The T-Shirt Test: A Nonprofit marketing & branding framework

For years, a quote that I heard from Scott Harrison, CEO of charity:water, on an episode of Masters of Scale has been my litmus test for nonprofit branding:

“Charities use shame and guilt… They worked — but nobody wants to wear the t-shirt of that charity.” 

Scott is right – over time, our sector has developed a stereotype for storytelling that, at its worst, feels manipulative to the potential supporter and even exploitative of the subject of the story. 

The T-Shirt Test became my short-hand for making sure we were avoiding that. 

This post lays out what the T-Shirt Test is, and how to apply it to nonprofit storytelling, nonprofit content, and nonprofit marketing. 

What is the T-Shirt test (and why does it matter?)

The premise of the t-shirt test is simple. 

Evaluate every piece of content and messaging you put out through one lens – if it isn’t so uplifting and empowering that it would inspire someone to wear our t-shirt in the long-term, we shouldn’t use it no matter how much we think it will raise in the short-term. 

Because ultimately, to create the most impact on our missions we need to create long-term movements, not extract the most we can from people one at a time in the short term. 

Proimpact Core Belief: Inspiration > Guilt

When we launched the Proimpact Project, we developed 7 core beliefs about how modern proimpact organizations should operate, compared to more traditional nonprofit strategies. 

One of the seven is – “Inspiration > Guilt. We must build movements through hope, not shame — and invite people to be part of bold, joyful change.”

Whenever I think about that core belief, I’m reminded of a story from many years ago when I invited a friend of mine to check out the fundraising gala my organization was throwing. 

As the dinner break was ending and the show resumed, she whispered in a joking way “So is this when you tell a really manipulative story to get me to take out my wallet?” 

I felt ashamed — not of my org (I hope we would have passed the t-shirt test that night), but on behalf of our whole sector. 

She assumed the guilt-trip playbook was coming. That moment solidified my commitment to flip the script: we would inspire, not manipulate.

Ethical storytelling

On an episode of the Proimpact Project LinkedIn Live series “How Should Modern EDs Think About…” focused on ethical storytelling, I had the chance to chat with Amina Mohamed of Cameras for Girls.

She’s developed an incredible set of tips for any ED to use to ensure your organization is using ethical storytelling, including: 

• Informed, documented consent: participants set boundaries.

• Retire savior tropes: we don’t “empower,” we INpower and show agency.

• Train staff/partners: harm-minimization and dignity-first visuals matter.

Amina was one of the founding members of the Proimpact ED Hive – a free community where Amina and other Executive Directors swap real-world nonprofit best practices.

Join the Proimpact ED Hive today!

User-Generated Content > Highly Produced Content

For decades, nonprofits leaned on glossy, highly produced ads — think Sarah McLachlan’s famous animal welfare commercial.

Those polished productions had their moment, but they often reinforced the same guilt-based tropes we’re trying to move beyond.

User-generated content (UGC) flips that script. 

Instead of spending tens of thousands on studio shoots, UGC invites your community — participants, volunteers, staff, even donors — to capture and share their own authentic stories. It’s raw, imperfect, and far more real.

In the for-profit world, UGC is one of the fastest-growing trends.

Brands from Patagonia to Glossier have learned that when real people share unfiltered posts, engagement soars because it feels trustworthy.

That dynamic makes UGC an even better fit for nonprofits:

• Builds trust and transparency, the sector’s true currencies.

• Levels the playing field — grassroots orgs can compete with multimillion-dollar peers.

• Costs little more than a smartphone and a clear consent process.

Tips to spark UGC at your nonprofit:

• Ask participants for short clips or photos about what the mission means to them (with consent).

• Encourage volunteers or donors to post why they give, then reshare.

• Highlight staff “day in the life” stories.

• Use simple prompts like “What gives you hope?” or “Why does this mission matter to you?”

When real people tell their own stories, your brand becomes something others want to join — and yes, something they’d proudly wear on a t-shirt.

Nonprofit branding with positive messages fits well with monthly donor programs

The traditional nonprofit fundraising playbooks were all built around getting 1-time gifts right now to count for this year. And the tear-jerker story is admittedly quite effective at that. 

But guilt is a sugar rush: it spikes, then it crashes.

As donor preferences continue to shift towards monthly donor programs, this type of messaging fits even better. 

Once someone joins a monthly donor program, we don’t need to create a highly charged emotional spike for them to get out their credit card again. 

Instead, we can send inspiring, positive stories and growth metrics that keep them. 

Organizations That Pass the T-Shirt Test

More and more organizations are developing positive, uplifting brands that build movements. It may not be a coincidence — the first three examples below literally feature someone wearing their t-shirt on their home page!

GirlTrek — Movement language, daily action, radical self-care. Their “1M+ walkers” community shows how culture-first storytelling creates identity. 

Team Rubicon — The “Greyshirt” isn’t just apparel; it’s identity. Veterans rally around purpose, service, and camaraderie. 

Movember — A literal wear-your-mission model. Mustaches plus playful merch turn supporters into advocates. 

World Bicycle Relief — The “Power of Bicycles” frames mobility as dignity and opportunity, not charity. 

Conclusion

The T-Shirt Test is more than a metaphor — it’s a modern nonprofit branding strategy for building movements, not just campaigns. If your content passes this test, it will naturally inspire people to share, wear, and sustain your mission.

Now’s the time to apply it across your organization. Ask your team the question before your next appeal: Would we be proud to wear this?