The 3 Core Messages Every Nonprofit Needs (And How to Write Them in 90 Minutes)
Written by Christina Crawley, Founder & Lead Consultant, Virtuosa.
This resource is the first in a series of the 2026 WWPR Nonprofit Communications Toolkit, a year-long series of practical guides designed specifically for small to mid-sized nonprofits working with limited staff and budgets. Each quarter focuses on a different theme, and each resource is designed to be immediately implementable without prior communications experience or expensive tools. For questions or feedback: probono@wwpr.org.
Here’s a scenario you might recognize: You’re an Executive Director or Program Manager. Communications is one of seven things on your plate today, somewhere between grant writing and fixing the broken copier. Someone asks, “So what does your organization do?” and you launch into a detailed explanation of your programs, your history, your partnership model, and your theory of change. Two minutes later, you realize their eyes have glazed over.
Or maybe this: Your board members want to help spread the word about your organization, but when they talk, everyone says something slightly different. A potential donor hears three different descriptions of your work and wonders if you even know what you do.
The truth is: If you can’t explain what you do in a way that’s clear, compelling, and consistent, nothing else in your communications will work.
Why This Matters (And Why It’s Hard)
Clear messaging is essential. You need journalists to understand your story if you want substantive media coverage. You need donors to understand your story if you want them to support you – or to keep coming back. And you REALLY need your board and staff to understand your story if you want them to truly champion your organization in every conversation and room they are in.
The problem is a simple one: you’re too close to. You live and breathe your mission every day, so what seems obvious to you is actually packed with insider language, organizational history, and assumptions that outsiders don’t share. You know your story better than anyone. The truth is, you just aren’t telling it in a way that is resonating.
The good news? You don’t need a communications degree or a consultant to fix (or create) your messaging.
You can start by stepping back and answering three fundamental questions in the simplest way possible. This Messaging Guide & Workbook will walk you through exactly how to do that.
Before you post anything else on social media, pitch any more journalists, or write another grant proposal, start here.
Scroll down to explore the full guide or download a PDF version below.
The Three Messages Every Nonprofit Needs
Message 1: What We Do (In One Sentence)
This is what people will refer to as your elevator pitch. All that means is that someone asks, “What does your organization do?” You should be able to answer in 10-15 words.
Bad Example: “We’re a community-based organization focused on empowering youth through educational enrichment programming and wraparound support services.”
Good Example: “We help low-income high school students in DC graduate and get into college.”
Why It Works: No jargon. Specific about who you serve and what happens. It’s memorable, and someone can easily repeat this to a friend.
Your Turn:
We help _________________ [who] do/achieve _________________ [what].
Pro Tip: Make sure both the WHO and the WHAT are as specific as possible. Not just “students,” but “low-income, high school students in DC.” Not just “graduate” or “apply to college,” but “get in.”
Message 2: Why It Matters (The Problem You Solve)
This is where you connect your work to a real problem or need people care about. Why should anyone pay attention?
Bad Example: “Education is important for society.”
Good Example: “In Ward 8, only 54% of students graduate high school. Without a diploma, they face a lifetime of limited opportunities and lower earnings.”
Why It Works: Specific data. Real consequences. Creates urgency.
Your Turn:
The problem: _________________________________________________________________
Why it matters: ______________________________________________________________
One stat that proves it: _______________________________________________________
Message 3: What Makes Us Special (Your Unique Value)
Why should someone support YOU instead of another organization doing similar work? This isn’t about being the biggest or oldest—it’s about what you do differently or better.
Bad Example: “We have a holistic, trauma-informed approach with evidence-based practices.”
Good Example: “Kids who go through our program are 85% more likely to graduate than kids who don’t.”
Why It Works: Concrete and specific. Easy to understand why this matters.
Your Turn:
What makes us different: ______________________________________________________
Why that matters to our audience: ______________________________________________
How to Develop Your Messages
Individually, each of the following steps shouldn’t take more than an hour or so. Collectively, they are priceless.
Step 1: Brain Dump
Gather 4-6 people who know your organization well (staff, board members, long-time volunteers, a satisfied person who has benefited from your program). Separately, have each person write down:
- What we do
- Who we serve
- What problem we solve
- What makes us special
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to stretch yourself and get input from people whose answers you can’t necessarily predict.
Step 2: Find the Patterns
Look at what everyone wrote. What words or ideas keep coming up? What’s different between each person’s answer? Where’s the confusion?
Step 3: Draft Your Three Messages
Use the templates above. Write them out. Read them aloud. If you stumble over the words or have to explain what you mean, simplify.
Step 4: Test Them (Ongoing)
Share your draft messages with:
- Someone who knows nothing about your organization (Can they repeat it back?)
- A board member (Do they find it compelling?)
- A donor or volunteer (Does it match why they support you?)
Refine based on feedback. Then commit.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid using jargon or buzzwords. Words like “holistic,” “empower,” “leverage,” “capacity-building,” and “systemic change” mean nothing to most people. Use plain language.
Avoid talking about yourself instead of the impact. “We were founded in 1987” is not a message. “We’ve helped 10,000 students graduate” is.
Avoid being too broad. “We serve the community” tells me nothing. “We serve single mothers in Southeast DC” tells me everything.
Avoid having different messages for different people. Everyone in your organization should be saying the same thing. If your board says one thing and your staff says another, you don’t have a message; you have confusion.
Once You Have Your Messages, Use Them Everywhere
- Website homepage (first thing visitors see)
- Social media bios
- Email signatures
- Fundraising appeals
- Media pitches
- Board presentations
- Volunteer orientations
- Grant applications
The rule: If someone visits your website, scrolls through your Instagram, or talks to your Executive Director, they should hear the same three core messages.
Quick Self-Check
- Can someone outside your organization repeat your messages after hearing them once?
- Are your messages free of jargon and acronyms?
- Do your messages focus on impact, not just activities?
- Is everyone on your team saying the same thing?
If you answered “no” to any of these, keep refining.
What’s Next?
Once you have your three essential messages, you’re ready to:
- Identify your key audiences (February toolkit)
- Audit your current communications (March toolkit)
- Start building your story bank (April toolkit)
But don’t skip this step. Clear messages are the foundation for everything else.
Your Three Messages Worksheet
Message 1: What We Do
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Message 2: Why It Matters
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Message 3: What Makes Us Different
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Tested with:
- Someone unfamiliar with our work
- A board member
- A donor/volunteer
- Our team
Date finalized: ___________________
Next review date: ___________________ (Revisit annually or when your work significantly changes)
This resource is part of the 2026 WWPR Nonprofit Communications Toolkit. Free for nonprofit use. For questions or feedback: probono@wwpr.org.
About the Author: Christina Crawley is a strategic communications leader with 20 years of experience helping nonprofits and mission-driven organizations translate complex issues into compelling narratives. As the Founder & Principal of Virtuosa, she advises social impact organizations on brand positioning and executive communications. She serves as Pro Bono & Social Impact Co-Chair for Washington Women in PR.
