How to revisit your charity’s story

The charity sector is one of change. Inherently, a charity’s purpose is to see itself out of existence, by solving problems and addressing a cause. Charities grow and charities shrink, adapting to circumstances, many of which are not in their control. Pandemics, recessions, geopolitical events all have their impact on charities and the people they serve - even the cause itself can change, as economic and social circumstances alter.  

Many charities have an “Our Story” section on their website, but it is not a finished product. A charity’s story is living. It is fluid, adaptive to new challenges and responsive with emerging solutions. And what’s more, telling it is an opportunity to demonstrate impact and share progress -highlighting how the charity has changed over time and what it plans to do in the future.  

With the New Year approaching, the time is ripe for charities to revisit and update their story. Below, we explore how organizations like the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation – Public Interest Registry’s 2024 .ORG of the Year – alongside others, share their powerful narratives of impact and progress. By examining different approaches to storytelling, we provide actionable tips to help your charity craft a compelling, updated story—from refreshing key statistics to embracing transformative change .  

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Yellow Boat of Hope’s story 

The Yellow Boat of Hope, a non-profit based in the Philippines, gives access to education to children in remote and poverty-stricken areas, providing boats to help them reach their schools. In 2024, the charity was named .ORG of the Year by Public Interest Registry (PIR) – the organisation that maintains the .org domain name – in recognition of its impact in promoting quality education for all. Jon Nevett, President and CEO of PIR, commended the charity for its “continued commitment to education access and ability to inspire an entire community to come together and make the world a better place”.  

Since its inception in 2010, Yellow Boat of Hope has provided more than 5,000 boats, 59 educational hubs, 13 school buildings, five dormitories, three community learning centres, two bridges, and much more to its service users. It is a world away from the charity’s humble beginnings, as an idea between friends to provide a boat to a coastal community where children had to swim to get to their school.  

“We got inspired by the concept of the yellow school bus and applied it on water,” says the charity on its Our Story page, communicating their purpose in one concise sentence (and boat colour).  

The Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation now reaches out to 127 adopted communities and 143 public schools all over the Philippines. But the journey has not been without its challenges, which are also addressed in its story online.  

“We have faced logistical issues in delivering boats to hard-to-reach areas, as well as financial constraints in funding projects,” explains the charity. “Nevertheless, the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation has persisted and has even partnered with other organisations and individuals who share our vision of providing access to education to children in the last mile.”  

With such a clear vision, the charity has been able to grow from one boat to more than 5000, never deviating from its purpose but expanding on it. Its story pays tribute to its beginnings, sets out the depth of need within the communities it serves, and uses the history of the organisation to direct the future.  

As the charity says itself: “The foundation’s efforts have shown that with determination and a clear vision, it is possible to bring hope to far-flung communities and last mile public schools, and to provide access to education to those who need it most.” 

Steps to refresh your charity’s story 

Update your statistics 

Many charities have statistics displayed on their web page to show the amount of services delivered over time and how many people they have helped. This is a useful tool for charities to showcase their impact and their ongoing work to help their communities.  

Sometimes these numbers will be rolling – as in the case of charity:water. But when they are static, it is important to ensure they are updated regularly.  

Out-of-date statistics can make a charity look out-of-date itself, while up-to-date statistics reflect the charity’s dynamism and their continuing work to address their mission. Furthermore, these statistics build trust. They are used to help people understand your charity and what exactly it does, so accuracy is key.  

Visuals and branding 

Your visual identity is a cornerstone of your organization, carefully crafted to reflect your charity’s values and impact. 

Given the importance of your visual identity, it is therefore crucial that charities do not forget it when revisiting their organisation’s story and how they tell it. 

For example, are your image choices consistent If you have rules around imagery in your style guide already, are these effectively applied? You may choose, for accessibility purposes, not to use pictures with words displayed. Or you may prefer minimalist images with objects, rather than stock photos featuring people. If you do use pictures with people in them, charities should consider the diversity of their imagery. Inclusive imagery helps to challenge stereotypes and drives trust in a charity’s responsibility and values.  

When people visit your charity website, you have limited time to communicate your story and capture their attention. Images and colour scheme are a big part of the first impression you make. For instance, the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation effectively leverages its visual identity, with its iconic yellow boats evoking immediate associations with education, optimism, and transformation. These elements are important to consider as your story evolves. .  

Communicate progress 

A charity’s cause may change over time. Society’s attitudes towards a cause may change over time, too. This is to be expected but it does often mean that charities have to update their glossaries and guides to ensure that how they communicate reflects these changes and, most importantly, their values.  

A good example is the National Trust’s report into its links with colonialism and slavery. In 2020, the National Trust published a report detailing the connections between places in its care and colonialism and historic slavery. The charity said this was part of its commitment “to ensuring links to colonialism and slavery are properly represented, shared, and interpreted as part of a broader narrative”.   

“As a heritage charity, it’s our responsibility to make sure we tell inclusive, honest histories about our places and collections,” the charity explained. “The report provides the basis for a broader approach, to help contextualise the history of the places in our care.” 

The National Trust’s decision to communicate this process to its audience means it has become part of its story. Far from ignoring this side of their history, they have taken steps to talk about it openly, prioritising transparency and always aligning its work to its values and strategy: “for everyone, for ever”. 

A similar example is the RNLI, who has used its history to support the work it does saving people in search of safety at sea. When the charity became the target of right wing attacks online, the charity produced clear communications – and even created a specialist Frequently Asked Questions page on its website – to explain more about its services and why they matter: “We are a voluntary lifesaving rescue service, and will rescue anyone in trouble at sea, as the RNLI has been doing for nearly 200 years, without judgement or preference.” 

In short, a charity’s story is still being written. As society and circumstances change, it is important that charities regularly revisit how they tell their stories, ensuring they continue to reflect their values and impact in both the present and future.