First coined by BMe co-founder and CEO Trabian Shorters, asset-framing is a powerful nonprofit communication technique that honors the dignity and agency of the communities you serve. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, asset-framing simply means communicating about people in a way that celebrates and emphasizes their strengths, goals, and unique contributions, rather than their deficits.
An example of this approach would look like this:
Deficit-framing: We help at-risk, impoverished youth who are failing school stay off the streets. (Focuses on the problem, labels the individuals negatively, and centers the nonprofit as the “savior.”)
Asset-framing: We support ambitious young students in under-resourced neighborhoods by providing the mentorship they need to achieve their college dreams. (Focuses on the students’ aspirations, names the systemic issue, and positions the nonprofit as a partner.)
In this guide, we’ll break down the best ways to use this positive communication technique to build stronger relationships.
1. Flip the script (and pass the mic)
Traditional nonprofit storytelling often puts the problem first. Nonprofit marketers need to put the person first. When gathering stories and testimonials from community members, start with their:
- Aspirations and dreams: What do they want to achieve? What are they working toward?
- Personality: Highlight their unique character traits and what makes them them.
- Agency and skills: Describe the talents and gifts they already possessed long before connecting with your nonprofit.
Let the person’s story shine by co-creating the narrative with them. Don’t speak for them; give them the platform to speak for themselves. When crafting a testimonial or impact report, use direct quotes and audio clips of the person telling their story. Before publishing, share drafts with them to ensure their voice, chosen terminology, and lived experience are accurately represented, and to give them the final say on how their story is told to the public
2. Spotlight systemic issues
Asset-framing doesn’t mean ignoring the problems your nonprofit is trying to solve. Rather, it requires properly attributing those problems to systems instead of blaming the people experiencing them.
- Underfunding: Frame issues as a lack of systemic resources (e.g., “students attending historically underfunded schools” instead of “failing students”).
- Broken systems: Shift the burden to the system. People are navigating systemic roadblocks; they are not the roadblock themselves.
- Historic discrimination: Frame disparities as the result of long-standing inequities and systemic disenfranchisement (e.g., “communities impacted by historical disinvestment” instead of “at-risk neighborhoods” or “vulnerable populations”).
By clearly identifying these external barriers, you invite your supporters to help dismantle a broken system alongside your constituents, rather than asking them to “fix” a person. This subtle but powerful shift preserves dignity and leads to more empathetic, connection-driven storytelling.
3. Be attuned, not pitying
When crafting copy to make supporters and community members feel validated and connected, aim to be deeply attuned to their realities. However, be careful not to slide into a pitying tone. Pity-focused storytelling relies on a deficit mindset that frames people as helpless, whereas attuned storytelling respects their resilience while inviting supporters to help clear away systemic hurdles.
Review your communications for negative, defining labels like:
- “The homeless” –> Use: People experiencing homelessness
- “At-risk youth” –> Use: Youth facing systemic barriers or Students striving for success
- “Victims” –> Use: Survivors or Individuals impacted by [issue]
Your technology should empower respectful storytelling. A robust CRM allows you to accurately track how constituents prefer to be addressed and seamlessly integrate those preferences into your outreach.
For example, if a program participant prefers to be referred to as a “returning citizen” rather than an “ex-convict,” you can log this detail in their constituent profile using custom fields. This ensures that anyone on your team drafting a personalized email or call script uses language that honors their dignity.
4. Showcase joy and abundance in your visuals
Move past bland, sad, or overly posed stock photo clichés. Your photography and graphics should visually reinforce hope, vitality, and collaborative progress, whether on compelling giving pages or social feeds like Instagram and TikTok.
When choosing imagery, prioritize candid photography that captures genuine human connection, bright environments, and diverse groups of people showing real joy. For example, your photos could showcase a multigenerational group of community members laughing and working together in a sunlit neighborhood garden, or a young student proudly high-fiving a mentor after completing a project in a bustling classroom.
Optimistic imagery signals to your online community that your organization is looking forward to building a better future.
An asset-framed storytelling approach honors the dignity, resilience, and agency of your community. While transforming your organization’s narrative habits takes conscious effort, leaning on the right technology, such as an intuitive CRM to track constituent language preferences to draft initial outlines, gives your team the bandwidth to focus on genuine human connection.
If your team feels overwhelmed by implementing this transition, there is no shame in bringing on a specialized consultant to provide the strategic guidance needed to bring these empowering stories to life. By intentionally spotlighting strengths and systemic realities rather than individual deficits, you invite supporters to join a winning team and co-create a brighter future together.
