Maria Bryan is the Partnership Marketing Manager at DonorBox, where she runs the ambassador program after spending two years as a DonorBox ambassador herself, and the founder of When Bearing Witness, a trauma-informed storytelling training program and podcast for nonprofit storytellers and fundraisers.
She facilitates the When Bearing Witness Trauma-Informed Storytelling Certification Program, which trains storytellers to gather and tell painful stories in ways that promote safety and wellness while resisting harm. She holds a Master's in Public Administration and a Bachelor's in Journalism, and is certified in Trauma and Resilience, Trauma-Informed Space Holding, Trauma-Informed Coaching, and Somatic Embodiment and Regulation.
In this episode, Maria explains the difference between being trauma-informed and trauma-responsive, walks through the full story journey from consent to publication, and shares why her own week in the NICU with her newborn daughter changed how she reads fundraising appeals.
Timestamps:
[00:48] What are DonorBox and When Bearing Witness?
[03:12] What is trauma?
[04:53] What does trauma-informed mean?
[05:56] Trauma-informed vs. trauma-responsive?
[06:35] Is trauma more common in nonprofits?
[07:54] Why aren't fundraisers trained on trauma?
[09:36] Are good intentions enough?
[10:27] What did Comic Relief change?
[12:46] Why copy 20-year-old campaigns?
[13:07] How did the NICU change Maria's view?
[15:30] What should you ask before telling a story?
[16:11] Who does every story affect?
[17:19] Is the story owner ready?
[17:44] Does your ask use guilt or shame?
[18:31] What is asset framing?
[19:28] Why let story owners review first?
[20:46] When should a story stay anonymous?
[21:27] What if they want it taken down?
[22:09] How do you ask without false urgency?
[23:14] What is a "go-away gift"?
[24:54] Can storytelling be too safe?
[26:34] Who draws the line on painful stories?
[28:23] What will donors stop responding to?
[29:32] How can tools protect donors?
[31:23] What should every storyteller hear?
Guest Links:
GTZP Links:
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
