Many thanks to Andy Goodman, Founder and Director of The Goodman Center, who reminds us that stories – and not data – are our most powerful communications tool. Goodman was the keynote speaker at our May 14 morning seminar at the Greenacres Country Club in Lawrenceville, NJ, sponsored by the Princeton Area Community Foundation and Borden Perlman Salisbury & Kelly. There, he addressed more than 150 local nonprofit leaders and board members.

“Nobody ever marched on Washington because of a pie chart,” said Goodman. “If you can change the story in someone’s mind, you can change the world.”

Goodman supplied attendees with a story structure worksheet that would assist organizations to identify specific human interest stories that best communicate a program or initiative. Click here to download the worksheet.

View Goodman’s PowerPoint presentation here.

From left: Andy Goodman; Michelle Cash, Vice President, Grants & Programs, Princeton Area Community Foundation; Nikki Mosgrove, Grants & Program Assistant, Princeton Area Community Foundation; Carol P. Herring, Board Chair, Princeton Area Community Foundation; Jeffrey M. Vega, President & CEO, Princeton Area Community Foundation.

From left: Andy Goodman; Michelle Cash, Vice President, Grants & Programs, Princeton Area Community Foundation; Nikki Mosgrove, Grants & Program Assistant, Princeton Area Community Foundation; Carol P. Herring, Board Chair, Princeton Area Community Foundation; Jeffrey M. Vega, President & CEO, Princeton Area Community Foundation.

Ann Betterton, Development Director, Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania, was among the attendees chosen to recount a personal experience for the audience, illustrating the power of storytelling.

Ann Betterton, Development Director, Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania, was among the attendees chosen to recount a personal experience for the audience, illustrating the power of storytelling.

Carol P. Herring, Board Chair, Princeton Area Community Foundation, and Jeffrey Perlman, Partner, Borden Perlman Salisbury & Kelly.

Carol P. Herring, Board Chair, Princeton Area Community Foundation, and Jeffrey Perlman, Partner, Borden Perlman Salisbury & Kelly and Board Member, Princeton Area Community Foundation.

Karen Andrade-Mims, Executive Director, UIH Family Partners.

Karen Andrade-Mims, Executive Director, UIH Family Partners.

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From left: Chelsea Naylor, Program Coordinator, Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund; The Rev. Karen Hernandez-Granzen, Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church; and Ana I. Berdecia, Senior Fellow/Director, Center for the Positive Development of Urban Children, John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy at Thomas Edison State College

We had more than 150 local nonprofit leaders and board members in attendance at the Greenacres Country Club for our May 14 nonprofit seminar.

We had more than 150 nonprofit leaders and board members from the Greater Mercer County area in attendance at the Greenacres Country Club for our May 14 nonprofit seminar.