Dignified Storytelling: Stop Treating Clients Like Props

Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions

Send us Fan Mail

What if the storytelling practices you're using are actually harming the people you're trying to serve? Many nonprofits believe that sharing clients' most traumatic moments is the only way to raise funds, but what's the real cost of this approach? The way we tell stories has consequences far beyond the donation page, like re-traumatizing vulnerable community members, or conditioning donors to expect exploitation, to name a few.

On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Diana Farias Heinrich, CEO of Habrá Marketing and creator of the Equastory Framework. Diana shares how a storytelling mistake early in her career, one that put a domestic violence survivor at risk, set her on a mission to transform how nonprofits approach client stories. Together, they challenge the sector's donor-centric storytelling norms and explore what it means to truly center dignity, consent, and community in fundraising. If you've ever felt uncomfortable with how your organization tells stories, or if you're ready to build systems that honor all stakeholders, and not just donors, this conversation is for you.

Visit their website: www.habramarketing.com

Register for the Ethical Nonprofit Summit HERE. 
PS: Here is a code to save $15: FURTHERTOGETHER

If this episode was useful, grab the 30-Day Board Fundraising Challenge at gofurthertogether.ca/boardchallenge — it's free and it gives your board actual structure.

Book a Discovery Call with Further Together if you need help raising money in a way aligned with your values. 

Support the show

More description

Send us Fan Mail

What if the storytelling practices you're using are actually harming the people you're trying to serve? Many nonprofits believe that sharing clients' most traumatic moments is the only way to raise funds, but what's the real cost of this approach? The way we tell stories has consequences far beyond the donation page, like re-traumatizing vulnerable community members, or conditioning donors to expect exploitation, to name a few.

On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Diana Farias Heinrich, CEO of Habrá Marketing and creator of the Equastory Framework. Diana shares how a storytelling mistake early in her career, one that put a domestic violence survivor at risk, set her on a mission to transform how nonprofits approach client stories. Together, they challenge the sector's donor-centric storytelling norms and explore what it means to truly center dignity, consent, and community in fundraising. If you've ever felt uncomfortable with how your organization tells stories, or if you're ready to build systems that honor all stakeholders, and not just donors, this conversation is for you.

Visit their website: www.habramarketing.com

Register for the Ethical Nonprofit Summit HERE. 
PS: Here is a code to save $15: FURTHERTOGETHER

If this episode was useful, grab the 30-Day Board Fundraising Challenge at gofurthertogether.ca/boardchallenge — it's free and it gives your board actual structure.

Book a Discovery Call with Further Together if you need help raising money in a way aligned with your values. 

Support the show

2026-03-17 23 min
Listen elsewhere

Available Results

Generated results are saved to your library for reuse and search.

No generated results are available for this episode yet.

Transcript

No transcript is available for this episode yet.
Sign in to generate a transcript for review.
Sign in

Chapters

No chapters available.