Impact stories are credibility for your organization’s work. Imagine the data report coming alive. The story gives meaning to the outcome and impact. However, you must ask the appropriate impact story interview questions to draw out strong testimonial stories. These questions are best suited for B2C organizations. Consider scenarios where your organization helped someone accomplish a goal. That could be overcoming:
- houselessness
- recovering from an injury,
- finding a career in the outdoors or
- installing solar on one’s home.
Instead of random, singular, disconnected soundbites, you’ll have a narrative arc that showcases journey and transformation.
Table of Contents
Finding the Story In Others
Many interview questions are designed to extract facts, not emotions. Because of that, you end up with statements like: “Food access is a problem in our community.” “Our organization helps families in need.”Yet, powerful stories live in moments, not summaries. Better prompts like the 6 Impact Story Questions below sound like:
- Can you walk me through the day you realized the grocery store was gone for good?
- What did you and your neighbors do that first week?
6 Impact Story Interview Questions that Communicate Experience and Transformation
Well-crafted impact story interview questions provide the structure to follow someone’s journey. Without it, your audience is lost. There's nothing magical about the questions themselves. Their power comes from the six essential story plot points they are attached to, which ensure they never fail.
- Hook
- Conflict
- Initiation
- Journey
- Outcome
- Call to Action
Can you describe the specific moment you wanted or needed _________? (Hook Question)
Purpose: Recalling the turning point:
A Question to Uncover the Initial Challenge.
This question helps you to identify the specific moment or event that led the beneficiary to seek help, setting the stage for their story.
What was the biggest obstacle or problem you faced? (Conflict Question)
Purpose: Unveil the core challenges.
This question reveals the main issue the beneficiary faced and how they aligned with the nonprofit's mission.
What was the key moment that made you reach out to our organization? (Initiation Question)
Purpose: Uncovering the first step or decision to Seek Help.
This question highlights the beneficiary's initial actions or decisions to engage with your nonprofit.
What were 2-3 milestones in your journey, including successes, setbacks, or unexpected events? (Journey Question)
Purpose: Navigate the ups and downs to capture the journey.
These questions cover a range of experiences, including successes, setbacks, and extraordinary events, providing a comprehensive view of the beneficiary's journey.
What was the moment you felt a positive change or improvement in your situation? (Outcome Question)
Purpose: Identify the moment of change.
This question helps to pinpoint the moment of significant positive change or realization in the beneficiary's story.
Looking back at your entire experience, what is the most important thing you've learned or gained? (Call to action questions)
Alternative Question: What’s one thing you wish others in similar situations would know?
Purpose: Reflect on the experience to inspire others to action.
These questions encourage beneficiaries to reflect on their overall experience and the broader lessons or messages they can share.
Examples of Nonprofit Impact Stories
Evie’s Voice
We at BairStories had no time with the family before filming their interview for Evie’s Voice. This is different from our working norm. Nonetheless, we captured a moving, impactful story using the understanding and wisdom from these impact story interview questions and plot points.
NeuAbility / Find A Way
NeuAbility is a comprehensive rehabilitative wellness center in Denver, CO. This profile of their client, Lexi Monahan, was produced for NeuAbility's annual fundraiser, Strive. The mean team, Reservoir, did a great job with the story and visuals for this impact story.
Local Heroes, Colorado Veterans Project
This documentary, part origin and impact story, was produced by Breakwater Studios for Charles Schwab's Local Heroes series. This film showcases the founders and beneficiaries of the Colorado Veterans Project.
Adapt These Impact Story Interview Questions as Flexible Guides
I want you to customize these questions. Inject your personality into them. Doing so will enrich the overall interview experience. Your interviewee will feel like they’re conversing with authentic responses that flow. Specific questions that draw out the conflict, initiation, journey, resolution, call to action, and hook provide the ingredients for a captivating impact story. Effective impact story interview questions draw out the journey and capture the essence of the transformation.
You could also assess a volunteer's impact using the questions above or these volunteering experience questions from MemoryFox.
Before You Craft Your Next Impact Video Story…
Make sure your story-sharer brings these three essential human traits for engaging stories. They’re the backbone of emotive storytelling, and without them, your stories will feel flat.
Related Articles
References
OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Grammarly were used for revisions and feedback. Check out our AI Ethical Use Statement.