With each season, there is a sprint to pull together stories of impact for your donors. On our mind right now is year-end. (Yes, it seems early, but you should be looking toward the fall months).

Some teams are on it. Some are scrambling. Either way, the goal is the same: show donors that their gift mattered, and help them understand the problem they’re trying to solve within your organization.

Time and again we’ve been sent donor impact pieces for year-end planning. The good news? Fundraisers are planning ahead and thinking about how to connect with their donors.

The not-so-good news? It’s often all data. And not the interesting, clear, “here’s what your gift did” kind of data. It’s a wall of numbers. It doesn’t feel good to read, and more importantly, it doesn’t feel like impact.

Ten out of ten times, I stop reading. Why? It’s not interesting. It’s not inspiring. And if the people who do this work every day don’t feel moved (me!), your donors won’t either.

Which brings us to a better question:

How do you create a story of impact that shows results and still connects emotionally?

As a recovering event planner, let me illustrate my point, by sharing a simple, yet relatable example.

Think Like a Host, Not a Guest

When you throw a party, do you plan the menu around only what you like? Probably not. You think about who’s coming. You wonder if someone’s vegetarian. You add an option for the person who doesn’t eat gluten. You make sure there’s something for everyone, even if you are deeply committed to bacon.

The same logic applies to writing stories of impact.

Instead of focusing only on what you find meaningful, think about your donors. What makes them feel something? What type of story makes them stop scrolling, open the envelope, forward the email to a friend, or even better, cry? Not tears of sadness, but tears of joy. Joy because they’re seeing and hearing the true impact they’re helping make. Back in my event planning days – we called ourselves the sob squad. If we made donors cry, we knew we were winning.

Your job is to report back to your donors in the way they will feel most seen. And they will feel it deeply. When you do that well, you affirm why they gave in the first place. And when people feel seen and affirmed, they stay. Often, they give more.

So how do you make sure your story of impact speaks to a variety of people?

Try including something for each of these four donor personality types:

1. The Heart

These donors are emotional givers. They want the story. They light up when they hear about the child who finished treatment or the family who found housing. They want to feel the difference they made.

2. The Innovator

These donors are curious. They want to know what’s new, what’s bold, and what’s changing. They want to feel like their gift helped launch something forward. Show them what they made possible and where you’re going next.

3. The Data Nerd

Yes, we could call this the Analytical Thinker (we see you, spreadsheet lovers!). These donors want the numbers. They want to know that 312 people were impacted. They want to see how a $1,000 gift translated to measurable change.

4. The Organizer

These donors want order. They want clarity. They want to know what happened in 2024 by February of 2025, not buried in a 20-page report sent in August. They appreciate clean formatting, straight answers, and respect for their time.

Of course, many donors fall into more than one group. For example, I am emotional and analytical. Give me a good story with the numbers, and I am all in.

The takeaway is simple:

Don’t just write for yourself. Write for everyone in the room.

Next time you create a story of impact, try to include something for each of these four types. When you do, you’ll inspire more of your donors, not just the ones who think like you.

You’ll fill more buckets. You’ll deepen relationships. And you won’t be the person who only serves bacon.