Tool
Storytelling for Impact
How to tailor your impact story for specific audiences
April 15, 2025
At a Glance
This guide offers examples of practical approaches to tailoring your impact story to a wide range of specific audiences, based on each funder’s interests and priorities.
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Good stories are often human stories. And great, human-centered stories make you feel connected, inspire change, and motivate action. For community-based organizations (CBO), understanding your impact and crafting a compelling impact story that appeals to a specific audience is critical to strengthening your financial sustainability and expanding your influence.
Key stakeholders in the workforce development sector—private philanthropy, government leaders, community partners, employers, and others—have a wide range of interests, spheres of influence, and motives for engaging with your organization. By tailoring your impact story to each of your key audiences, you can ensure that your messaging is clear and speaks directly to what your stakeholders value most. This Storytelling for Impact guide from Jobs for the Future (JFF) builds on JFF’s Understanding Impact resource and offers examples of practical approaches to tailoring your impact story to specific audiences.
