April 24, 2025 | Fargo, ND
April 24, 2025 | Fargo, ND
As the last traces of winter melt away in North Dakota’s Red River Valley, something remarkable is taking root. On April 24th, 2025, amid the season’s first blooms, mission-driven leaders will gather in Fargo for WellTold—a transformative conference where powerful missions meet masterful storytelling.
Every day, organizations like yours create meaningful change in our communities. But in a world of constant noise and distraction, even the most important work can go unnoticed.
WellTold exists to change that. In one transformative day, you’ll gain the tools, frameworks, and inspiration to turn your impact into stories that move people to action.
This intimate, hands-on experience empowers nonprofit leaders to think bigger, dream boldly, and leave with practical tools to make their impact unforgettable.
Register Now and
Dream Big!
$97
Early Bird Registration (Until Feb. 25)
$27 Virtual
$297
Regular Registration (After Feb. 25)
$97 Virtual
Investment in Your Mission
Your in person registration includes a full day of sessions, meals, materials, and ongoing connection to the WellTold community.
Need a little support to attend? Email Annie@wetellwell.com to inquire about scholarships.
During this session, Janese will share the tools you need to think differently. It’s tempting to do what we’ve always done or what’s worked before, and yet nonprofit leaders need to challenge assumptions in order to make the biggest impact. With your new tools and additional insights geared toward nonprofit decision-makers, you’ll be ready to generate more insightful, strategic decisions.
Many charities send out status quo fundraising that fails to captivate donors. There’s a better way. But it requires two important things: YOU and creative curiosity! With a subtle (and not so subtle) shift in how you approach creating and designing your fundraising, you can craft a compelling journey that your donors can’t wait to be part of. In this session, John Lepp will reveal how intentional design choices and storytelling can transform your fundraising from forgettable to irresistible. You’ll learn the design secrets that will make your materials stand out in a crowded mailbox. You’ll see how to use creativity and decision science to guide donors through the stories in your appeals to donor and how you can infuse joy and excitement into every piece of fundraising you send to them. By the end of this session, you will be inspired, you will look at creativity and your individual giving program completely different and most importantly – some guides on how to create fundraising that donors eagerly anticipate and love to read.
Your story deserves more than a one-time post. It deserves to move, inspire + spark action long after launch day. The Impact Arc is a proven framework from We Are For Good designed to help changemakers like you transform storytelling into an activated movement.In this hands-on workshop loaded with real world organizational case studies from the We Are For Good Podcast, we’ll break down the four essential steps – Stage, Storytell, Syndicate, and Stoke – so your message doesn’t just reach people, it activates them.You’ll learn:
You’ll walk away with a syndication playbook + a fresh mindset on how to amplify your message without doubling your workload. Let’s go beyond storytelling—and activate a movement.
At WellTold, Lisa Nelson-Haynes will introduce the concept of asset framing, a transformative approach to nonprofit storytelling that shifts the focus from deficits to strengths. Too often, stories in philanthropy center on struggle and hardship, but Lisa will challenge attendees to reframe narratives in a way that honors resilience, dignity, and the full humanity of the people they serve. She will explore how ethical storytelling can be a daily practice, not just a communication strategy, ensuring that nonprofits uplift their communities while still addressing challenges. This session will provide nonprofit leaders with practical tools to tell stories that inspire action, foster connection, and build a more just and empathetic world.
Patrick Kirby, founder of Do Good Better Consulting and author of Fundraise Awesomer!, will lead an engaging lunchtime session titled “Nonprofit Therapy: Transforming Fundraising Through Storytelling”. Drawing from his extensive experience in nonprofit development, Patrick will share practical strategies to infuse joy and creativity into fundraising efforts. Attendees will learn how to craft compelling narratives that resonate with donors, rejuvenate traditional fundraising events, and foster genuine connections with supporters. This session aims to equip nonprofit leaders with the tools to make fundraising both effective and enjoyable, ensuring their organizations thrive while staying true to their mission.
Explore how nonprofits can use data to enhance donor relationships rather than replace them. She will introduce DonorDock’s approach to donor stewardship, demonstrating how data-driven insights can personalize communication, strengthen engagement, and guide supporters through strategic moves management while keeping human connection at the core. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for leveraging donor data to build long-term relationships that drive impact—proving that technology should empower, not replace, meaningful interactions.
WellTold is uniquely focused on the intersection of storytelling and mission-driven work. Unlike broader nonprofit conferences, we offer an intimate, hands-on experience specifically designed to help you transform your organization’s impact into compelling narratives that resonate with donors, volunteers, and communities.
Yes! We offer a fully engaging virtual experience that allows you to participate from anywhere. Virtual attendees receive access to all sessions, digital materials, and opportunities to connect with other mission-driven leaders through our online platform.
You’ll leave Well Told with:
Online on Eventbrite
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This prairie city has quietly become a hub of social innovation, where grassroots initiatives flourish alongside established nonprofits.
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Fargo offers a refreshing environment that fosters genuine collaboration and creativity, free from the distractions of oversized, impersonal conferences. It’s a place where meaningful connections come naturally, creating space for impactful ideas to thrive.
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As spring awakens the prairie, April 24th marks the ideal moment to refresh your approach and energize your storytelling.
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With resources in hand, we put our plans into action by implementing programs and initiatives that directly address the identified needs. Our team works tirelessly to make a positive impact on the ground.
Work hands-on with master storytellers who understand the unique challenges of nonprofit communication
Transform program data into donor inspiration, volunteer experiences into viral stories, and mission statements into movements
Build lasting relationships with leaders who share both your challenges and your dreams for greater impact
Get personalized attention and practical solutions tailored to your specific mission
WellTold starts with a chill, vibey evening at Wild Terra. A great local cider house where you can register and meet your fellow attendees.
We'll have good nosh, great coffee, and greatest mingling!
Master the fundamentals of strategic storytelling and thinking differently, learn proven frameworks for turning impact into narrative, and discover how to identify and capture your most powerful stories.
Work directly with expert storytellers, receive real-time feedback on your organization's narrative, and build your custom storytelling toolkit that blends fundraising expertise with storytelling brilliance.
Together, we bridge strategic donor engagement with powerful narratives to help your mission stand out.
Tellwell Story Co. Creative storytelling specialists focused on social impact
Masters of donor management and fundraising technology
Seeking to amplify their impact
Looking for fresh approaches
Shaping stronger communities
Ready to deepen donor relationships
Building meaningful connections
Ready to make real change?
Access detailed content from the conference
Storytelling templates and guides at your fingertips
Connect with fellow mission-driven leaders
Ongoing support from the Tellwell team
Continue your learning with specialized sessions
Spark a friendship or a resource to be used for your whole career!
In a world where attention is scattered and connection often feels superficial, your organization’s story needs to cut through the noise. At WellTold, you’ll discover how to make your impact impossible to ignore, your mission impossible to forget, and your cause impossible to resist.
Join us this April in Fargo, where the tradition of neighborly support meets modern storytelling innovation. Because when good work is WellTold, communities grow stronger, donors lean in, and change becomes unstoppable.
Make your impact impossible to ignore
Craft a story impossible to forget
Create a cause impossible to resist
Limited seats are available for this intimate gathering. Bring your mission, your challenges, and your hope for greater impact. Leave with the tools, connections, and inspiration to tell your story in a way that moves people to action.
Contact us with questions about WellTold or to discuss group registration options.
Copyright © 2025 • WellTold: A Non-Profit Storytelling Conference
Janese Evans is a business planning, marketing research, and creativity expert. As principal of Strategic Toolbox, she has worked in 63 countries and 26 languages, specializing in strategic issues.
Since founding Strategic Toolbox in 2000, she has helped clients with creativity, planning, and research, influencing decisions for over 30 years.
A dedicated volunteer leader, Janese has served on multiple boards, including Destination Imagination, SCSU Foundation & Alumni Boards, and the Military History Society of Minnesota. She also offers pro bono strategic planning for non-profits.
She coaches marketers and educators on creativity, speaks at national conferences, and developed BrainNoodling™ decks to spark new ideas.
Janese holds degrees from St. Cloud State University and Buffalo State University, completed the Babson College Executive Leadership Program, and is a trained civil mediator.
John Lepp, affectionally referred to as the Ted Lasso of fundraising, is the author of Creative Deviations, and a direct response, marketing and graphic design expert with over 25 years of experience working with charities around the world to help them tell better stories and to inspire donors to give, both online and offline. He is a respected and coveted international speaker who has traveled the world helping fundraisers be more “human” and “vulnerable” to these other amazing humans we call donors.
Jon McCoy is the co-founder & CEO of We Are For Good, a global movement mobilizing changemakers. With 15+ years in nonprofit marketing and fundraising, he sees philanthropy as more than dollars—it’s about building community-driven movements.
As co-host of the We Are For Good Podcast (600K+ downloads), Jon has interviewed 500+ social impact leaders. In 2024, We Are For Good launched ImpactUp, a global event series uniting changemakers across 50+ cities in seven countries.
Currently, Jon, his wife Candice, and their two sets of twins are on a 500-day journey across all 50 states and 50 national parks in their vintage Airstream—building community every step of the way.
Lisa Nelson-Haynes is the Chief Program Officer at StoryCorps, leading transformative initiatives that amplify everyday voices. A key member of the Executive Leadership Team, she helps shape the organization’s impact and reach.
An award-winning storyteller and educator, Lisa has facilitated digital storytelling workshops for 18+ years, collaborating with institutions like Drexel University, the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, and Community Foundations.
Previously, she served as Executive Director of Philadelphia Young Playwrights, empowering youth through playwriting and fostering creativity, confidence, and agency.
A fierce advocate for personal narratives, Lisa champions an asset-based approach to storytelling, ensuring every voice is honored and celebrated.
Patrick Kirby is what happens when you mix equal parts fundraising expertise, caffeinated enthusiasm, and an unshakable belief that nonprofits deserve better than burnout and budget gaps. As the Founder of Do Good Better Consulting, Patrick has made it his life’s mission to help nonprofits fundraise smarter, build stronger donor relationships, and actually enjoy asking for money (yes, really).
He’s the author of the Amazon bestsellers Fundraise Awesomer! A Practical Guide to Staying Sane While Doing Good & Fundraise Like a 5th Grader, host of The Official Do Good Better Podcast, and loather of the phrase “we’ve always done it that way.”
Patrick’s fundraising street cred comes from nearly two decades in the trenches, including his time as Senior Director of Development at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Chief Development Officer at the Anne Carlsen Center. He’s worked with organizations of every shape and size, helping them raise millions without losing their minds in the process.
With 17 years in education and firsthand experience as a nonprofit founder, Bridgette Bitzegaio is dedicated to empowering others. As a former educator, she honed skills in connection, communication, and strategic planning, which seamlessly translated into nonprofit leadership.
Bridgette founded and led her own nonprofit, gaining deep insight into fundraising, donor engagement, and operations. Now, as an Account Manager at DonorDock, she leverages her expertise to help organizations strengthen donor relationships and drive impact.
Passionate about turning data into action, Bridgette equips nonprofits with the tools and strategies to build deeper, lasting connections with their supporters.
