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The questions we ask shape a story long before a single word is written. A simple, open-ended invitation gives someone room to show up as a whole person, rather than only as someone who received services from your organization. In this episode, Maria sits down with Maria Rio, founder and CEO of the fundraising consulting firm Further Together, to talk about how fundraisers can gather and tell stories with dignity at the center.
Maria Rio shares how coming to Canada as a refugee and accessing services as a child shaped the way she once told stories, and how that shifted as she saw how those narratives landed with others. Together, the pair explore her 10 Dignified Storytelling Questions, gentle interviewing techniques like mirroring, what to do when a story owner shares more than expected, and why storytellers need boundaries and their own support. They also discuss why empowering donors builds longer relationships than guilt ever could.
This conversation is an invitation to see trauma-informed storytelling as a lens rather than a checklist, and to remember that the stories we tell, however small they feel, add up to how entire communities are understood.
About Maria Rio
Maria leads the Further Together team. Maria came to Canada as a refugee at an early age. After being assisted by many charities and going through an arduous 12-year immigration process to become a Canadian citizen, Maria devoted herself to working in non-profit. Maria has over a decade of fundraising and non-profit experience. Her op-eds have been featured in national publications such as the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, and CCF. She is frequently asked to speak at webinars and conferences and was a finalist for the national 2022 Charity Village Best Individual Fundraiser Award. Maria also hosts The Small Nonprofit podcast and sits on the Board of Living Wage Canada.
Connect with Maria Rio
Website | LinkedIn |The Small Nonprofit Podcast | 10 Dignified Storytelling Questions
About Host Maria Bryan
Maria Bryan is a trauma-informed storytelling trainer. She helps nonprofit leaders tell powerful and impactful stories that resist harm. Maria has over fifteen years in marketing communications in the public sector. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, and is professionally certified in Trauma & Resilience, Trauma-Informed Space Holding, Trauma-Informed Coaching, and Somatic Embodiment & Regulation. Maria is a firm believer that storytellers make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place.
Connect with Maria
Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email
