The Dollar A Day Foundation is both a charity and funder that supports grassroots mental health and addictions organizations across Canada. In this episode, Executive Director Heather Spratt explains the foundation’s unusual model—recurring donations pooled and granted out, with 100% of individual gifts going to grantees—and its trust-based approach that lets organizations decide how to use funds.

We discuss the origin story of the “dollar a day” idea (featuring Canadian music legend Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea), how an overemphasis on accountability can create barriers, and how stories help people see the impact their support is making.

00:00 Introduction

02:07 Meet Heather Spratt

02:55 A Dollar A Day Foundation’s Mission and Origin Story

06:44 Their Trust-Based Funding Model

12:13 Lean and Transparent Operations

13:12 Storytelling And Stigma

16:13 Impact At Scale

17:28 Workplace Giving Program

19:38 Advice And New Priorities

21:57 Final Thoughts And Outro

Find out more about A Dollar A Day Foundation

• Website: adollaraday.ca
• Facebook: facebook.com/adollaradayfdn
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dollar-a-day-foundation
• YouTube: youtube.com/@adollaradayfoundation
• Instagram: instagram.com/adollaradayfdn
  

About the  Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits podcast

Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits is a podcast for nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and community-minded professionals who want to use storytelling more intentionally. Each episode features conversations about how story builds connection, strengthens fundraising, and supports long-term growth. Grounded in the realities of nonprofit work, the podcast explores practical ideas, lived experience, and real-world approaches to communication, community, and impact.

If your organization could use help turning its stories into stronger fundraising, visit collaborativecause.ca.

New episodes are released monthly. Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to be notified when they’re published. The podcast is hosted by Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson, and is produced by Storied Places Media.

YAMM Services works with nonprofits on fundraising, communications, storytelling, and community-centred growth. Founder Janine Ayoub has seen how nonprofits struggle to capture and communicate their impact, but she’s also seen the approaches that move the needle. In this episode, Janine offers practical starting points for telling better stories, and makes a case for prioritizing consistency and authenticity over perfection. She also introduces Anqido, a beta impact and project-management platform that turns nonprofit work and data into dashboards, reports, and clearer impact stories.

00:00 Introduction

02:04 Janine’s Journey

04:07 The Common Struggle to Communicate Impact

06:16 Beyond the Numbers

08:11 How a Narrative Shift Increased Grant Approvals

10:17 Where to Start

12:27 Centering Communities Over Donors

15:21 Authenticity Over Perfection

16:37 Anqido Platform Preview

19:33 Final Reflections

20:57 Outro and Resources

Find out more about YAMM Services

• Website: yammservices.com
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yamm-services
• Instagram: instagram.com//yamm_media

About the  Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits podcast

Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits is a podcast for nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and community-minded professionals who want to use storytelling more intentionally. Each episode features conversations about how story builds connection, strengthens fundraising, and supports long-term growth. Grounded in the realities of nonprofit work, the podcast explores practical ideas, lived experience, and real-world approaches to communication, community, and impact.

If your organization could use help turning its stories into stronger fundraising, visit collaborativecause.ca.

New episodes are released monthly. Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to be notified when they’re published. The podcast is hosted by Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson, and is produced by Storied Places Media.

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.

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.

Atlantic Impact is now Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits. We’re expanding beyond Atlantic Canada and speaking with organizations across the country about how they're using storytelling in their work.

In this episode, we venture to Ontario to speak with Marvin Karon, Director of Shakespearience Performing Arts, which uses interactive Shakespeare-based programs to challenge young people (and adults) and build soft skills like confidence, communication, and resilience. Throughout the conversation, he tells powerful stories of how some of his students were transformed, while weaving in practical advice for nonprofits like how Shakespearience built an inventory of over a thousand testimonials, why video is the next frontier, and the importance of making sure your storytelling is “a living, breathing thing.”

• 00:00 Season Relaunch and Guest Intro
• 01:47 Mission, Programs, and How Shakespeare Transforms Students
• 08:53 The Power of Shakespearean Language
• 09:56 The Challenge of Awareness
• 13:25 Collecting Testimonials and Video Proof
• 16:38 How Shakespearience Gathered 1,000 Testimonials
• 19:12 Consent and Media Release Basics
• 20:09 Student Story: From Inferiority to Empowerment
• 24:04 Storytelling Advice for Other Nonprofits
• 25:32 How Listeners Can Help and Why It Matters
• 31:08 Final Reflections and Closing Credits

Find out more about Shakespearience Performing Arts

• Website: shakespearience.ca
• Facebook: facebook.com/ShakespeariencePerformingArts
• YouTube: youtube.com/@shakespearienceperforminga5667
• “Sizzle Reel”: youtu.be/JS3O5bZhby0?si=_R9FaFFYsYEYf0il

About the Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits podcast

Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits, is a podcast where we explore how storytelling helps nonprofits strengthen fundraising and move their missions forward. 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.

If your organization could use help turning its stories into stronger fundraising, visit collaborativecause.ca.

New episodes are released monthly. Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to be notified when they’re published. 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.