Communication & Storytelling Lab

Craft compelling narratives and communication strategies for your development work

1
Audience Analysis
2
Story Development
3
Message Framework
4
Communication Plan

Step 1: Audience Analysis

Donors & Funders

Foundations, government agencies, individual donors

Beneficiaries & Communities

Direct program participants and affected communities

Government Officials

Policy makers, ministry officials, local government

Media & Public

Journalists, bloggers, general public

Partners & Colleagues

NGOs, academic institutions, peer organizations

Internal Staff

Team members, board, volunteers

Step 2: Story Development

Storytelling Tips

  • Use specific details and concrete examples rather than abstract concepts
  • Include emotions and human experiences, not just facts and figures
  • Show change over time with clear before/after contrasts
  • Keep your audience's values and concerns in mind
  • End with a clear call to action or next steps

Step 3: Message Framework

Story Preview

Your story framework will appear here as you complete the sections above.

Step 4: Communication Plan

Implementation Tips

  • Test your story with a small audience before broader distribution
  • Create a content calendar to plan regular story sharing
  • Develop multiple versions for different audiences and contexts
  • Train your team on consistent messaging and story delivery
  • Document what works and what doesn't for future campaigns