, one of the best ways to sharpen it is to listen to how others describe your work — and reflect that language back.

Try this:

• Ask your staff or board how they explain your mission to someone new

• Talk to your program participants or beneficiaries about how your services have impacted them

• Review past donor feedback, testimonials, or quotes from grant reviewers

Look for the words that feel natural, powerful and emotionally resonant — and use those to reframe your messaging.

Impact storytelling is about being clear, real, and relatable. The more your language mirrors how people feel about your work, the more powerful your message becomes.

Final Thoughts

Messaging is your first impression. In a competitive funding landscape, clarity is currency. If your message isn’t connecting, it’s time to revisit how you’re telling your story.

A messaging makeover will help you create clear, consistent, and compelling verbiage that shares your story, allows your mission to shine through, and gets your nonprofit the support it deserves.

Need help crafting messaging that resonates with your nonprofit?

Scribe offers:

• Impact storytelling for nonprofits

• Grant proposal development

• Nonprofit grant coaching

… and more.

Book a free consultation to get started.