From Outcast to Belonging: The Power of Knowing Your Why

People talk a lot about mission in the nonprofit world. Vision statements. Strategic plans. Elevator pitches. All important.

But none of it really sticks if you don’t start with your why.

My personal why goes back to being a young gay kid who loved the arts, and bounced back and forth between two towns growing up. One was a small town with limited access to the arts—and it’s where I experienced much of the bullying, isolation, and the constant message that I didn’t quite belong. The other town was a bit larger and offered more arts opportunities. It was there that I first felt seen, where creativity began to give me language for feelings I didn’t yet have words for, and where I began to find my tribe—and myself (as much as you can at 16).

Being labeled an outcast shapes you in ways that don’t disappear just because you grow up. But finding spaces of belonging changes you too. That experience—of moving between isolation and acceptance, of being marginalized and then welcomed—is at the core of why I do the work I do today.

It’s why I work with small arts and LGBTQ+ nonprofits. 

These organizations are often overlooked. Underfunded. Expected to do transformational work with limited resources and minimal visibility. And yet, their impact is profound. They create belonging. They create access. They create possibility.

That’s exactly why having a clear, authentic why matters so much—especially for smaller organizations.

When resources are tight, your why becomes your north star. It’s the light that guides your mission and the story that helps others believe in it enough to support it.

Getting Clear on Your “Why”

If you’re a small nonprofit wondering how to articulate your why, start here:

1. Look backward before you look forward

Ask: Why was this organization really created? Not the IRS-friendly answer—the human one. What problem, pain point, or passion sparked its existence?

2. Center on the people you serve, not just the programs you run

Your why isn’t “we offer classes” or “we host events.” It’s about the transformative power of those programs in real people’s lives.

3. Put it in plain, human language

If your why sounds like it belongs in a grant appendix, keep working. It should sound like something a board member could explain to a friend over coffee.

Bringing Your Champions Along (and creating a Culture of Philanthropy)

A clear why doesn’t just live on your website—it should show up everywhere, especially with the people closest to your organization.

1. Make your why part of board and volunteer onboarding

Don’t assume people know it. Share it early, often, and emotionally—not just intellectually.

2. Give champions the words

Provide simple talking points, stories, and examples they can use when talking about your organization. People want to help—they just don’t always know what to say.

3. Connect fundraising to purpose, not pressure

When champions understand why the work matters, asking for support feels less like fundraising and more like inviting others into something meaningful.

At the end of the day, people don’t give because of your budget size or your strategic plan.

They give because something about your story resonates with their own.

Your why is not a “nice to have.”

For small nonprofits—especially in the arts and LGBTQ+ spaces—it’s your superpower.

And when it’s clear, shared, and lived out loud, it has the power to change everything.

If I can support you with your donor survey, let's talk.