Can small in-person storytelling circles drive big change in the nonprofit world? After her own experience with burnout, Jennifer DeCoste founded FireLoch as a place where her fellow burnt out peers in the nonprofit sector could rest and reconnect with their work. In this episode, Jennifer shares how untold stories catalyzed the creation of FireLoch, what kinds of storytelling feel most authentic to her, and why she’s prioritizing intimacy over scale.

• 00:30 Jennifer DeCoste's Journey and FireLoch's Mission
• 05:27 The Power of Speaking Up
• 06:53 Jennifer’s Burnout and Recovery Journey
• 10:18 FireLoch’s Funding Model - Who Supports Helping the Helpers
• 14:33 Adapting the Narrative for Government Grant Programs vs Philanthropists
• 16:01 Collecting Outcome Stories in an Authentic Trust-Forward Way
• 19:23 Collaboration and Partnership in Atlantic Canada
• 21:15 Small Group In-Person Storytelling: Prioritizing People Over Promotion
• 27:22 Evolving Language of Burnout, Wellness, and Success

Find out more about FireLoch

• Website: fireloch.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/fireloch
• Instagram: instagram.com/fireloch
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/fireloch

About the Atlantic IMPACT podcast

Atlantic IMPACT is a podcast that helps nonprofits across Atlantic Canada use storytelling to drive fundraising and awareness. Each episode features conversations with people working in community, sharing how story supports connection, impact, and long-term growth. Whether you're part of a nonprofit or simply care about your community, this podcast invites you to listen, reflect, and engage.

 Is your organization ready to tell its story? Take the free Storytelling Readiness Quiz at collaborativecause.ca/stories.

The podcast is hosted by Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson, and is produced by Storied Places Media.

“ Storytelling is imperfect and very human. And that's what makes it accessible.” In this episode, Lynn Panting of Business and Arts NL joins us to talk about  storytelling, creativity, and connection. Lynn shares insights into the organization’s new Narrative Marketing Initiative, how to prioritize storytelling when capacity is limited, and the value of starting small and staying consistent.

• 00:30 Introducing Lynn Panting and Business and Arts NL
• 03:44 The Narrative Marketing Initiative
• 09:35 Mentorship Success Stories
• 13:11 Best Formats for Storytelling
• 14:54 How to Get Started With Storytelling
• 18:07 Overcoming Capacity Challenges
• 21:15 The Role of Consistency and Regularity in Storytelling
• 22:00 How Artists Benefit from Sharing Their Story

Find out more about Business and Arts NL

• Website: businessandartsnl.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/businessandartsnl
• Facebook: facebook.com/BusinessandArtsNL
• X: x.com/BizArtsNL
• YouTube:youtube.com/channel/UC3bzv4IcmsrmwrOgOsRrz-g
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/business-and-arts-nl

About the Atlantic IMPACT podcast

Atlantic IMPACT is a podcast that helps nonprofits across Atlantic Canada use storytelling to drive fundraising and awareness. Each episode features conversations with people working in community, sharing how story supports connection, impact, and long-term growth. Whether you're part of a nonprofit or simply care about your community, this podcast invites you to listen, reflect, and engage.

 Is your organization ready to tell its story? Take the free Storytelling Readiness Quiz at collaborativecause.ca/stories.

The podcast is hosted by Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson, and is produced by Storied Places Media.

The same story can be told in many different ways. In this episode, The Gaia Project’s Strategic Partnerships Manager, Travis Daley, shares how this environmental and climate education organization adapts its storytelling depending on the audience (i.e. teachers vs government stakeholders vs donors) to make sure they resonate. He also brings insights on training your team to collect stories, how numbers intersect with narrative, and how The Gaia Project is doing more through cross-collaboration.

• 00:37 Meet Travis Daley from The Gaia Project
• 02:03 The Gaia Project's Mission and Programs
• 03:52 Storytelling By and For Different Audiences
• 09:31 Training Your Team to Collect Stories
• 13:12 The Differences in How Kids and Adults Tell Stories
• 14:33 Using Numbers to Support Your Narrative
• 18:47 Telling Stories in Tight Knit Communities
• 21:31 Doing More Through Cross-Collaboration

Find out more about The Gaia Project

• Website: thegaiaproject.ca
• Facebook: facebook.com/gaiaproject
• Instagram: instagram.com/thegaiaproject_
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thegaiaproject-projetgaia
• TikTok: tiktok.com/@thegaiaproject_

About the Atlantic IMPACT podcast

Atlantic IMPACT is a podcast that helps nonprofits across Atlantic Canada use storytelling to drive fundraising and awareness. Each episode features conversations with people working in community, sharing how story supports connection, impact, and long-term growth. Whether you're part of a nonprofit or simply care about your community, this podcast invites you to listen, reflect, and engage.

 Is your organization ready to tell its story? Take the free Storytelling Readiness Quiz at collaborativecause.ca/stories.

The podcast is hosted by Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson, and is produced by Storied Places Media.

People relate to people, not institutions. That’s why Hillary Webb, the Valley Regional Hospital Foundation’s Fund Development Manager, thinks of fundraisers as not just facilitators of funds but as stewards of stories. In this episode, Hillary shares her helpful and actionable “Five I’s of Storytelling,” advice for sharing sensitive or negative stories, and why she doesn’t see charitable organizations as competitors.

• 00:41 Guest Introduction: Hillary Webb
• 03:45 Fundraisers: Facilitators of Funds, Stewards of Stories
• 06:53 Impactful Example: Sharon’s Story
• 09:40 The Five I's of Storytelling
• 13:50 Correcting Perceptions of How Healthcare is Funded
• 16:07 How Hillary Collects Stories
• 18:40 Collaboration in Atlantic Canada’s Nonprofit Sector
• 21:10 Sharing Sensitive or Negative Stories
• 27:56 The Experience For People Whose Stories Are Told
• 30:43 Strengthening Social Media Through Trial and Error
• 34:14 VRHF’s Current Needs and How to Support

Find out more about the Valley Regional Hospital Foundation

• VRHF Website: vrhfoundation.ca
• VRHF Facebook: facebook.com/vrhfoundation
• VRHF Instagram: instagram.com/vrh_foundation

About the Atlantic IMPACT podcast

Atlantic IMPACT is a podcast that helps nonprofits across Atlantic Canada use storytelling to drive fundraising and awareness. Each episode features conversations with people working in community, sharing how story supports connection, impact, and long-term growth. Whether you're part of a nonprofit or simply care about your community, this podcast invites you to listen, reflect, and engage.

 Is your organization ready to tell its story? Take the free Storytelling Readiness Quiz at collaborativecause.ca/stories.

The podcast is hosted by Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson, and is produced by Storied Places Media.

In the inaugural episode, co-hosts Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson introduce the origin story and mission of the series, which aims to help Atlantic Canada nonprofits leverage storytelling to enhance fundraising and community engagement. Then they sit down with Erik Ayers, Founder and CTO of GoodSeeker, to discuss the data-backed benefits of storytelling, how small stories are crucial for building trust and visibility, and how nonprofits can systematically collect and use stories to engage stakeholders and boost donor contributions.

• 00:00 Introduction to The Atlantic Impact
• 00:51 The Origin Story of the Podcast
• 05:31 Introducing Erik Ayers and GoodSeeker
• 08:40 The Power of Small Stories
• 11:42 How Storytelling Helps Build Relationships
• 14:50 Advice for Collecting and Sharing Stories, and the Power of Prompts
• 18:22 Data on Eroding Trust in Nonprofits (And How to Build Trust)
• 21:27 More Advice on Writing Good Story Prompts
• 23:38  What Organizations Gain By Capturing and Organizing Stories
• 25:29 Barriers and Challenges in Story Collection and How to Address Them
• 29:17 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Find out more about GoodSeeker

• GoodSeeker website: goodseeker.com
• GoodSeeker on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/goodseeker-inc

About the Atlantic IMPACT podcast

Atlantic IMPACT is a podcast that helps nonprofits across Atlantic Canada use storytelling to drive fundraising and awareness. Each episode features conversations with people working in community, sharing how story supports connection, impact, and long-term growth. Whether you're part of a nonprofit or simply care about your community, this podcast invites you to listen, reflect, and engage.

 Is your organization ready to tell its story? Take the free Storytelling Readiness Quiz at collaborativecause.ca/stories.

The podcast is hosted by Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson, and is produced by Storied Places Media.

Atlantic IMPACT is a podcast that helps nonprofits across Atlantic Canada use storytelling to drive fundraising and awareness. Each episode features conversations with people working in community, sharing how story supports connection, impact, and long-term growth. Whether you're part of a nonprofit or simply care about your community, this podcast invites you to listen, reflect, and engage.

 Is your organization ready to tell its story? Take the free Storytelling Readiness Quiz at collaborativecause.ca/stories.

The podcast is hosted by Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson, and is produced by Storied Places Media.