What Your Stakeholders Value—And Why It Matters More Than You Think

Every organization believes it knows why people value its work.
Until you ask.

When a team has just completed a strategic plan, they’re often eager to tell their story in a new way—to raise visibility, engage partners, and attract funding. But what’s often missing is a clear understanding of what different audiences actually value about the organization’s contributions, and how those perceptions align (or don’t) with internal assumptions.

That gap is where opportunity lives.

Value Proposition Discovery bridges internal understanding with external perception. It reveals the nuanced reasons stakeholders—funders, partners, volunteers, or clients—choose to engage, invest, and stay connected. Those insights shape everything from messaging and program design to relationship cultivation and revenue growth.

Through this work, organizations often discover that their greatest value isn’t always what they do, it’s how they do it—through trust, credibility, responsiveness, or stewardship. These are forms of relational and structural capital that can’t be seen on a balance sheet but are central to long-term impact.

When you understand your value through both an internal and external lens, you can:

• Clarify the messages that move people to act.
• Strengthen alignment between your vision and your stakeholders’ lived experience.
• Build ladders of engagement that turn curiosity into commitment.

This process isn’t marketing—it’s meaning-making. It helps leaders articulate what makes their organization indispensable, not just distinctive.

A Moment to Reflect

Take a moment to think about your top five donors or most consistent supporters.

• What do you think they value most about being connected to your organization?
• How do you know? (Is it something they’ve told you—or something you’ve assumed?)
• What part of your work makes them feel confident, proud, or connected?

Now look at your most recent donor communication. Does it speak to those things—or just to what the organization wants to highlight?

When you start to see your organization through your donors’ eyes, you begin to find the language that builds lasting connection.

Learn More

If your team is ready to turn insight into alignment, explore the Value Proposition Discovery service.