The nonprofit landscape in 2025 has brought unprecedented challenges around language and communication. With federal regulations restricting certain terminology (or else…) and growing pressure around DEI initiatives, many nonprofit leaders are focused on what they can’t say. But what if we shifted our attention to what we can say?
In this episode of Changemaker Conversations, we’re exploring strength-based communication—a powerful approach that helps nonprofits represent the people and communities they serve with dignity, agency and hope. And here’s the best part: it’s not controversial, it works, and the data proves it.
After more than a decade of developing strength-based communication frameworks with organizations like Feeding America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and the McCormick Foundation, we’ve seen firsthand how this approach strengthens fundraising, builds brand equity, and—most importantly—honors the humanity of the people nonprofits serve.
If you’re struggling to stay true to your mission while navigating new federal word restrictions, or if you’re simply ready to communicate about your work in more empowering ways, this podcast episode and article will show you how.
What Is Strength-Based Communication?
Strength-based communication captures the strengths, assets,and agency of the people and communities an organization serves. We think about communication on a spectrum:
Stereotype-Based Communication (left side of spectrum): This type of communication exploits the condition of groups experiencing disadvantages. Think “poverty porn”—those heart-wrenching ads showing destitute children or abused animals with voices talking over them about how helpless these populations are. Words like “vulnerable,” “needy,” or worse characterize this approach.
Need-Based Communication (middle of spectrum): This is what most nonprofits have historically leaned on, especially in fundraising contexts. It emphasizes the needs and challenges of individuals or communities. For example: “People rely on food stamps to get through the week.” While more respectful than stereotype-based communication, it can still be othering and focuses primarily on deficits.
Strength-Based Communication (right side of spectrum): This approach focuses on opportunities, potential, and the power of individuals and groups. It represents people positively with agency in ways that feel true to who they are. For example: “When kids get the food they need, they do better in school.” The framing shifts from lack to opportunity and outcomes.
Why Strength-Based Communication Matters Now More Than Ever
In 2020, following widespread social and racial unrest, nonprofits were clamoring to make their communication more strength-based and authentically aligned with the identities and priorities of the communities they serve. But in 2025’s political climate, we’re seeing communicators in the sector freeze up and even become fearful of communicating transparently about what they do and who they serve.
But here’s the thing: strength-based communication isn’t about what you can’t say—it’s about what you can say. The federal government has published lists of restricted words (DEI, women, pregnant, BIPOC, and many others), making it challenging to communicate about mission-based work. But there’s nothing in those regulations that says you can’t:
- Tell true stories about people, representing them the way they want to be represented
- Lead with stories of opportunity and strength rather than deficit
- Use tone and framing that honors human dignity and agency
This current climate makes strength-based communication harder, certainly. But the challenge brings an opportunity—organizations can work around word restrictions while staying true to their beliefs through storytelling, tone and how they frame their work.
Core Best Practices for Strength-Based Communication
Strength-based communication represents people positively in ways that feel true and empowering to them. Here are the key principles:
Center and uplift community voices. The people you serve should be the narrators of their own stories whenever possible.
Use person-first language. Instead of “a homeless person,” say “a person experiencing homelessness,” indicating that circumstances don’t define someone’s identity. (Note: There are exceptions in some communities where identity-first language is preferred—always ask for individual preferences.)
Acknowledge and celebrate agency. Recognize individuals’ abilities and desires to overcome obstacles and shape their own futures.
Use facts rather than vague references. Be specific and avoid making assumptions about people’s experiences or circumstances.
Focus on the human experience. What do we all need to be successful? Housing, food, access to economic mobility, mental and physical health—these are universal human needs, not deficits.
What to Avoid
Just as important as knowing what to do is understanding what not to do:
Avoid making assumptions. Ask for individual preferences and be specific in how you talk about someone.
Avoid saviorism and extreme exceptionalism. Don’t position your nonprofit, its donors, staff, or board as “saviors” of any group. Similarly, avoid the narrative of one exceptional person who “overcame all the odds” with your help—this implies such success should be rare rather than the norm.
Avoid coded language. Terms like “inner city” carry connotations we often don’t even realize because media and nonprofit communications have historically used this language. Be mindful of the hidden meanings in your word choices.
Does This Work? The Data Say Yes.
One of the biggest concerns we hear from boards and leadership is: “Won’t this be too soft? Will donors still give if we don’t emphasize need and urgency?”
The answer, backed by years of data from multiple organizations: absolutely yes.
When we first started this work with the McCormick Foundation years ago, the board was philosophically aligned but skeptical about fundraising results. When they pivoted to a strength-based approach for their annual appeal, they saw positive results immediately. Donors were not less compelled to give—in fact, engagement and donations improved.
Our most comprehensive case study is Feeding America. After we helped them rewrite their entire 150-page brand book through a strength-based lens, they began tracking results through their brand tracker. Since pivoting to this approach, they’ve seen positive shifts across a variety of metrics—from donor perception to brand health indicators and even fundraising metrics.
The evidence is clear: a strength-based approach does not dissuade giving. It may even inspire it.
Getting Started: Practical First Steps
Whether you’re a large national organization or a small local nonprofit, you can begin adopting strength-based communication practices:
1. Audit your current communications. Review your website, fundraising appeals, social media, and other materials. Where are you using need-based or stereotype-based language? What coded language might you be using unconsciously?
2. Engage the people you serve. Ask them how they want to be represented in your communications. Their voices should guide this work.
3. Test with donors and stakeholders. Understand what will resonate while staying true to how people want to be represented.
4. Create guidelines. Develop do’s and don’ts, messaging guides, or even revamp your brand guidelines to incorporate strength-based approaches.
5. Train your entire team. This isn’t just for communications staff—everyone from program teams to development to leadership should understand these practices.
6. Start small. You don’t need a massive budget or brand overhaul to begin. Start by changing how you write one appeal or update one section of your website.
Addressing Common Misconceptions
We can’t discuss strength-based communication without addressing the misconceptions that surround it, as there are many. Here are the 3 we hear most often.
Misconception #1: Strength-based communication only focuses on the positive.
Not true. This approach definitely focuses on opportunity and potential, but it doesn’t mean we bury problems and challenges. Part of staying true to the communities we serve is shedding light on root causes and systemic issues. Strength-based communication is about presenting the fuller picture—we’re just doing it without coded language, assumptions or vagueness that doesn’t actually educate audiences about real issues.
Misconception #2: This won’t work for our donors.
The data show otherwise. Even corporate-minded board members tend to come around when they see examples of companies using strength-based communication in advertising. Consumers—and donors—want to see hope and opportunity. They want to believe that what they’re investing in leads to better outcomes.
Misconception #3: Strength-based communicaiton is longer and wordier.
While it can be more challenging to communicate strength-based messages in a concise manner, it is absolutely doable. Just look at some of the example in our resource list below to see what we mean.
Moving Forward with Confidence
In today’s challenging environment, strength-based communication offers a path forward that honors both your values and the realities of current regulations. It’s about what you can say, how you can say it and who gets to tell the story (or gets centered in it).
Organizations taking this approach aren’t backing down from their missions—they’re finding powerful, authentic ways to communicate their impact while representing the people they serve with the dignity and agency they deserve, even if there are certain words they may need to avoid for now.
Most importantly, this isn’t controversial work. It’s about the shared human experience, about acknowledging what we all need to thrive, and about celebrating individuals’ power to shape their own futures. That message transcends politics.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
- Prosper Strategies Strength-Based Communication 101 Guide
- Prosper Strategies Strength-Based Communication resources
- Examples:
- FrameWorks Institute
About Changemaker Conversations
Changemaker Conversations is a podcast for nonprofit leaders who are ready to build smarter, more strategic organizations with less friction and more joy. Join hosts Alyssa Conrardy and Lindsay Mullen, Principals at Prosper Strategies, every other week as they pull you out of the day-to-day grind and refocus your attention on the big picture through candid conversations about the challenges facing nonprofit leaders today.
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit changemakerconversations.com for show notes and additional resources. If you have ideas for future episode topics or guests, or if you’d like to discuss strength-based communication for your organization, email us at hello@changemakerconversations.com.
