Are you speaking my language?

By operationalizing a multi-pronged, equity-informed strategy, our organization spearheads transformative, high-impact initiatives that holistically address systemic disparities through scalable, data-driven interventions.

(Translation: We helped people. But it’s all about us, and no one knows what we actually did.)

Let’s call it what it is: most nonprofit communications are a mess of jargon, buzzwords, and self-congratulatory fluff. And it’s costing you—big time.

If your emails, website, or annual report are filled with phrases like “capacity-building initiatives,” “multi-stakeholder alignment,” or “serving vulnerable populations through scalable interventions,” you’re not showcasing your mission—you’re obscuring it. You’re speaking a language your supporters don’t understand. And when people don’t understand you, they don’t trust you. They don’t give. They walk away.

As Matt Watkins wrote recently in The Chronicle of Philanthropy Commons*: “Our language is packed with elite-sounding jargon that excludes people and creates distance. It’s ineffective—and dangerous—amid today’s heightened distrust of institutions.” He’s right. We cannot afford to sound like bureaucrats performing for a foundation panel in a sector that runs on trust and participation.

Let’s be crystal clear: this isn’t about “dumbing down” your message. This is about making it accessible and compelling. You can be values-driven, ambitious, and strategic—and still talk like a human being. You can be visionary without being verbose.

The stakes? They’re high. The 2025 Donor Trust Report shows a continued erosion of public confidence in nonprofits, especially among younger, more diverse donor bases. Pair that with a national donor retention rate that hasn’t cracked 50% in years, and the pattern is clear. People don’t stick around when they don’t feel seen, valued, or connected.

And jargon? It’s the velvet rope that keeps your supporters out.

Three Non-Negotiables to Kill the Jargon and Connect for Real:

1. Translate mission into meaning.

If a high schooler or a new supporter can't understand your elevator pitch, rewrite it. “We fight food insecurity” means more than “we address nutrition access through multisectoral collaboration.” Say what you mean. Make it matter.

2. Gut-check every piece of communication.

Before hitting send, ask: Would an engaged, non-expert supporter understand this? Would they feel something when they read it? If not, rewrite it. Your mission deserves language that connects, not just language that checks boxes.

3. Replace self-congratulation with shared accomplishment.

Stop saying “We achieved XYZ.” Start saying, “Because of you, families had access to care.” Every story, every stat, every update should include your supporter. If they don’t see themselves in the work, they won’t stay in the work.

Here’s the truth:

You can be visionary without being verbose. You can be strategic without sounding like a strategy deck. And you can grow trust, grow donations, and grow community—if you’re willing to stop hiding behind insider language and start speaking with heart, humility, and clarity.

Mission and message are not in conflict. They are co-pilots. And if you want people to believe in your mission, your message better meet them where they are.

So, nonprofits: if your goal is to build a better world, start by building a better sentence.

*: read the full essay from Watkins in The Chronicle of Philanthropy Commons here: Nonprofit Jargon