Problem: Using complex language can make it hard for people to understand and connect with a non-profit's mission.
Solution: Prioritize clarity in messaging by using simple, straightforward words to help supporters easily understand and engage with the cause.
Intro:
Which of these sounds better?
When you talk, make it easy to understand. Use simple words to help people help you. When they understand, they care and help more. (Kindergarten)
OR
Using clear words helps people understand how they can help. When non-profit groups speak simply, their mission is easier to understand. Clear messages invite more people to take action and make a difference. (Sixth Grade)
OR Non-profits often attempt to establish credibility by using complex language and technical terms. However, this approach can unintentionally alienate potential supporters by making it harder to understand the mission and how to contribute. Prioritizing clarity over complexity is essential; when an organization’s goals and needs are easy to understand, people are more likely to take action. Effective communication in non-profits, therefore, is not about simplifying the message but about ensuring it resonates and motivates engagement. (College)
OR
Non-profits often employ intricate jargon and sector-specific terminology to assert intellectual authority and address complex social challenges, inadvertently creating cognitive barriers that hinder audience engagement. Excessive reliance on academic language can obscure the mission, deterring potential supporters who lack the specialized knowledge required to decode these messages. Achieving an optimal balance between sophistication and accessibility is essential, as clarity facilitates a broader understanding of strategic priorities and enables stakeholders to recognize actionable pathways for involvement. This approach enhances outreach efficacy without diluting the organization’s intellectual credibility. (Doctoral)
If you’re like most people, you chose something between Kindergarten and sixth grade. Simple communication is something we value as a species.
Tool:
Use this GPT to make your text more simple.
Examples:
- Instead of: "We facilitate sustainable agricultural development initiatives through participatory community engagement and capacity-building programs in economically disadvantaged rural regions" Use: "We help farmers in poor communities grow more food and earn better incomes"
- Instead of: "Our interventions resulted in a 47% reduction in childhood mortality rates through implementation of evidence-based preventative healthcare protocols" Use: "Last year, we helped save 2,300 children's lives by teaching families basic health care"
- Instead of: "Your financial contribution will enable us to expand our comprehensive educational intervention strategies in underserved communities" Use: "$50 provides school supplies for one child for an entire year"
- Instead of: "We address systemic socioeconomic disparities that perpetuate cycles of intergenerational poverty" Use: "We help families break free from poverty by providing job training and childcare"
- Instead of: "We invite you to consider participating in our monthly sustained giving program" Use: "Become a monthly donor today and help feed a family every month"
- Instead of: "We implement holistic, community-based interventions utilizing evidence-based methodologies" Use: "We work with local leaders to create lasting solutions that fit their community's needs"
- Instead of: "Programmatic Initiatives" or "Sustainable Development Framework" Use: "Our Work" or "How We Help"
Practices:
- Have someone outside your organization repeat your mission statement back to you in their own words
- If a middle school student can't understand and explain your mission, it needs simplification.
- Framework: Create a simple formula: Number + Action + Result
- Visual Support: Use infographics that show clear before/after scenarios
- Connection: Link every statistic to a human story that demonstrates the impact
- Specificity: Break down exactly what different donation amounts achieve
- Tangibility: Show concrete examples of what donations purchase
- Immediacy: Create clear, direct paths from donation to impact
- Structure: Problem + Solution + Outcome
- Focus: Identify one clear villain (like lack of access to education) rather than complex systemic issues
- Hope: Always pair problem statements with clear, achievable solutions
- Urgency: Use time-bound language that encourages immediate action
- Clarity: Make the next step obvious and simple
- Impact: Show the direct result of taking action
- Format: Use bullet points and short paragraphs
- Structure: Problem → Solution → Impact → How to Help
- Stories: Include clear examples of how programs work in real situations
- Organization: Group information by visitor intent (Learn, Give, Volunteer)
- Priority: Put most important actions at top level of navigation
- Simplicity: Limit main navigation items to 5-7 clear options
- Remove industry jargon and complex terms
- Use simple, direct language
- Break complex ideas into digestible pieces
- Avoid insider terminology
- Use short sentences and paragraphs
- Include clear headings and subheadings
- Create obvious navigation paths
- Eliminate unnecessary words
- Test messaging with outsiders for clarity
- Avoiding Confusion:
- Pass the "grunt test" - can a caveman understand it?
- Answer these questions within 5 seconds:
- What do you offer?
- How will it make my life better?
- What do I need to do to buy it?
- Remove multiple competing messages
- Focus on one clear call to action
- Eliminate distracting design elements
- Maintain consistent messaging across platforms
- Create clear hierarchies of information
- Use white space effectively
- Ensure all team members can explain offering simply