Dec 19, 2025
For nonprofits, stories matter. But the underlying narratives that shape how people make sense of the world matter even more. As narrative change takes on a larger role in strategic planning, leaders, boards, and funders are asking a critical question: How do we know if it’s actually working? In today's episode, Josh Gryniewicz and Brett Davidson discuss ways nonprofits of all sizes can measure the impact of narrative change work and why that measurement matters. Tune in to learn practical frameworks for assessing narrative impact, including how to think collaboratively, how to spot meaningful signals of change, and how to make a stronger case for narrative strategy with funders and decision-makers.
Want to suggest a topic, guest, or nonprofit organization for an upcoming episode? Send an email with the subject "NPFX suggestion" to contact@ipmadvancement.com.
Additional Resources
Measuring Narrative Change:
Moving From Theory to Practice by Brett Davidson
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/measuring_narrative_change_moving_from_theory_to_practice
[NPFX] Co-Creating Solutions: The
Next Level of Community Listening
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/co-creating-solutions-the-next-level-of-community-listening-narrative-strategy
[NPFX] From Micro-Stories to
Meta-Narratives: How to Influence Perception and Drive
Change
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/from-micro-stories-to-meta-narratives-how-to-influence-perception-and-drive-change-narrative-strategy
[NPFX] Authentic, Ethical, and
Effective Messaging — From Theory to Practice
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/authentic-ethical-and-effective-messaging-from-theory-to-practice
[NPFX] Flipping the Script: Using
Narrative Strategy to Improve Messaging and Prevent Donor
Attrition
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/flipping-the-script-using-narrative-strategy-to-improve-messaging-and-prevent-donor-attrition
[NPFX] How to Find Authentic Voices
That Inspire Action
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/narrative-strategy-how-to-find-authentic-voices-that-inspire-action
Guests
Josh Gryniewicz is the founder and Chief
Narrative Strategist at Odd Duck, a
storytelling-for-social-change creative consultancy focused on
impact-driven organizations. Josh is the co-author of the
award-winning national bestseller, Interrupting Violence. For over a decade, he
has worked in nonprofit communication. In 2018, he founded Odd Duck
to combine his passions for storytelling and social change. The
agency’s Navigating Misinformation for Community Health framework
has been shared with over a thousand community health
organizations. Odd Duck has worked with nearly a hundred
change-making organizations and advised hundreds more, including
the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the Harvard School of
Public Health, and the White House.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jgryniewicz/
https://oddduck.io/
https://www.interruptingviolence.com/
Brett Davidson
is founder and principal at Wingseed LLC, where he supports
social justice changemakers around the world to amplify their
impact. Brett also serves as Lead of Narrative Field-Building with
IRIS, the International Resource for Impact and Storytelling.
Previously he was director of Media and Narratives at the Open
Society Public Health Program, where he led an international team
focused on changing long-held social narratives impacting health
equity. Prior to joining Open Society in 2010, Davidson was a media
consultant to civil society organizations in Southern and Eastern
Africa. He previously served as program manager at the South
African democracy institute Idasa, where he helped community radio
stations develop participatory news and current affairs
programming. Before that, he worked as a presenter and producer in
radio current affairs at the South African Broadcasting
Corporation, and in collaboration with the BBC.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettdav/
https://www.wingseed.org/
https://brettdavidson.substack.com/
Hosts
Russ Phaneuf, a
co-founder of IPM Advancement, has a background in
higher education development, with positions at the University of
Hartford, Northern Arizona University, and Thunderbird School of
Global Management. As IPM's managing director & chief strategist,
Russ serves as lead fundraising strategist, award-winning content
creator, and program analyst specializing in applied system
dynamics.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/russphaneuf/
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/
Rich Frazier has
worked in the nonprofit sector for over 35 years. In his roles as
senior consultant with IPM Advancement and founder of VisionConnect LLC, Rich offers extensive
understanding and knowledge in capital campaigns, fund development,
strategic planning, and board of directors development.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richfrazier/
https://www.visionconnectllc.com/