Building a Nonprofit Story Bank With Consent and Care with Natalie Monroe

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In This Episode

Nonprofit storytelling is changing. Organizations are being asked to think more carefully about how stories are gathered, who holds power in the storytelling process, and what it means to share stories with dignity, transparency, and ongoing consent. As more nonprofits move away from transactional testimonials and toward community-centered storytelling, many teams are still navigating how to do this work ethically while continuing to communicate impact.

In this conversation, Natalie Monroe from MemoryFox helps us explore what this shift looks like in practice. We discuss the growing importance of story banks, strengths-based messaging, and giving story owners more agency over how and where their stories are shared. Natalie shares insights from her work supporting nonprofit teams through real-world storytelling challenges, including navigating sensitive stories and creating systems that help organizations gather stories with greater care.

This episode is an honest and hopeful conversation about the future of ethical and trauma-informed storytelling in the nonprofit sector.

About Natalie Monroe

Natalie Monroe is the Community Engagement Manager at MemoryFox. After a career in the wine industry learning the nuances of Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, she landed in a nonprofit with the military-to-agriculture movement. Natalie told the stories of veterans turned farmers feeding our country. Here she embraced content creation and the power of video messaging.

Natalie is grateful to engage in mission-driven work every day.  A friend of Natalie once dubbed her the “people broker” because she thrives on introducing friends to each other and engaging in meaningful conversation. When she’s not immersed in storytelling, you might find her volunteering with the local library friends in her community of Davis, California or pondering her next themed gathering.

Connect with Natalie Monroe

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Connect with Maria

Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email 

Transcript

Maria: Hello, and welcome to this episode of When Bearing Witness. We are here live at the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, and today we are speaking to Natalie Monroe.

Storytelling in nonprofits is evolving, and the expectations from communities are changing fast. More organizations are recognizing that how we gather stories matters just as much as the stories we share, and that ethical, dignified, consent-centered storytelling work is no longer a nice-to-have. It's becoming the standard. Hallelujah.

So today, I'm joined by Natalie Monroe from MemoryFox, and we all know MemoryFox. They're one of my favorite partners. This is a platform designed to help nonprofits collect stories with consent, care, and community at the center. Natalie spends her days in conversation with nonprofit teams, navigating real-world storytelling challenges, and she knows what is shifting in ethical and trauma-informed story gathering.

Natalie, thank you so much for being on When Bearing Witness.

Natalie: It is an absolute pleasure to be here with you, Maria, one of my favorite people. How fun is this to get to do this together?

Maria: This is so fun, here in this space. It is so fun being with people in real life that we work with.

Natalie: Especially when you start in the virtual environment and then you get to have that in-person connection.

Maria: Exactly. Nothing compares to having that first hug. And I think you found MemoryFox at this conference.

Natalie: That's right. This conference absolutely has special meaning for me.

Maria: Yeah, tell us.

Natalie: I had been in-house working at an organization called Farmer Veteran Coalition that helps veterans pursue careers in agriculture. After I moved on from them and was out in the nonprofit realm, still adjacent, not knowing what was next but knowing I wanted to stay in the industry, I came to my first conference in San Antonio a few years back. Ultimately, at the exhibit hall, I met the MemoryFox team and just felt such immediate alignment and belief in what they were doing.

I went home from the conference and, a short month later, joined the team. Now here I am on the other side of the booth, which has just been such a fun journey.

Maria: I remember our first conversation. You had just started at MemoryFox.

Natalie: That's right. It was, like, a month later, wasn't it?

Maria: I don't even remember. When did you start at MemoryFox? What year?

Natalie: December 1st of 2022.

Maria: And I think I don't even know if I was doing trauma-informed storytelling yet.

Natalie: You might have been just at the very initial stages.

Maria: Yeah. My consultancy has come a long way, and MemoryFox has truly embraced and championed ethical storytelling.

Natalie: Absolutely. What I love about our platform is that from the beginning, it has always been ethically based in the sense that you're giving agency to the story owner. You're allowing them to share their own lived experience through their own voice in a place that's very comfortable for them.

Then, along the way, as we started to understand how many nonprofit leaders were really craving resources with sensitive stories and trauma-informed stories, we recognized that they needed so much more support beyond what the majority of them had access to.

We really tapped into those ethical resources by launching our ethical storytelling report and our quarterly Narratives With Integrity webinar series, which you have been such a key component of, and then growing through your network and getting connected to all the people who believe in what you're doing.

It's been such a journey for us to start with a platform that has always inherently allowed people to share their own stories, and now to add in resources that help nonprofit leaders understand how to collect those stories better.

Maria: Yeah. Not only are you a tool that provides a number of ways, and I could talk at length about how important it is to give people the agency to tell their story where they want, whether they're going to write it or record it, but MemoryFox has also become a hub of ethical storytelling education.

I do want to give you a moment to talk a little bit more about MemoryFox as a tool, because Carly's been on, but I don't think we talked enough about the tool itself. Aside from the tool, MemoryFox has become a hub of ethical storytelling education. You bring in so many amazing people. I know Rachel de Souza, Ali Levine, and, of course, Frank and Diana to have these tough conversations.

I so appreciate that you've been bringing folks into the community and into the fold to move this along, to help equip people to do storytelling in a way that's a little less harmful, but still with great impact.

Natalie: Absolutely. It's so nuanced because there are many different types of sensitive stories. From your trauma-informed storytelling training, we know that not every organization can fit into the same box when it comes to that.

We are so lucky to be able to lean into so many of these thought leaders who can offer their own insights and ideas for how to do this in a way that's not going to re-traumatize anybody. Even those communities with sensitive stories still need to share their stories and still need to showcase to their community the impact they're making. It really takes all of us to be in this effort together.

Maria: Absolutely. Can you tell listeners about MemoryFox as a tool, how it works, and how it supports ethical storytelling?

Natalie: Absolutely. The base idea is that we're helping nonprofits curate a very intentionally made story bank so they have access to all these community stories, the user-generated content that we know is so powerful these days and so craved.

We're helping them curate this story bank so they have access to these stories at their fingertips whenever they need them, ready to publish in newsletters, fundraising appeals, board reports, impact stories, and grant reporting, rather than the opposite, which is having all these moments throughout the year when you need a story and then have to scramble to find it.

Maria: Exactly.

Natalie: That's typically what the nonprofit leader finds themselves in. Our tool allows them to send a very simple link, accessed on a mobile device or desktop computer, out to their community to prompt them with a wonderful question that says, 'Tell us about the very first time you volunteered with us. How did it make you feel?' Or, 'How has this program impacted your life?' Or, to a donor, 'Why do you believe in the work that we're doing?'

You send them the opportunity to share a video testimony with you, a photo with a text caption, or even a written testimonial. All of that content then lands on the back end, where nonprofit admins have access to it and can start to organize all their content in a way that becomes usable for all those purposes that we just talked about.

From there, you take it and share it through beautiful presentations, impact reports, and all the places where you share content. It's taking those stories and repurposing them in ways that showcase to your community the beautiful impact you're having in the world.

Maria: Your role at MemoryFox is building community, and you're having so many wonderful conversations. I was in-house about 10 years ago, and storytelling was testimonials. They were little blurbs, little testimonials. There has been such a shift in how potent stories can be, how we gather them, and the kinds of stories we tell. How does story gathering look in 2026?

Natalie: Great question. You're right. I think there has been this long-standing idea of, let's gather one testimonial from one program participant and showcase it in our appeal letter, and that's what we're going to base our fundraising efforts off of. There is certainly a time and a place for that, but I appreciate that I've already started to see the shift in people understanding that they need to curate a bank of stories.

It's not just that one testimony that paints the full picture of the work we do. There are so many different voices, perspectives, and lenses that help us understand the full impact of our mission.

Actually, it's very relevant. A couple years ago, I talked on the idea of 360-degree stewardship, so we're not just focusing on one angle of storytelling. We're thinking about who all those voices are that help us understand what we do.

A lot of this came from my time at Farmer Veteran Coalition, where I learned that we need to reach out to those people who are actually living the mission. It's not always just sharing it through staff stories, which are also wonderful. In my case, the veterans were the ones who needed to feel seen and heard. At the end of the day, that's why our whole mission existed. Those are the people we should really be offering the chance to share their lived experience.

I'm seeing this trend toward realizing that there are more voices to share than just that one singular track we may have focused on in the past. It could be volunteers, donor stories, staff members, board members. So many different people make up that full picture of what we do in our organizations.

Maria: With that said, where do you see nonprofits still struggling in story gathering? You've alluded to this. We've got HIPAA, and some of us are working with really vulnerable communities. What are they struggling with, and what's the first step you recommend they take to improve story gathering in a way that's impactful but also ethical?

Natalie: I think there can be a lot of little answers to this question. But I will say, because we actually put this question as part of our 2024 ethical storytelling survey, I can sit here and guess, but this is what the people said. The overwhelming answer from the people who responded to this survey was simply education, and not feeling equipped to go out and collect these stories in a way that wouldn't exploit their communities.

The fear with that is that they're not even attempting to collect stories because they're worried about what it might do to the people they're working with.

Maria: It's my biggest fear.

Natalie: Of course. That's at the core of what you do. And no, that's not what we're saying. We're not saying to stop telling stories. But I can understand and appreciate how, when you are concerned about re-traumatizing somebody, you don't even know where to begin.

I appreciate what you do so much because you're helping equip people with the tools to make them feel confident in taking those steps.

A lot of what we talk about is framed around the storyteller being the story owner of their own story, which certainly, I think in essence makes sense. A couple of key tips we have for that are, first, letting them own the microphone. Hand over the microphone to them so they get the chance to share, in their own words and in their own voice, their lived experience.

Second, allow them to do it in a place where they're most comfortable so you're not putting them in a place where they feel pressure to do it in a way that's not comfortable for them.

The third thing we talk about a lot, and I know you do too, is consent. Not just consent, but being crystal clear and transparent on where and how you will share somebody's story. When you have the opportunity, allow them to say the places where they are comfortable with their story being shared and the places where they are not comfortable.

If you can do those three things, that is centering the person. And if you can go back to the person and feel like they would be proud of what they've shared with you, then you're doing something right.

Maria: I do think of this as a movement. I think we need to make changes in how we tell stories in the nonprofit sector. To me, what that means simply is we normalize these standards and these practices. What do you see being normalized in 2026 as far as ethical storytelling?

Natalie: Good question. I think what we've started to see already from a lot of organizations, not everybody, because again, it's all about adopting and creating a new process, is that a lot of people recognize how critical consent is in a more written and electronic form. We can get a verbal commitment, but we really want to protect ourselves and the storytellers. Getting that more formal consent is critical to protecting everybody involved.

Again, many people believe that, but it takes time at an organization to even implement that, so I can appreciate that this can be an evolving process for so many people.

The other thing I'll say, and a lot of this is what we learn from Diana Farias Heinrich, is that consent doesn't necessarily, and shouldn't, live in perpetuity.

Maria: Yes.

Just because you get consent one time from somebody doesn't mean their story can live in your archives forever.

Maria: Yes.

Natalie: Considerations change. This is where I lean into the experts and thought leaders in this field who are teaching me that we need to reapproach somebody after a certain amount of months or years, whatever we determine is right at our organization. I think a lot of people say two years is probably a good timeframe, but you have to decide what's right for you.

We go back to them and ask, 'Are you comfortable with your story continuing to be shared?' Their answer might be no, and we have to be okay with that. Circumstances might have changed. We might not get an answer from them. It may be impossible to get ahold of them again, and that may be an indication that we do need to sunset their story.

Or we may get an emphatic yes. They might say, 'I understand the impact this has had in helping bring other people to your community, to our community, who need that same support, and I would love for my story to continue to be featured.' Not only that, but maybe they'll give us an update on where they are now.

Maria: I was hoping that you would say that. Yes, they may say no, but they might have a really beautiful update that will enrich the story.

Natalie: I think not only does that help show the impact your organization has down the road, but once again, you're helping that individual feel ownership of something really positive and transformational in their own life that they may not have had the chance to reflect on otherwise. It has a double benefit.

Maria: We so forget that when someone tells their story at a given time in history, five or 10 years later, they're going to see that story differently. They're going to experience it differently. It's so important that we allow folks to have that journey and that ownership over how their story has evolved, even for themselves.

Natalie: Absolutely.

Maria: If you could wave a wand and have every nonprofit adopt one trauma-informed and ethical story gathering practice, what would it be?

Natalie: Gosh. There are a lot we could wish for, right? I think there are two things that come to mind. I don't know if you'll grant me a second wish, but I'm going to start with one.

I really hope nonprofits start to lean into strengths-based messaging. The more we can frame stories in a positive, transformational light, and not sensationalize the hardship or focus only on the struggle, the more people are going to lean into owning their story in a positive way and recognizing that about themselves. The struggle can certainly be a component, but let's focus on the positive transformation this had on people's lives.

A lot of us are familiar with the term poverty porn. We know what some of those examples have looked like in days past. But I will tell you, and I even noticed it a lot at this conference a year ago and think the trend is continuing, people are understanding that is not the way to showcase your community anymore. The positive stories are even more moving than the difficult, down ones. If we can show those transformations, that's going to benefit everybody all around.

Maria: Do you have any examples from your MemoryFox clients that have highlighted more strengths-based messaging and storytelling, and what that has done for their nonprofit?

Natalie: One of the organizations I admire the most in their approach to storytelling is I Would Rather Be Reading, an organization out of Louisville, Kentucky. Their focus is really on literacy for children and families with backgrounds of trauma.

I think it was during COVID that they realized they needed to connect with their donors in a different way. They knew how important stories were to that, but they didn't want to do it in a way that was harming the families they work with.

You talk about creating policy. They, as a team, sat down and built a whole policy around strengths-based questions to prompt their community stories. Everything they ask of these children, when they hop on camera with their children and ask them how this has impacted them, is framed in a positive light.

They do such a wonderful job connecting with their community, supporters, and donors. The way it has brought donors into their community, and the way donors see the impact their funds are having on the communities they work with, has helped them think about how to expand into other regions. It's those positive stories that are getting the buy-in. We see what has happened in this area. Let's take that same action and build it into the next area you're focusing on.

What I love about this example is that the parents got on board too. The parents were seeing the other students and their joy, and they were saying, 'Oh, we want our kids to also talk about their favorite books or what they want to be when they grow up.' It has that ripple effect as well. Story owners want to get involved when they see that stories are being treated in a way that's dignified and respectful.

Maria: Exactly. Thank you again, Natalie. Can you share a little bit about MemoryFox? I know you've released new tiers for membership, so tell us how folks can learn more about MemoryFox, what the tiers look like these days, and any other resources you want listeners to know about.

Natalie: It's been a very exciting time for us because we have three membership options, each with a little bit of something for everybody. Whatever you need in terms of your capacity, your engagement, your hands-on white-glove support, or if you're just looking for a version that's self-service, we have all of those options now at really affordable prices.

Maria, you know just as much as I do how critical it is for nonprofits to have those stories at their fingertips, no matter their size, and especially for the small ones. That's how we get started building our momentum. The fact that we can now offer our platform at an affordable price to everybody is really exciting for us to think about all the storytelling potential out there.

For a lot of your listeners, our ethical storytelling report would be a great place to start. Our website hosts that report. There is so much rich content in it from really incredible thought leaders in our space. Head to our website, find that report, and download it. There is a whole ethical storytelling section of the website that has all sorts of resources.

Also, come to our quarterly webinars, because those are where the real leaders who are thinking about this stuff day in and day out are going to give you the advice you need to be able to do this with confidence.

Maria: Natalie, thank you so much for being on the show. It is a joy to be with you.

Natalie: Ditto. Likewise. I can't say it enough. We don't get enough of it, but when we do, it's a really special time.

Maria: No, we don't. It's a really special time. It is.

Natalie: Thank you, Maria.