Nonprofits’ Addiction to Jargon Is Eroding Public Trust
By leaning on abstract language to satisfy funders and signal expertise, organizations are losing the clarity and recognition they need to maintain public support.
By Matt Watkins
Contributor
Everyone’s Talking About ‘Affordability.’ Philanthropy Should, Too.
To build trust in the communities they serve, nonprofits need to speak plainly about the work they already do to help people afford their lives.
By Matt Watkins
Contributor
How Nonprofit Jargon Ignores Real Fears of Violence
As they battle weaponized political rhetoric, public safety advocates default to technical terms that confuse the communities they aim to protect.
By Matt Watkins
Contributor
‘Food Insecurity’ and Other Words That Sanitize Poverty
How soft euphemisms turn the suffering of millions into an abstraction stripped of emotion or urgency. Plus, examples of straight talk that will rally supporters.
By Matt Watkins
Contributor
Why Philanthropy’s Democracy Talk Turns People Off
Here are the words that leave average Americans cold — and the language that could connect them to the billion-dollar fight to strengthen the country.
By Matt Watkins
Contributor
7 Words That Can Restore Trust in Philanthropy
The language nonprofits use can push people away. Here’s how to invite them in and build connection.
By Matt Watkins
Contributor
Adapt or Resist? How to Survive the Threat of Political Litmus Tests for Federal Grants
A new executive order gives presidential appointees the power to reward allies and punish opponents. Here are seven actions nonprofits can take to lessen the blow.
By Matt Watkins
Contributor
Philanthropy’s Trigger Words — and How to Make Your Message Clear
You say ‘equity.’ They hear ‘exclusion.’ Strategies for getting everyone on the same page.
By Matt Watkins
Contributor
Word Jumble: When Nonprofits Talk Fancy, America Tunes Out
Our language is packed with elite-sounding jargon. It is ineffective — and dangerous — amid today’s heightened distrust of institutions and growing hostility to the sector.
By Matt Watkins
Contributor