You already know stories are powerful—but are your stories doing more than just inspiring your donors? In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, we walk you through the exact 3-part storytelling formula that doesn’t just make donors feel something—it makes them act.

Host Tom Kelly breaks down how to tell stories that begin with a face, not a fact… that focus on emotional clarity over organizational complexity… and that end with an invitation donors can’t ignore. Using the ABC framework—Adversity, Breakthrough, Change—you’ll learn how to craft short, effective stories that are perfect for emails, speeches, social media, donor letters, and more.

You’ll also hear a real-world case study of how one nonprofit raised $18,000 from a single email using this very formula—and how you can do the same, even with a small list.

Whether you're a founder, fundraiser, or communications lead, this is storytelling made simple, strategic, and donor-centric.

If your last fundraising campaign didn’t hit the mark, the problem probably wasn’t your mission, your audience, or even your budget—it was your hook. The truth is, most campaigns fall flat not because they lack heart, but because they never capture attention in the first place.

In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly shows you how to craft a high-converting hook using AI—and why it should be the first thing you build, not the last. You’ll learn how to turn simple emotional ideas into full campaigns that actually convert: from email subject lines to video intros, from donation pages to ad copy.

Best of all? You don’t need a marketing team or ad agency to make it work. Just a smart strategy, a few powerful prompts, and the willingness to test what connects. Plus, hear how one nonprofit used this approach to raise over $11K in 4 days—without changing their list or budget.

This is the stuff that cuts through the noise and opens wallets.

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Most nonprofits are sitting on a goldmine—and they don’t even realize it. It’s not a new campaign, a major gift, or a secret donor list. It’s your founder’s story.

In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly shares why your founder’s journey might be your most powerful untapped fundraising asset—and how to use it. You’ll learn how to uncover the emotional core of your story, how to structure it using the “WHY, HOW, NOW” framework, and how to use it across emails, social media, grant applications, events, and more.

Whether you're the founder or helping tell their story, this episode will help you connect more deeply with donors and turn authenticity into action. Because when people believe in your story—they’ll believe in your mission.

Listen now and learn how to lead with the story that started it all.

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