Stories are the single most persuasive tool that we have available to us. They have the power to evoke empathy and inspire action. We need to tell stories both to show the complexity of the unprecedented social injustices people are facing in our communities and the positive impact of our collective action.
Network Symbiosis in Action – CityStudio Vancouver shares their take on Pillar’s Network Approach
Our Network Approach outlines four essential principles for building networks that create positive impact – collaboration, leadership and governance, equity and inclusion, and storytelling and impact. While each of these principles are equally important in building strong networks, the value of connection and knowledge sharing amongst network members can’t be understated. At Pillar, belonging to a
The 5 e’s of co-creating communications with community
Written by Michelle Baldwin, Executive Director, Pillar Nonprofit Network Pillar, in true network style, leads with collaboration and co-creation even for its communications and branding. Our Pillar, Innovation Works, and VERGE Capital brands have all been co-created with our members, collaborators, network, and the community. Co-creation involves purposefully engaging those relationships in our network and
How to embed and embrace failure and learning in your organization
Written by Michelle Baldwin, Executive Director, Pillar Nonprofit Network Throughout my time as Executive Director of Pillar Nonprofit Network, the use of the word failure has been met with eye rolls, people shifting uncomfortably in their seats and outright debates about using the “f” word. While opening up on this topic is still taboo for
Storytelling tools and tips to amplify your network
Storytelling is not a new tool. Our Indigenous brothers and sisters can attest to that. Stories have been told for thousands of years because of their capacity to provide a view into who we are, where we’ve been and what is possible. Stories are the connectors that give meaning, provide hope, build community, inspire and engage
The art of communications and storytelling with a small team
In smaller nonprofits like Pillar, having a marketing and communications team or even one dedicated person may not be realistic. Over the years, we have relied on our entire staff team to contribute to our newsletter, social media and other marketing materials and some of us were learning as we went. As our team and
Tools for measuring network impact
Useful evaluation can deepen connection to community, establish sustainable change processes, and help to identify opportunities to better leverage human and financial resources. At Pillar, we take care to embed evaluation into the majority of our programs and initiatives. We have adopted a systems change mindset for our evaluation work. A systems mindset recognizes that