Finding Your Nonprofit’s Voice (and Tone)
When I create a messaging guide for a nonprofit, one of the most important pieces of the puzzle for clear, consistent communication is voice and tone.
Your voice is your organization’s personality.
Your tone is your organization’s mood.
Like people, nonprofits have one consistent personality. But your tone can and should shift depending on the moment.
Why voice and tone matter
Your organization’s voice tells people who you are. It conveys your values, your perspective, and your unique way of showing up in the world.
Your tone—how you express that voice in any given situation—shows your audience that you see them. It adapts to their emotional state, the channel you’re using, and the message you’re sharing.
When the two work together, your communications sound clear, confident, and unmistakably you.
The serious trap
Nonprofit leaders often tell me, “Our mission addresses a serious problem—we can’t risk sounding too casual.”
That instinct makes sense. If you’re talking about hunger, housing, or health crises, you want to honor the gravity of the issue. But sounding serious all the time can make your content feel distant or heavy.
And there’s a difference between being serious and being sincere.
Sincere messaging acknowledges real challenges while still leaving room for connection, warmth, and sometimes, even humor. It shows that behind the mission are real people—humans who care deeply and invite others to care alongside them.
What balance looks like
A great example of this balance comes from Susan G. Komen, the breast cancer organization.
Komen partnered with Avocados From Mexico to encourage regular breast self-exams—a lighthearted collaboration that immediately caught people’s attention. It used humor and visual playfulness to spark awareness of something deeply important.
The tone was unexpected yet perfectly aligned with their voice: hopeful, empowering, and centered on proactive health. It didn’t trivialize the cause—it humanized it.
That’s what happens when voice and tone work together. The partnership made people smile and think, which is the sweet spot for meaningful communication.
Tone is what allows people to emotionally access your message. It’s the bridge between your organization’s truth and your audience’s readiness to hear it.
Finding your range
A strong brand voice gives you a home base—your personality, values, and perspective stay constant.
A defined tone gives you flexibility—it’s how you adapt that personality to the situation at hand.
Here’s a simple way to visualize it:
Voice: Your nonprofit’s “always.”
(E.g., compassionate, confident, community-centered.)Tone: Your nonprofit’s “right now.”
(E.g., celebratory in a success story, empathetic in a crisis response, hopeful in an appeal.)
When your team understands both, your communications become consistent without sounding robotic. Every message—from a social post to a board update—feels aligned, intentional, and unmistakably yours.
A final thought
Voice builds recognition.
Tone builds connection.
Together, they help your organization sound human, grounded, and trustworthy—so the right people not only hear your message but feel it.
And if you ever wonder whether your cause can handle a little lightness, remember: even serious missions can have a sense of humor. 🥑
After a decade as an in-house nonprofit marketer, Jordana Merkin founded Voice for Good to bring her insider knowledge and outsider perspective to help growing nonprofits like yours clarify their messaging to raise awareness and funds for their missions.
Her work with nonprofits includes messaging guides, communication strategy, and copywriting. (Learn more here!)
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