Storytelling can be a valuable tool for sharing mission statements of nonprofit organizations. This paper addresses the importance of sharing stories, their key components, technology assisted story telling, and assist others on how to use storytelling effectively

1. Sharing Mission Statements through Story Telling
Julie Holt, Jessica Kendrick, Marlene Shields, Kate Sortet, Megan Trinkleback, Rebecca
Williams, Sarah Williams, Rachael Wilson, XinXin Zeng
George Dean Johnson Jr. School of Business and Economics
University of South Carolina Upstate
800 University Way, Spartanburg SC 29303
holtjy, kendrijm, shieldmf, sortet, birr, will3584, will3623, wilso478, xzeng@email.uscupstate.edu
Abstract — Story telling can be a valuable tool for sharing mission statements of nonprofit organizations. This poster
presentation addresses the importance of sharing stories, their key components, technology assisted story telling, and assist
others on how to use story telling effectively. The USC Upstate Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Student Association partnered with
a local nonprofit, Senior Centers of Spartanburg (South Carolina), to collect stories of clients and transformed them into a story
of the nonprofit’s mission statement that would be easy to remember and use by the organization. This project addresses the Core
Competencies of Communication, Marketing and Public Relations and Program Development.
Keywords — Story Telling, Mission Statements, Story Cube, Nonprofits
Introduction
“I find most people know what a story is until they sit down to write one.”
—Flannery O’Connor
Story telling has been an effective means of communicating important substantive and cultural messages. Great
stories create a rich visual imagery in our minds and great storytellers invite us to walk the landscape that is created
by this imagery. Learning to tell a story that is captivating and soul-stirring is an art. Beyond social story telling the
power of story can move the listener to take action based on its core content. For nonprofits, having a good story to
tell others about your organization can move them to offer support. In this poster presentation, the USC Upstate
Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Student Association, in partnership with the Senior Centers of Spartanburg, will look
at the importance of stories to nonprofits and how to create a story that will motivate supporters.
This project addressed the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance core competencies of Communication, Marketing and
Public Relations and Cultural Competency and Diversity.
2. Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Competency Goals
The USC Upstate Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Student Association will:
• Administer life interview surveys to members of the Senior Center of Spartanburg (Communication,
Marketing & Public Relations – Practicing data collection);
• Develop a story narrative from a life interview survey in order to share the Center’s mission statement by
using the “Story Cube” application (Communication, Marketing & Public Relations – Select appropriate
technology); and
• Practice inter-generational and culturally sensitive communications in collecting life stories. (Cultural
Competency & Diversity – Use culturally sensitive language in communication)
3. Types of Stories
There are six basic core stories commonly found in nonprofit organizations:
focus, founding,future, impact, people, and strength.1

2. Figure 1. Different Types of Stories
4. Why Nonprofits Need Stories?
It is crucial for nonprofit leaders to be good story-tellers.2 Story telling can help organizations advance their
missions and supporterbase.There are a few questions nonprofit leaders need to ask before deciding what story to
tell.
First, nonprofit leaders need to understand the current mindset of the audience. Then, they need to decide what
story is going to change that mindset. Then, they need to identify what matters to the audience.
After those questions have been answered, nonprofit leaders need to take the stories that speakto their audience
and use those stories to fit different mediums.
5. The Story Cube
The necessary components or elements in stories may be identified and summarized by using the interactive
“Story Cube” creator (character, setting,conflict, resolution, and theme).3 It can be used as a pre-writing tool for
developing stories to share mission statements.
Figure 2. Story Cube example from Senior Centers of Spartanburg
6. Narrative Using Story Cube
“Pat, a 71 year old married female from Spartanburg, recently began experiencing major health issues,
including a heart attack that led to visual impairment. Her declining health left her feeling vulnerable and lonely.
She was also feeling extremely isolated because her children lived far away. Pat wanted to find a place to exercise,
socialize, and improve her overall quality of life.
Pat and her husband heard about the Senior Center by word of mouth recommendations. They visited, began
participating, and have expanded their engagement over time into singing, meals, bingo, and Bible study.Thanks to
the Senior Center Pat thinks her quality of life has improved greatly!”
This is a great example of how the Center’s mission “fosters independence” to “connect people – programs –
purpose - play.”4

3. Conclusion
Story telling is an easy tool for sharing memorable mission statements of nonprofit organizations. The Story
Cube application is a valuable Internet application used to identify the important story components to include.
Members’ stories, like Pat’s, help illustrate the need for the Senior Center of Spartanburg’s mission and may be
shared with potential supporters, donors, and future members.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Senior Centers of Spartanburg for allowing us to visit their facility and interview some of
their members.
We would like to that Pan Angara (professional story teller from Chicago) for providing recommendations and
guidance on our research.
References
1 You Have 6 Nonprofit Story Types to Tell (Part One). (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2013, from
http://gettingattention.org/ articles/3994/nonprofit-storytelling/nonprofit-story-types.html
2 Why Nonprofits Need to be Storytellers. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2013, from
http://www.bridgespan.org/Publications-and-Tools/Career-Professional-
Development/DevelopMyself/Why-Nonprofits-Need-to-be-Storytellers.aspx#.UpyyyNJJ7IU
3 Cube Creator. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2013, from
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/cube_creator/
4
Senior Center of Spartanburg. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2013, from http://www.scsptbg.org