Pulling Back the Curtain on Narrative Change

In 2024, the Council on Foundations in partnership with the Center for Public Interest Communications (CPIC) at the University of Florida released Philanthropy’s New Voice, the largest study ever of narratives in philanthropy. The report used a multimethod research effort to surface the American public’s and federal policymakers’ perspectives on philanthropy, current communications practices at foundations, and specific types of stories that can increase the public’s understanding of and trust in foundations.

Building on this work, the Council and CPIC presents our research at workshops and trainings at in-person events across the country and launched a Better Stories, Better Language virtual workshop series hosted by the Council.

At ComNet 2026, the Council and CPIC hosted a session featuring extraordinary storytellers and strategists who shared what leading with a narrative strategy looks like from the inside–how it’s funded, how it’s staffed, and how their organizational culture supports storytelling. The session also shared research from our forthcoming report, which includes recommendations for building an ethical organizational storytelling culture.

Sign up below to receive updates about our upcoming report, and check out the storytelling examples from presenters at the Barr Foundation, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, Ford Foundation, and My Dog is My Home.

Before you go: Please take our quick survey so that we can learn how you and your organization are approaching storytelling and narrative strategy.

Get the Upcoming Report

In our forthcoming report, Pulling Back the Curtain on Narrative Change in the Charitable Sector: What it takes to lead with narrative strategy, we’ll share countless examples of organizations whose work inspires us with its candor, transparency, ethics and compelling stories that change how people see some of the most profound issues we face today

Through in-depth interviews with leading communications practitioners, we’re looking behind the curtain to reveal what narrative change looks like in practice, including how you can take the lessons from our first report and apply them to your organization. The report will include specific storytelling campaigns, techniques, and examples of stories to inspire your own journey toward telling ethical stories that build transparency, understanding, and trust at your organization and in the philanthropic sector at large.

Please leave your name, email, and organization to be the first to know when this report launches in 2027.

Examples from our Presenters

In our session at ComNet26 in San Diego, leaders shared their stories of building an ethical narrative culture. Here you’ll find examples and resources these organizations use to guide their work.

Coming soon!