Note for 2019-2020 Speaking Engagements: Vanessa is currently on parental leave and taking a break from speaking from September 2019 until April 2020. If you have an event after that time, please feel free to reach out with an inquiry.
“Vanessa’s storytelling workshop was excellent. It gave me insight into how I can better incorporate storytelling into our fundraising materials, and inspired me to look at creative new ways to tell our organization’s story to a range of audiences.”
Lindsay Yuasa | Communications Manager | Streetohome Foundation
Nonprofits, associations, and conferences around the world invite Vanessa to come speak in issues of fundraising, organizational change, leadership, and storytelling. Vanessa believes that stories have the ability to transform non-profit organizations in so many ways, and the only thing she enjoys more than helping non-profits discover their stories is helping people tell their stories.
Vanessa works with groups to understand their training and learning goals in order to develop workshops and speeches that inspire and educate. Vanessa is an engaging teacher and mentor to non-profits, who can provide professional development to your group. Below you’ll find a list of sample keynote and training topics that Vanessa provides.
Keynote and Training Topics
Storytelling for Non-Profits – How to Raise Money and Awareness Through Stories
Non-profits consistently hear that they should be telling stories, but many are not sure where to start. This training is designed to demystify storytelling and give attendees a process for telling amazing stories. This workshop is perfect for fundraisers, communications professionals, and executive directors who want to learn how to harness the power of storytelling.
You’ll learn:
- The 5 components of a great story
- How to tell an inspiring story
- Easy ways to increase the number of stories you tell
- Tips for creating a storytelling plan to get your message out there
This workshop is offer as a half day or full day training.
Empowering Board Members to Fundraise Using Stories
Board members are the essential leadership for non-profit organizations and frequently they are expected to help fundraise. But how willing or successful are their fundraising? Many board members are resistant to asking, but that’s because they think fundraising is only about asking for money. This workshop is designed to help board members reframe their understanding of philanthropy and how they can be successful fundraisers by doing something that comes naturally – telling stories!
You’ll learn:
- What philanthropy really is and what it’s not
- Why storytelling is the best tool to connect and cultivate donors
- The 3 stories every board member should know
- Tips for delivering the story with confidence
This training is perfect for a board meeting or board retreat.
Creating a Culture of Storytelling: Breaking Down Silos and Build a Stronger Team
One of the incredible benefits of storytelling is that it can cultivate a better culture at your non-profit. Whether your organization suffers from silos, lacks interpersonal connection, or just needs a little infusion of motivation, this training is designed to help you get back to your why. The stories we tell and hear help us stay mission-focused and they connect us back to the team and critical importance of the part we each play.
You’ll learn:
- How stories can be used to break down silos
- Why everyone is a storyteller and how they can tell more stories
- How to improve story collecting at your organization
This training is great for organizational retreats, strategic planning sessions, and other professional development trainings.
The Art of Personal Storytelling
When we talk about storytelling in the non-profit sector we often focus on telling other peoples’ stories. We often forget to tell one important story – our personal story. Your personal story is a powerful story that deserves to be told. It has the power to influence and impact people that you meet every day. This training will give you a framework to unravel your personal story and give you tools for sharing it.
You’ll learn:
- Why your personal story is one of the most powerful stories you can tell
- How to identify the story you want to tell
- A process for telling your story
- Tips for sharing your story with ease
Vanessa’s Interview with #npEXPERTS Series
Vanessa’s Interview on Bloomerang TV
See Vanessa’s Movie Monday Clips here
Using Stories to Help Board Members Fundraise
2 Ways You Can Put Donors at the Center of Your Fundraising Program
How to Better Steward Your Donors
Testimonials
I was most impressed with Vanessa’s workshop & it was well worth the expense. I thought all of her tools were most applicable and simple to understand. I found the points about Connection, Character, Conflict Resolution and Call to Action to be proactive and re-enforce the message to be delivered. In my 24 + YEARS in the Development Profession, Vanessa’s workshop was among the best I’ve experienced. Though I’d be a 100% member of her choir, it was encouraging to be on the same page with style & strategy for storytelling.
J.M. (Monty) Hogewood, CFRE | AFP Alabama and Samford University
“Vanessa was the first person that came to mind when we decided to do a session on storytelling at our annual Philanthropy School. I have been receiving The Storytelling Nonprofit emails for a while and love how they are full of tips and tools that are easy to implement. Working with Vanessa was great! She is very professional and full of creative ideas. The workshop went without a hitch and our staff thought it was fantastic. They loved learning about how to structure a story and having the chance to practice telling their stories. They left with a better idea of why their stories are important and lots of ways for them to use them. Their only complaint was that they wish they had more time with Vanessa!”
Baily Molotsky | YMCA of Greater Vancouver
“In speaking with many fundraisers and current AFP Vancouver Chapter members about what professional development topics were of interest, storytelling and how to demonstrate impact to donors was a reoccurring theme. We also heard that people wanted to gain practical skills and knowledge that they could apply in their current roles. In discussing leaders in this area, Vanessa Chase Lockshin’s name came up within the AFP NPD Summit committee to approach to deliver a workshop on this topic.
Fundraisers that attended this session said that it helped them to think outside of the box to engage donors and demonstrate genuine appreciation, information shared was informative with useful tips and that it provided an opportunity to discuss ideas with others in their field. Attendees also valued Vanessa’s expertise as a speaker on this topic as well as the personality and flare she brought to facilitating the workshop.
Vanessa was extremely flexible and creative in her willingness to build a workshop to meet the interests of our participants. In addition, Vanessa was very responsive and great to work with in the lead up planning to the conference.”
Bryanna Baker | Canadian Cancer Society & AFP Vancouver
“Vanessa is an engaging speaker and nonprofit advocate with a strong understanding of how digital tools are revolutionizing the fields of fundraising and communications. Her recent Content Marketing presentation for NetSquared Vancouver provided a strong introduction to the topic and was rated 5 of 5 stars by attendees.”
Eli van der Giessen | Community Manager at TechSoup Global and Community Lead | NetSquared Vancouver
“Vanessa was our keynote speaker for Impact Lab, a professional development day conference run for globally-focused students at the Global Lounge at UBC. She was able to engage our audience quickly and adapt her content for a student-focused audience. We were all quickly engaged and within minutes of her starting, we were all eager to improve our own “story”. Vanessa even stayed during our lunch hour and answered specific questions both practically and eloquently. I would, without a doubt, recommend Vanessa if your organization needs to think about storytelling!”
Jola Lekich | Student Development Officer | University of British Columbia
“I was really looking forward to this Session and it did NOT let me down. She covered the who, what, when, where, why and how of pulling at the heart strings in print. She / we got real specific in regards to format, length, wording, and timing. This was a fabulous relevant and transferable session.”
Conference Attendee | Meals on Wheels America National Conference
“Vanessa was the best. Her presentation could have gone on for another two hours and nobody would have left.”
Conference Attendee | Meals on Wheels America National Conference
Past Speaking Engagements
April 23, 2019 – Volunteer Victoria Communications Training
August 2018 – Social Venture Partners Seattle Fast Pitch Training
May 2018 – The Dixon Society Board Training
May 2018 – The Dixon Society Staff Communications Training
April 2018 – Zanesville Museum of Art Board Training
January 26, 2018 – Capacity Conference
June 5, 2017 – Credit Counselling Canada Conference
May 11, 2017 – AFP Western Michigan Workshop
February 24, 2017 – Richmond Multicultural Community Services Workshop
October 7, 2016 – Barnard College Leadership Assembly
May 6, 2016 – AFP Central New York Fundraising Day
April 20, 2016 – Association of Donor Relations Professionals Canadian Workshop
April 16, 2016 – Horizons National Conference
February 26, 2016 – AFP Alabama Workshop
February 16 and 17, 2016 – Community Living BC Workshop
November 17, 2015 – AFP Vancouver National Philanthropy Day Summit
November 12, 2015 – Non-Profit Storytelling Conference
October 26, 2015 – Blackbaud’s Conference for Non-Profits
October 22, 2015 – Mid-Valley Development Professionals Workshop, Oregon
October 8, 2015 – State Association Meeting of Land Trusts, California
October 8, 2015 – Land Trust Alliance Rally, California
September 24, 2015 – Land Trust Alliance Workshop, New Jersey
September 2, 2015 – Meals on Wheels Association of America Conference
April 29, 2015 – Girl Scouts of America National Fund Development Conference
November 6, 2014 – Non-Profit Storytelling Conference
October 2014 – Blackbaud’s Conference for Non-Profits