Explaining the Work: Emily Taylor on Nonprofit Storytelling and Funders
Key Takeaways
- Complex nonprofit work needs clear explanation. Many funders and supporters don’t share the lived experience behind the issues nonprofits address, which makes thoughtful storytelling essential.
- Story and data work best together. Funders often need both a compelling human story and clear evidence of impact in order to understand and support the work.
- New funding realities are shifting how nonprofits communicate. As organizations navigate uncertainty around traditional funding sources, the ability to clearly explain impact to new audiences is becoming even more important.
- Sometimes the insight is already there. Helping nonprofits communicate better often comes down to uncovering the analogy, story, or perspective that helps others truly understand the work.
Nonprofit work is often complex long before anyone tries to explain it to someone else. Programs respond to layered human realities, yet funders and supporters usually encounter those realities in only a few sentences, a short presentation, or a brief meeting. Translating that complexity into something clear and meaningful is rarely simple.
For Emily Taylor, helping organizations bridge that gap has become both her work and her curiosity. Through her consulting practice, she helps nonprofits clarify the stories behind their impact so that funders, partners, and supporters can truly understand the work being done.
Transcript
Nicole: [00:00:00] Hi, Emily. Thank you so much for joining me today. I’m really looking forward to hearing about your fundraising journey and a little more about your experience and perspectives. So when you have a, um, would you be able to introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your nonprofit journey? What led you into this work and what keeps you inspired today?
Emily: Sure. Thanks for having me, Nicole. It’s it’s great to, to finally meet you in person. Um, yeah, so my name’s Emily Taylor. I’m the principal of Teeny big, um, and I help nonprofits bring, um, bring consistency, clarity, and confidence to their impact stories when they talk to funders. Um. But yeah, if I go back to my journey, I actually started out in for-profits, um, the for-profit space.
So I bring a lot of, whether I like it or not, I bring a lot of that perspective, um, to the [00:01:00] table. And really, I, I think what’s, what it’s brought for me is helping non-profits see outside of the sector a lot of, um. Donors, especially major donors. Some funders aren’t necessarily embedded in the nonprofit work.
And so to be able to see outside of that and help nonprofits see maybe where they’re talking to themselves a little bit or not explaining things thoroughly is, is really where I love being able to take that external experience and bring it, bring it to the table.
Nicole: That’s amazing. I think it’s so important too, and we were talking about this a little off camera, how, um, hearing different perspectives and, you know, bringing that for-profit lens into these spaces is so fundamental and crucial when we, we start to approach, uh, different organizations or businesses.
So I think that’s a, a really important perspective to bring to this space. That’s cool. So what is part of the work that lights [00:02:00] you up the most? Is there a story, project, or impact moment that reminds you of why you do what you do?
Emily: Yes. Sorry, I, I love taking notes so I can, I can, I can not, uh, get stuck here, but, um, I realize what I really love doing the most is, you know, I’m a problem solver at heart and a, a customizer.
And so I love being able to help nonprofits find really specific, um. Magical insights that are right under their nose. Um, and so, you know, just an example of a client recently, um, we were working together and they had a really hard time explaining the challenges of the, um, the kid, the foster kids that they worked with, faced, like people understood, okay, foster kids don’t have, you know, long-term families.
They’ve gone through rough childhood, but people didn’t, had a hard time really explaining like, these kids have never. Than kids. Like they never, they always had to take care of themselves. And so, um, through some of my work, we were able to [00:03:00] find a, an analogy of a rainforest and how these kids are, you know, a normal kid might be walking through a field on their journey as a kid, but a kid who’s in the foster care system is, um, dealing with a rainforest.
They have, they don’t know what’s ahead of them. They don’t know what emotions are gonna come up, what challenges they’re gonna face. And for the families and the kids. Um, this analogy really like helped us explain a lot of the layers and complexity. And so that was, um, the things I really love to see.
’cause it allowed them to like quickly talk about some of the challenges and explain it to somebody who really was not embedded in the, the system. So I like, I like finding those kind of things that help nonprofits, um, you know, get that light bulb going and explain a really complex idea. To someone who might not have understood it before.
Nicole: Yeah. Sometimes explaining that lived experience can be really hard in different perspectives. Um, yeah, that’s an important piece of this for sure. ’cause [00:04:00] we need it to, to land for everybody, or not necessarily everybody, not every organization’s meant for everyone, but, um, being able to tell that story impactfully is, is so important.
I like
Emily: Yeah. And sometimes you don’t have a ton of time.
Nicole: Yeah.
Emily: Help people understand. I mean, all the nonprofits I work with are solving really complex human problems, and so, you know, if people don’t have that lived experience, you do have to find some way to explain it to them because they’re gonna make assumptions if you don’t.
Nicole: Yeah, that makes sense. I love that. That’s a, that’s a cool offering that you can provide folks. Uh, I like that a lot.
Emily: Yeah.
Nicole: So in. Go ahead.
Emily: Sorry. Oh, I was just gonna add to it. I, because I, I feel like, you know, when you asked about my journey, I, I kind of maybe didn’t go super deep in it, but I, I used to work in the design world, um, and that’s one of those things like you really have to kind of quickly use visuals, use story, [00:05:00] um mm-hmm.
Analogies to quickly get people to understand concepts. And so I think that’s something that I’ve just is so ingrained in me of like trying to find that. That little piece, that little analogy that helps people understand things that, that graph, that chart, um, that will quickly explain something.
Nicole: Yeah, that’s a, that’s wonderful.
I like that a lot. And I think there’s, even like when we bring, Tasha and I talk about this regularly, the sales world to the fundraising world, like just the little pieces that you learn in those spaces help inform how you. Um, maybe make an ask or the importance of relationships and how you can build those into your current work in the nonprofit space.
So I love the design and telling the story that you bring to it. It’s, that’s great. So what’s one challenge or shift you’re currently navigating in your organization or the sector? How are you [00:06:00] approaching it or what kind of support do you think would help?
Emily: Yeah. Well, I, I think a lot of, you know. In the United States especially, you know, a lot of organizations are facing funding changes.
You know, not having that reliable government funding. I’m on a board of an organization that we’re just, you know, constantly worried major funds are, are on the line. Um, and so we have to be looking at different types of funding and that’s really, you know, what the shifts I’m trying to help organizations make is, you know, thinking about that.
Um, major donor, those funders, again, who are, you’re approaching, um, someone new, uh, they might not be as reliable as government funding, um, but they also have different needs when it comes to understanding what you do. You know, a government grant is gonna require a lot of detail, a lot of very specific questions where an individual [00:07:00] or, um, you know, maybe a donor advised fund or, you know, different.
Foundations need a little bit of a mix of that story and the case. So how are you mixing the, the depth of what your organization is doing with stories and the breadth with data and showing your impact. Um, and I said that’s also kind of this before for profit mindset that I have of like, what’s that business case that.
If I make an investment, this is what’s gonna happen. Um, and I think that still needs to be a very meaningful investment, you know, that fits your mission. Um, but that’s, that’s really kind of, you know, where I see the work happening is how do you shift to have some of that, um, more. Um, you know, individual funding or, you know, less government funding in a time where it’s just so unstable.
Um, it’s not the full answer [00:08:00] because it’s never gonna replace all of government funding. Um, but I think we need to be able to, um, nonprofits need to be able to kind of spin a bit depending on who they’re trying to connect with so that they can make that appropriate case, um, for that specific audience.
Nicole: Yeah, and I think we do, like, we have a lot of different audiences in our nonprofit space, um, and what government requires is. Quite a bit different than what an a hu an individual requires. Um, it’s more of like that human approach I think that we have to consider. And storytelling is always part of that.
Um, but I like that you’re pulling in like the data and like it is an investment and people want to make sure that they are leaving a legacy as best as they can with what they have available to them. Um, so the data and the story are, are crucial in that, in that space. Um. Cool. I like it. [00:09:00]
Emily: Yeah.
Nicole: How have conversations or connections through the nonprofit hive helped shape your worker perspective?
Is there, uh, somebody you’ve met or an idea that stuck or simply a feeling that you’re not doing it alone?
Emily: Definitely a feeling that I’m not doing it alone. I think what I’ve, I’ve really loved about people I’ve met the hive is how creative. They are. Um, I, you know, I’ve met a lot of, some founders who are just approaching challenges in a, a new way.
Actually, um, early last year, I, I started to talk a little bit about neurodiversity and how, um, you know, really creative people see solutions who maybe think differently, can see solutions to problems, um, that maybe haven’t been proven out yet, that, you know, that, um. When I trying to say a whole bunch of things at once, but, you know, we we’re trying to solve these really, these human problems that haven’t been solved before.[00:10:00]
Um, and so it takes creative people and so when I meet those people through the hive, they just stand out. And so I, um, early last year I did some features and I included some nonprofit hive, um, people, um, like cameras for girls. Um, and, you know, that was just, it was really great to. Be able to identify, you know, by talking to someone, having that half hour with someone, um, be able to identify like, oh, you, you are like thinking about solving the problem.
You’re not just like doing, you know, doing your to-do list. You’re really thinking outside that box. Um, and so I’ve, I’ve appreciated being able to come talk about new ideas with. The nonprofit hive. Um, you know, things that maybe aren’t as tactical, but they’re really meaningful and we need to be, um, talking about them, uh, you know, in order to really believe in them and stay strong in [00:11:00] that work.
Nicole: I find there is, I know, I mean as camera for camera for girls, I appreciate her so much. And I think the nonprofit hive, there are a lot of founders or solo, um, fundraisers, departments of one in the ecosystem along with large other or individuals. Uh, but I do find the founder mindset is. They bring a different flavor to the conversation.
They have, like I, I agree. They have like this big idea to solve X problem and they have, they bring so much passion and oftentimes like that can be super lonely as well. You’re talking to lots of people, but you, you sometimes just wanna brainstorm or like bounce ideas off people. And I think, um. The nonprofit high specifically allows for those types of conversations without feeling like you owe anybody anything after either where you’re like, oh, that was a fun conversation we talked about.
Storytelling. And, you know, they may have a new [00:12:00] perspective or lens on it now. Um, and if you wanna stay in touch and continue with the conversation, you always can. But I love, uh, the founder mindset. I, I really appreciate those individuals. So whenever I get a founder on a call, I’m, I’m excited to hear their story and what, what they’re gonna.
Get into.
Emily: Yeah. Well, and Aina was a, a particularly one that stood out in my mind because she came from the for-profit world as well. Yeah. I believe in marketing or advertising. And you can see that storytelling company, you know, she’s very visual and in what she shares about her work, um, as well as being very data focused.
And so we really connected on that. And, you know, she wasn’t really using any templates. She just was kind of using her experience, uh. So focus on her mission. It was great.
Nicole: The auth authenticity is so important there, for sure.
Emily: Yeah. Yeah.
Nicole: So what’s one insight, resource or mindset that’s helped you recently and might help others in this community?[00:13:00]
Emily: Yeah, so I, I wrote one down. It’s a little vulnerable for me, but I’ve, um, I’ve been kind of playing around, you know, when I talk about neurodiversity, that’s something I’ve been exploring in my own personal life lately, and so I’ve been. Really reading more about dyslexia and how that affects the brain.
And I, you know, realize as a visual thinker, I think that’s something that, um, connects a lot with people. And so when I meet creative people, um, I often think about, you know, maybe. They’re, they’re thinking in the same way as me. And so I’ve been, been doing more deeper dives. There’s a particular podcast with the truth about dyslexia that I’ve been following.
So if anyone else out there maybe identifies as a, you know, maybe a little more visual and creative thinker, um, I find it helpful to listen to. And one of the things that really struck me recently is the podcast are talked about confidence and how, um. A lot of times we think of confidence as [00:14:00] competency and that we need to be better at something, um, in order to feel more confident.
And they actually said it’s more to think about it more as safety. And so how can we think about, um, when we feel unconfident, do we somehow feel unsafe in this space that we’re in and what is making us feel unsafe? Um, and so it’s allowed me to think about, um. You know, maybe if I’m in a room trying to explain my work, feeling less about, you know, needing to prove every single bit of, of what I’m good at and more about, um, you know, think about do I really feel unsafe here?
Is there something that maybe I’m imagining do I, I maybe feel like people are judging me when they’re really not. And so just to try to address some of those things in a room. Um. It’s, it’s helped me in a new, just, just think about confidence in a new way. And I think it’s something that we all, as [00:15:00] we, you know, argue for funding in our organization, um, you know, as we talk to other people, it’s confidence is a big part of that.
Um, and it’s just helpful to unpack the stereotypes around it.
Nicole: I love that. I think, um. We all battle confidence issues or you know, imposter syndrome at some point in our life, career. Um, and. The perspective or that shift is, is helpful. Um, I’ve recently been talking about confidence in my journal, not talking, journaling about it.
Sorry. Um, don’t talk to my journal. Let’s hope your journal
Emily: can’t talk.
Nicole: Yeah. Um, and then I’m, and I’m gonna pull that in ’cause that is a really interesting perspective that maybe it has nothing to do with, it’s not my abilities, it’s just how I’m feeling internally, potentially. That’s interesting. Thank you.
Thank you for that one. Um, so where can people find you? [00:16:00]
Emily: So I am a LinkedIn lover. I am always on LinkedIn. Um, and yeah, I mean that’s really my, my active space. I’ve got a website, uh, teeny big.com, um, where, you know, people can, can learn a little bit more about some of the, the projects that I’ve worked on and a little bit more about me.
Um, but yeah, I’m always. You know, excited to meet more people in the hive and really integrate more into the community.
Nicole: Amazing. Well, thank you so much for joining, and I really look forward to continuing these conversations with you.
Emily: Thank you, Nicole. Great talking to you.
Nicole: Thanks. Take care.
Emily: You too.
A Nonprofit Path That Started Outside the Sector
Emily Taylor did not begin her career in the nonprofit sector. She spent her early professional years working in for‑profit environments and in the design world, where communicating ideas clearly and quickly was essential. Visual storytelling, analogies, and concise explanations were everyday tools used to help people grasp complicated concepts.
Those early experiences continue to shape how she approaches nonprofit work today.
Emily is the principal of Teeny Big, where she helps nonprofits bring consistency, clarity, and confidence to their impact stories when they speak with funders. Her background outside the sector often allows her to notice something that organizations themselves might overlook.
As she explains, many donors and major funders are not embedded in nonprofit work in the same way nonprofit professionals are.
“A lot of donors, especially major donors, aren’t necessarily embedded in the nonprofit work. So being able to step outside that perspective and see where nonprofits might be talking to themselves a little bit is really helpful.”
That outside lens helps organizations recognize when their messaging assumes too much shared understanding. Sometimes the issue is not the work itself, but how the work is being explained.
Emily often begins her work with nonprofits by encouraging them to step back and ask a simple question: How does this sound to someone encountering our work for the first time?
Finding the Insight Hidden in Plain Sight
At heart, Emily describes herself as a problem solver and a customizer. What energizes her most is helping organizations uncover insights that are often already present within their work.
“I love being able to help nonprofits find really specific insights that are right under their nose,” she says.
One project that stood out to her involved a nonprofit serving young people in the foster care system. The organization struggled to explain the depth of challenges those young people face. Most people understood that foster youth have experienced hardship, but the emotional and developmental realities were difficult to communicate clearly.
Working together, Emily and the organization discovered an analogy that helped make the experience more understandable.
“A normal kid might be walking through a field on their journey as a kid. But a kid who’s in the foster care system is dealing with a rainforest. They don’t know what’s ahead of them. They don’t know what emotions are going to come up or what challenges they’re going to face.”
That image helped explain the complexity of the children’s experiences in a way that people could grasp quickly. Instead of simplifying the problem itself, the analogy helped people understand the layers involved.
Emily finds that many nonprofits are working to solve deeply complex human challenges. When supporters or funders do not have that lived experience, thoughtful storytelling becomes essential.
“All the nonprofits I work with are solving really complex human problems. If people don’t have that lived experience, you have to find some way to explain it to them. Otherwise they’re going to make assumptions.”
Moments like these are what she finds most meaningful in her work. They help organizations see their own impact more clearly and communicate it with greater confidence.
The Funding Shift Many Nonprofits Are Facing
Like many nonprofit professionals, Emily is watching organizations navigate growing uncertainty around funding.
In the United States especially, shifts in government funding are creating instability for many organizations that once relied on those sources. Board members and leadership teams are increasingly forced to consider what sustainability looks like in an environment where traditional funding streams may no longer feel dependable.
Emily is experiencing this challenge both through her consulting work and through her own board service.
“A lot of organizations are facing funding changes and not having that reliable government funding. I’m on a board where we’re constantly worried that major funds are on the line.”
As organizations explore new funding approaches, the way they communicate their impact becomes even more important.
Government grants often require highly detailed applications and reporting. Individual donors, foundations, and donor‑advised funds typically need something different. They need to understand both the mission and the results in a way that feels meaningful and credible.
Emily often encourages nonprofits to think about this balance intentionally.
“How are you mixing the depth of what your organization is doing with stories,” she asks, “and the breadth with data that shows your impact?”
That combination of narrative and evidence can help potential supporters see both the human story and the real-world results of the work.
Why Creative Thinking Matters in the Sector
Emily has also become increasingly interested in how creative thinking contributes to solving complex social challenges. Through conversations with peers and founders, she has been exploring how people who think visually or differently often approach problems in new ways.
Many of the challenges nonprofits are addressing today have no simple blueprint. They require experimentation, creativity, and the willingness to imagine solutions that have not yet been proven.
This perspective has led Emily to explore topics such as neurodiversity and creative problem solving in her own life as well.
In those conversations, she has noticed how often creative thinkers bring new possibilities to the table. They are not simply managing a to‑do list. They are asking deeper questions about how problems might be approached differently.
The Role of Peer Connection in the Work
Like many nonprofit professionals, Emily also recognizes that the work can sometimes feel isolating. People in the sector often carry significant responsibility while navigating uncertainty and limited resources.
One of the aspects she values most about The Nonprofit Hive community is the opportunity to connect with people who are thinking creatively about the challenges they face.
Through those conversations, she has met founders and nonprofit leaders who approach their work with curiosity and experimentation. Those exchanges can spark new ideas and perspectives that continue long after a short conversation ends.
“What I’ve really loved about people I’ve met through the Hive is how creative they are,” Emily reflects.
Those moments of connection remind nonprofit professionals that they are not navigating these challenges alone.
Rethinking Confidence in the Work
In recent months Emily has also been reflecting on confidence and how it shows up in professional settings. Through her personal research and podcast listening, she encountered an idea that reframed how she thinks about confidence entirely.
“A lot of times we think of confidence as competency, like we need to be better at something in order to feel more confident. But the idea I heard recently is that confidence is actually about safety.”
That idea encouraged her to reconsider moments when confidence feels difficult. Instead of assuming the problem is ability or knowledge, she began asking whether something in the environment makes the situation feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
For nonprofit professionals who regularly advocate for funding, partnerships, and support, confidence can play an important role in how their work is received. Reframing confidence in this way can create space for a more compassionate understanding of those moments.
Staying Curious About the Work
Emily does not frame her role as having all the answers. Instead, she sees herself as someone who helps organizations notice what they already know and express it more clearly.
Many nonprofits are already doing extraordinary work. What they often need is the clarity that allows others to understand why that work matters.
Through storytelling, thoughtful communication, and conversations with peers, Emily continues to explore new ways to help those stories land.
In a sector built around complex human challenges, that kind of clarity can make a meaningful difference. And like many members of The Nonprofit Hive community, Emily approaches the work with curiosity, generosity, and a willingness to keep learning alongside others doing the same.