Clarity is a growth strategy

“What would you say you do here?” 

If you’ve seen the movie Office Space, you probably just heard the line in your head exactly the way it’s delivered. It is a classic movie that portrays the potentially meaningless nature of office work, so it’s not an ideal representation of nonprofit work, but it raises a question that’s worth asking.

But what about the public perception of your nonprofit organization’s work? Are people asking that same question about what your organization does?  

“What is it you say … you do here?”

A few other ways this question gets asked of nonprofit organizations:

• What impact are you having in the community?
• What problem are you addressing, and how will you create change?
• Why is your organization best equipped to do this work?
• Why should I invest my time or money in your work?
• Why should I trust that you have the capacity to manage my donation well?

Nonprofit leaders are excellent at solving complex problems. Unfortunately, they’re often just as skilled at explaining their work in deeply complex ways. In this space, we love acronyms, insider language, and Ph. D.-level jargon. That kind of complexity can be useful and is sometimes even necessary in staff meetings, board discussions, conferences, or even strategy sessions with key partners.

For the general public, that kind of complexity breeds confusion, weakens trust, and leaves people feeling unmoved by your cause.

Let’s look at a practical, semi-fictional example. We work with a community development organization in the Portland-metro area. They do extremely complex work, and it's been a challenge to communicate their work in a clear way. 

We could describe their work this way:  

“We employ participatory, community-driven methodologies that center co-creation and collective agency to disrupt entrenched structural inequities, advancing systemic transformation through multi-scalar, cross-sectoral collaboration.”

Now, this is obviously exaggerated. No one really describes their organization this way on their website.

Right? Right?

Still, we see plenty of public-facing nonprofit marketing language that comes uncomfortably close.

How about a better approach for an organization that does the kind of work described above? 

“We work with our neighbors and families in our community to build a place where everyone can learn, earn, and belong.”

Now we’re talking. 

It’s clear, it’s human, it actually sounds like something a neighbor would say. And sure, there’s still plenty under the hood, such as the methodology, programs, and theory of change, but that’s the point. 

A simple and clear statement that makes people want to lean in and not tune out is incredibly powerful. It sparks conversation and plants a seed to establish relationships. 

Overly complex statements do the opposite: they shut conversations down and leave people feeling more overwhelmed.

So let’s talk more about why clarity matters.

Clarity builds confidence

Growth starts with trust. Donors, partners, and community members need to believe that your organization knows what it does and where it’s headed. Clear messaging demonstrates not just what you’re doing now, but the vision you’re pursuing. 

That level of confidence translates directly into increased giving and more significant partnerships.

Clarity drives alignment

Within your organization, a foundation of clarity is even more important. When board members, staff, and volunteers are aligned around the same message, decision-making becomes easier, collaboration stronger, and morale higher. 

Alignment eliminates wasted energy and allows for more focus on impact.

Clarity expands reach

Your mission is constantly vying for attention in a fragmented and noisy world. Complexity gets ignored; clarity is remembered. When your story is simple and compelling, it unlocks opportunity. It finds its way further into conversations, media, and broader networks. 

Clarity makes your mission contagious.

Clarity multiplies impact

Ultimately, we all know that growth is not just about bigger budgets. It’s about deeper, more sustainable change in the communities you serve. 

Clarity ensures your programs, partnerships, and advocacy resonate with the people who can help expand your impact.

The bottom line

When nonprofits think about growth, the conversation usually turns to more funding, expanded programs, or broader visibility. Those things matter, but they’re not the starting point.

This might be something you don’t often hear, but clarity is a growth strategy.

Clarity builds the foundation for every aspect of organizational growth. When people understand what you do, why it matters, and how you create change, they are more likely to fund your work, seek a partnership, and help to amplify your mission.

Clarity isn’t merely a communications tactic, it's a strategy.

It’s a strategy for organizational growth. It fuels confidence, alignment, reach, and impact. Without it, even the most innovative work risks being overlooked.

So if you’re ready to grow, expand your mission, and deepen your impact, start with clarity. 

When you communicate with focus and conviction, growth follows. That growth is what opens the doors to the resources, partnerships, and opportunities your mission deserves.

Most importantly, work on clarity so that the next time someone wonders, ‘What would you say you do here?’, you’ll have a clear, confident answer.

Looking to build clarity but not sure where to start? A well-defined and documented Core Messaging Guide is a great place to start. Our team at Liminal specializes in helping nonprofits move from “It’s complicated” to clarity — we help you find the words that move people to action by creating clear, compelling messaging that drives your brand, fuels your fundraising, and brings your mission to life.