Last week over at Networking for Good, there was a teleconference on storytelling as an online fundraising technique. And while I wouldn't bother with the handouts (read: outline of the call without much additional content), the accompanying checklist is pretty helpful, in that it provides a concise overview of what comprises an effective story. Don't let the online stuff deter you, either--even if you're miles away from just having a website for your program, the checklist (and much of the essential content from the call) may provide some great ideas for a fundraising letter to the community or a talk to civic groups that might donate to your program.
 
You can listen to the full teleconference here or read transcripts from the event.