Cycle7 Communications

Nonprofit friends: there’s a big difference between a moving story and a funding story.

A moving story might make a donor tear up.
A funding story helps a foundation or philanthropist see:

• The scale of the problem you’re tackling

• The concrete outcomes you’re delivering

• Exactly what their dollars will make possible next

If you’re hearing “we love what you do, but we’re not able to fund this right now,” it might not be your impact that’s the issue.
It might be how you’re telling the story of that impact to funders.

I wrote about the gap between a “nice story” and a true funding story, and how executive directors and development teams can bridge it in their next proposal or case for support.

Read the full post here:
👉 The Difference Between a Nice Story and a Funding Story
https://cycle7comms.com/the-difference-between-a-nice-story-and-a-funding-story/

If you’re an ED or fundraiser, I’d love to hear: what’s the hardest part of writing funding stories for foundations and major donors?

The Difference Between a ‘Nice Story’ and a Funding Story Picture this: You’re working late, trying to pull a last-minute grant proposal together when you come to that part of the application where you need to

Ever scroll through a big national charity’s feed and think, “How on earth are we supposed to keep up with that?”

If you’re leading a small‑ or medium‑sized charity or nonprofit, there is nothing wrong with you or your team. You’re just trying to match a level of communications capacity that was built over years, with more staff, bigger budgets, and a lot more infrastructure than you have right now. When smaller teams try to copy that, it usually shows up as late posts, missed opportunities, and a constant feeling of “we’re dropping the ball.”

And it’s not just frustrating — it’s exhausting. Many nonprofit employees and leaders are already stretched thin, and an overstuffed comms plan can quietly push a team toward burnout.

Instead of doing “all the things,” there’s a kinder, more realistic approach: right‑size your communications. That means:

• Being honest about the hours and skills you actually have

• Focusing on 2–3 priorities for the next 90 days

• Choosing 1–2 key audiences and 1–2 channels you can show up on consistently

• Letting the rest go (for now) so you can protect your mission and your people

I’ve turned this into a simple framework I call the Practical Communications Plan, designed specifically for small‑ and medium‑sized charities and nonprofits who are tired of feeling overextended. I share the full approach in my latest post, “Stop Trying to Communicate Like a National Charity: How Small Nonprofits Right‑Size Their Communications.”

If you’re reading this and thinking “yep, that’s us,” I’d love to help. I offer a 30‑minute Clarity Call where we’ll map your current comms load and identify 1–2 concrete changes to reduce overwhelm and refocus on what actually moves your mission forward — whether or not we work together afterward.

Check out the post linked below. If you’d like that kind of reset, comment “clarity” below or send me a DM, and I’ll send you the blog link and my booking link.

Stop Trying to Communicate Like a National Charity: How Small Nonprofits Right‑Size Their Communications Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash If you lead a small charity or nonprofit, watching the communications feed of a national charity is a little