The philanthropic sector plays a vital role in creating change, yet studies show that many people don’t fully understand what foundations do or how they operate. The report Philanthropy’s New Voice: Building Trust with Deeper Stories and Clear Language, crafted by the Council on Foundations and Center for Public Interest Communications at University of Florida, highlights the need for foundations to fill the narrative vacuum with clearer, consistent impactful storytelling.

According to the report, foundations have a “storytelling problem” – they focus on reporting outcomes but fail to communicate the deeper narratives that build trust and engagement with greater society. Without these stories, misconceptions can take root, and skepticism about philanthropic efforts can grow. 

However, by sharing the right stories, foundations can bridge this gap, demonstrate their value, and foster stronger relationships with their stakeholders. For inspiration, we’ve compiled ten great stories that foundations can tell from their perspective to overcome these challenges and create meaningful connections.

1. The Founder’s Story

Why was the foundation created? Share the story of the founders, their motivations, and the problem they set out to solve. This humanizes the organization and provides historical context for its mission. Capturing your founder’s story, in their own words, is a fantastic educational opportunity. Or, if your founder’s story spans decades (or centuries) consider crafting a “Our Story in 60 Seconds” video, where you touch on the biggest talking points and point viewers to a resource to learn more. 

2. The First Grantee Story

Highlight the foundation’s first grant they made and the impact it had. Audiences love to hear about monumental “firsts” because they give context to the greater, continued impact. This story can illustrate the foundation’s early priorities as well as how its approach may have evolved over time.

3. Stories About Funding Decisions

Transparency builds trust. Share stories that detail how grants are considered, sorted and awarded. Who makes the decisions? What criteria are used? This helps the public and grantees understand the foundation’s role in supporting change in a fun, informational way.

4. Annual Grantee Success Stories

Tell stories about the nonprofits and initiatives the foundation funds on a year-by-year basis. Ask your grantees, as part of your grant reporting, to share photos and videos of their mission in action throughout the year. Then use this community-generated content to share the valuable boots-on-the-ground stories that the foundation supports. Showcasing real-world impact makes for great storytelling content on social media, but is also a wonderful donor stewardship tool. 

5. A Story of a Shift in Strategy

Foundations often evolve their funding priorities to address emerging challenges. Share a story about a time the foundation changed its strategy, why it happened, and what impact it had. People love to understand how decisions, especially ones that involve their donation dollars, are made. 

6. Community Impact Stories

Philanthropy doesn’t work in isolation. Share stories that highlight partnerships between foundations, nonprofits, local businesses, and government entities working toward a common goal. Collect video clips or images from each member of your community and craft a composite video to show how interconnected your values truly are.

7. Behind-the-Scenes Stories

Many people don’t understand what happens on a daily basis at a foundation. Telling stories about staff members, their roles, and the decision-making process can make foundations more relatable and transparent. Your staff may be hesitant at first to share their perspective, but trust that it is a valuable one that your audience truly wants to better understand!

8. A Story About a Tough Decision

Not every decision is easy – in fact, most are not! Share a story about a difficult choice the foundation had to make and the factors that influenced it. This could be a difficult funding decision, priority change, or something based on current events. Sharing tough stories can showcase the complexity of philanthropy, which your audience will find relatable and humanizing. 

9. Stories About Learning from Failure

It’s ok to talk about your failures! Honest storytelling about setbacks can help build trust. Share a story about a grant, fundraising campaign or initiative that didn’t go as planned, what the foundation learned, and how it adapted. Being transparent about failure is a wonderful way to build trust long-term.

10. A Vision for the Future

What is the foundation’s long-term goal? Share a story that illustrates the change the foundation hopes to see in the world and how it plans to get there. Use historical data and future projections to support your vision for the future. And most importantly, share your excitement so your audience can get onboard!

For Your Consideration: Where does ethical storytelling fit into storytelling for foundations?

Storytelling for foundations does not stop when their own story is told. Grantmakers have an essential role in practicing and promoting ethical storytelling with their grantees. But how can they ensure they’re uplifting grantee voices responsibly? Let’s talk about it!

Join us for our upcoming event, Narratives with Integrity: The Grantmaker’s Role in Ethical Storytelling, where we’ll explore how foundations can collect and share stories in a way that is ethical, empowering, and impactful for themselves as well as the missions they serve. This event will provide actionable insights from four knowledgeable panelists on how grantmakers can support nonprofit storytelling while respecting the dignity of those featured. Learn more and register here.

Final Thought: Now is the best time to start storytelling!

By telling these ten stories, foundations can demystify their work, build trust, and create stronger connections with the communities they serve. Ethical, transparent storytelling isn’t just about sharing successes—it’s about being open, honest, and intentional in communicating impact.To make storytelling easier and more effective, foundations need the right tools to collect impactful video, photo and written testimonials. MemoryFox is the #1 ethical storytelling tool for nonprofits and foundations, providing a seamless way to collect, organize, and share powerful stories. With MemoryFox, foundations can elevate their storytelling efforts and ensure their narratives are authentic, engaging, and impactful.