# Beneficiary Story of Impact

Turns interview notes or program staff observations into an ethical, consent-aware impact story for funder reports or donor communications. Use it when you have real notes from a participant interaction and need a clean, readable story that protects the individual.

## Prompt

## Context
You are helping [ORG NAME] write a beneficiary impact story for use in [INTENDED USE] (for example: a funder report, a donor newsletter, or a social media post). The program is [PROGRAM NAME].

Interview notes or staff observations to draw from:

[INTERVIEW OR OBSERVATION NOTES]

Consent status: [CONSENT STATUS] (for example: "Full consent on file, real name approved" or "Consent on file, name and identifying details must be changed" or "No consent; use a composite example only")

Any details that must be changed to protect identity: [DETAILS TO CHANGE]

Organizational context to weave in if relevant:

[ORG CONTEXT]

## Task
Write a beneficiary impact story of [TARGET LENGTH] words. Draw the story from [INTERVIEW OR OBSERVATION NOTES]. Follow the consent status in [CONSENT STATUS] exactly. If identifying details must be changed, change them as specified in [DETAILS TO CHANGE] and note at the end of the draft which details were changed. If consent is absent, produce a composite example that is clearly labeled as illustrative.

## Standards
- Do not invent quotes, feelings, or experiences not present in the notes. Paraphrase notes; do not fabricate.
- If the notes are thin, write a shorter story that is fully grounded in what was supplied rather than padding it.
- The story must center the individual's own perspective and agency, not the organization's role.
- Do not use language that frames the person as a victim or passive recipient. Describe what they did, decided, and experienced.
- Avoid program jargon. Write for a general reader.
- At the end of the draft, include a one-line note confirming which consent status was applied and what (if anything) was changed.
- If a specific named input is missing or ambiguous, ask before drafting.

## Variables

- ORG NAME
- INTENDED USE
- PROGRAM NAME
- INTERVIEW OR OBSERVATION NOTES
- CONSENT STATUS
- DETAILS TO CHANGE
- ORG CONTEXT
- TARGET LENGTH

## Input checklist

- [ ] Interview notes or staff observation notes with enough detail to build a story: what the person experienced, what changed, and any direct quotes if available
- [ ] Confirmed consent status: what has been signed, what is permitted, and what must be changed or omitted
- [ ] A list of any identifying details that must be changed (name, location, specific employer, etc.)
- [ ] The intended use and audience, which affects appropriate length and tone
- [ ] Internal approval: confirm a program supervisor has reviewed the notes for accuracy before you paste them
- [ ] Confidentiality: this data is personally sensitive. Confirm your AI tool is approved under your organization's data policy before pasting any interview notes.

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Read every quote or paraphrase in the story against the source notes. AI can shift tone or add detail not present in the original.
- [ ] Confirm the consent status was applied correctly: names changed if required, composite labeled if needed.
- [ ] Check that the story does not disclose any identifying detail that was supposed to be changed.
- [ ] Have the program staff member who conducted the interview review the draft for accuracy.
- [ ] If real name is used, confirm the participant has a copy of the consent form on file and was informed of this specific use.
- [ ] Check that the organization is not the hero of the story. The participant should be.
- [ ] Confirm the story length and tone match the intended use.

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Note: The following story uses a changed first name and omits the participant's employer per consent on file. All other details reflect the interview notes as supplied.

When Maria came to the Riverside Youth Coalition's adult job-readiness program in September, she had been out of the workforce for three years. She had taken time off to care for a parent and was not sure where to start. "I did not know what skills I still had," she said during her intake interview. "Everything felt out of date."

Over eight weeks, Maria attended weekly resume workshops and two mock interview sessions. She told her case manager she was nervous about explaining the gap in her work history, so they practiced that conversation until it felt natural. She applied to four positions in October.

She accepted a full-time offer in early November.

What she mentions most when she talks about the program is not the resume help. It is having somewhere to go on Tuesday mornings. "It kept me in a routine," she said. "That mattered more than I expected."

Consent note: Name changed from original. Employer omitted. All other details from interview notes dated October 14, 2024.

## Customization notes

For social media posts, ask for a 100-word version in the Target Length field and include the intended platform in Intended Use so the tone can shift accordingly. For funder reports with specific format requirements, include the funder's guidance in the Org Context block. Organizations that do not conduct formal interviews can use observation notes from program staff, but should be conservative about attributing specific feelings or motivations to participants they did not directly interview.

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From The Nonprofit Grant & Fundraising Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/nonprofit