how to make a good mun speech

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How Do I Give Speeches in MUN?

There are a few ways of making sure your MUN speeches are as strong as possible:

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Model un 101: how to give the perfect opening speech.

Whether you’re a Model UN newbie or a seasoned veteran, public speaking is a skill that we can always continuously hone and improve, and it’s one that we focus on here at the MUN Institute . It’s a key aspect of MUN that is at the heart of the activity – as a MUN delegate, you need to be able to communicate with your fellow committee members, and you need to know exactly how to effectively promote your country’s policy.

Many of us have sat through speeches, MUN-related or otherwise, that were all over the place. The speaker had no structure to their speech, and they just rambled on with no rhyme or reason. Having a well-structured speech is a great way to ensure that you’ll be able to not only catch, but also keep, your audience’s attention. Additionally, they’ll understand exactly what the point of your speech is, and what they should take away from it.

Watch the video below to learn more about how to structure the perfect Model UN opening speech from Best Delegate Co-Founder Ryan Villanueva!

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The Art of the Perfect Opening Speech

Written by Pierre-Jean

Mun articles | strategy, july 16, 2019, action | argumentation | debate | hook | model un speech | opening speech | point | public speaking | rhetoric | speakers list | speech delivery.

That’s it. The moment you waited for. It could be your first conference or your tenth, but the first time you ever address your committee will always be a highly nerve wracking, and equally critical, moment for even the most experienced delegates.

Public speaking is a staple of Model UN.  To become an expert speaker, every delegate has to ask themselves the same question: How can I improve my skills, and therefore my performance, while in committee?

First of all, you have to differentiate the two categories of committee speeches: the persuasive speech versus and the opening speech.

Opening speeches usually range from one minute to one minute and thirty seconds long and are presented to the entire committee.  Their main purpose is for a delegate to present their specific position’s stance on the topic of the committee.

The framework for any public speech has remained the same since the rise and fall of Roman Republic: you will have to present a hook, a point related to the topic and a final call to action:

Any type of hook must tackle the ongoing issue in committee, while creating a keen interest for future policies and actions a delegate would like to take. You can choose from a large panel of rhetorical tools such as rhetorical questions, metaphors, jarring statistics, or sound bites to make your speeches more interesting to listen to. Other ideas could include an assertion or a reference to a striking historical event.

After the hook, the next step is to focus on the point you want to make. The point should account for the largest portion of your speaking time: this is your chance to change the flow of debate and establish yourself as a critical contributor to committee. Assert your position’s policy or opinion on the topic of committee. Be sure to use evidence or examples when discussing what your country or representative believes: whether you want it or not, you cannot throw the point you want to make without emphasis on facts. Tactics one could use include using statistics or comparisons, appealing to factual evidence, and using quotes from public officials to emphasize your country’s conviction on its particular stance. 

Never “echo the sentiments” of a previous delegate; never regurgitate the same stale opinions that have already been voiced by all the speeches that came before you. Contribute something new: voice a perspective that hasn’t been represented yet, point out a weak spot in your opponent’s argumentation style, play the devil’s advocate, or bring up a new subsidiary issue within the topic of debate.

III. Action

What you will end your speech on is your call to action: do not reveal your entire set of solutions, but instead make it what closes the deal. The call to action aims to present how you will vote in future caucuses, as well as make it clear to those in committee who you will side with. By crafting an effective hook, using strong evidence, making your opinions clear to the committee, your opening speech can quickly make you the most coveted ally for others to have before the first caucus even begins. 

At the end of the day, your opening speech will not make or break your ability to win an award in your committee. It’s an opportunity to make a good first impression and set yourself ahead of others for the first few committee sessions; that being said, putting too much pressure on the first speech can result in stuttering or a lack of confidence. The best, and only, thing to do is to give your first speech with confidence and a solid structure in order to start your committee performance off on a strong note.

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GSL Speech For MUN

Writing a perfect MUN GSL Speech is a skill set you will learn over time. There are a few different ways you can approach writing your Model UN GSL speech that we will talk about in this guide.

Think about breaking your GSL speech into 3 parts:

• Hook – Grab the attention of your fellow delegates in the committee
• Point – Get your policy across that you may want to see in the draft resolution
• Call to Action – Mention Action step based on your hook and point This is simple yet effective time

Make sure you are on the General Speakers List (GSL) as much as possible during the MUN Conference.

It’s not just about having ample speakers tine in GSL rather about bringing your points and ideas across your fellow delegates in the committee and show the Chair you are playing a key role in shaping the debate.

While delivering your GSL Speech:

Remember the importance of Body Language, to matter if your topic is discussing nuclear weapons or human rights, make to have your body language in line with the words you say in your speech.

What is a good way to start a General Speakers List speech in MUN?

Good general tip for a MUN speech is to try to be  be dramatic as well as informative. Remember that you can’t just read what’s written on the page of your speech.

Privacy Overview

3.2 Making Speeches

Back to Handbook Contents page.

Back to Unit 3: Foundational Skills.

Speeches are an integral part of your performance and experience at a Model United Nations conference. They express your policy and introduce your presence to the body. This article explains why we give speeches in Model UN, how to prepare a Model UN speech and how to use diplomatic language.

For a funny look at how to prepare, read our BuzzFeed list here .

a. What is a Speech in Model United Nations?

As discussed in the section on Rules of Procedure , the discussion of your committee topic happens in two ways, formal debate and caucusing. Formal debate is conducted according to clear rules that govern who is able to speak and when. The chair of the committee will ask which countries would like to speak and add them to a “speakers list”, which is usually prominently displayed on a blackboard, flipchart or projector. The chair will invite a representative the country at the top of the list to come to the front of the room, or to a microphone, and deliver a speech outlining their policy on the committee topic. The speech is time-limited – depending on the size of your committee, speeches may be 30 to 90 seconds long. The chair of your committee will probably have a gavel, that s/he will tap when you have 10 or 15 seconds left and bang when your time is up. You must stop speaking once your allotted time has elapsed.

b. Purpose of Speeches

The main purpose of a speech in a Model UN committee is to introduce and talk about your policy ( using your 3PP ), signaling to other delegations where you stand on the committee topic. In a large committee, you may only get one chance to speak before the entire group, so it is important that your speech delivers a concise, compelling and memorable case for your country’s position. In smaller committees you may get more than one chance to speak, which allows you to comment on the progress of the discussion, the ideas that your country agrees with and the direction you think the committee should go. Making multiple good speeches establishes you as a significant player within the committee, so make sure to raise your placard whenever your chair asks if their is anyone who wishes to be added to the speakers list. When you are finished speaking, immediately send a note up the chair asking to be added to the speakers list again. Within reason, you benefit from being in front of the entire committee as much as possible.

Please note that the speech should try to move the discussion forward in a productive manner. Therefore, try to be as clear as possible about where your country would like the discussion to move, while also being diplomatic. Your speech is not an opportunity to try out your comedic material, start a fight or call out another state. At all times, you must conduct yourself with diplomatic decorum .

c. How to Write Your Speech

Students often feel unsure about how to write their speeches. The good news is that by following a structure carefully, and drawing on your position paper , you can write a compelling speech without much difficulty. A good speech — in its most basic form — grabs the audience’s attention, delivers your main point or “ask” and conveys why this is important. This can be represented as a simple “beginning, middle and end” structure:

Beginning of Your Speech

• Grab the audience’s attention, perhaps with a quote from your Head of State or a surprising statistic that dramatizes the main problem or question your committee is considering (perhaps drawn from your position paper ).
• Explain in a sentence how this quote or statistic relates to the global community’s concern for your committee topic.

Middle of Your Speech

• In one or two sentences, provide context and background (using statistics and other evidence) on the problem, showing how responses so far have not adequately dealt with it and why the committee needs to act.
• Introduce your country’s policy recommendations, using a 3PP . This is the most important piece of your speech.

End of Your Speech

• Reinforce why the urgency and importance of the problem
• Briefly restate your policy and hope for a common solution
• Close with a compelling quote from your country’s president or foreign minister (or a UN official) relating to the topic

Note that you can shorten or lengthen your speech around this structure depending on the time available for speeches in your committee. However, you should never cut the policy recommendation (3PP) , since this is the primary purpose of your speech — you want other states to know where your delegation stands and what you are calling on the committee to do.

You should spend some time before the conference preparing your first speech, but once the committee begins you will probably need to writing speeches “on the fly.” These more improvised speeches should address the specific issues that are emerging out of the committees discussions. Again, they should focus on your state’s policy positions on the topics of discussion. To prepare these more extemporaneous speeches rely on the above structure and information from your position paper research.

One of the Pace University New York City head delegates has prepared a useful “cheat sheet” to print out and take to your committee session to help you write speeches quickly. Click here to download it.

d. How to Practice Your Speech

Almost everyone has nerves when it comes to public speaking, but you can manage these by preparing well, memorizing the information in your position paper (perhaps use flash cards) and practicing. Run through your first speech with a timer, perhaps in front of your delegation partner or a head delegate . Ask them to give you gentle and constructive feedback. Practice giving extemporaneous speeches by having your delegation partner come up with a topic and speaking about it for a minute. Support each other and share useful quotes, information and statistics within the class, particularly among those who will be representing the same country as you. Remember that the head delegates , senior delegates and the faculty advisor are also available to meet with you and help if you feel unsure or uncomfortable with public speaking.

e. How to Present Your Speech

The following is a list of things to keep in mind when presenting your speech:

Posture and Gestures

• Stand confidently
• Move around only for dramatic effect
• Feel free to make hand gestures, but avoid pointing with or wagging your finger
• Avoid slouching or fidgeting. If fidgeting helps to manage your anxiety, perhaps hold a pencil behind your back, or move your toes inside your shoes, to keep it out of sight.
• Don’t touch or flip your hair
• Don’t cover your mouth with your hands

Eye Contact

• When you begin, make eye contact with your chair and the committee
• Look up from your notes, don’t simply read them
• If necessary, find a spot to look at in the back of the room

Facial Expressions

• If you look bored, people will tune you out
• You should take your topic seriously and show that through your demeanor and expressions

Speech Aids

• Use note cards if needed, but avoid a piece of paper, which might rattle if your hands are shaking
• Use your notes to enhance your speech, not as a crutch
• Do not read your notes word for word
• Speak clearly, as your audience needs to understand what you are saying
• Maintain diplomatic decorum
• Practice difficult words (Country names, president names, program titles, words with many syllables)
• Speak slowly; don’t try to cram a large amount of information into one speech, as you need to get your point across in 30-90 seconds.
• Practice your volume. Everyone needs to hear you, but don’t yell. You can vary your volume for dramatic effect
• Use variety, pitch, and rate wisely! Don’t start too fast or speed up at the end. When saying a quote or your 3PP, SLOW DOWN!
• Don’t be intimidated by the ten-second tap by the chair
• Be clear on what you are trying to communicate.
• Your goal is to PERSUADE, not to just state your policy or 3PP
• Think carefully about who you are speaking to — who do you need to persuade? You usually don’t need to persuade everyone — focus on those who are undecided, the “maybe” votes
• Think about why your speech matters — this is your moment to speak, don’t waste it. How will the committee be affected by your speech? You will hear hundreds of speeches, make yours stand out.
• Have confidence in your topic and policy
• Make sure you always have sources to back up your information
• Leaving an impression says you are trustworthy, unique, competent and open to negotiation.

Katie James, Elena Marmo, Michael Zona and Matthew Bolton for Pace University, 2013. Version 3.0 BETA. For information, permissions or corrections, contact Dr. Matthew Bolton, [email protected]

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Watch CBS News

Trump tells Christian voters they "won't have to vote anymore" if he is elected in November

By Katrina Kaufman , Lucia Suarez Sang

Updated on: July 28, 2024 / 7:30 AM EDT / CBS News

Former President Donald Trump told attendees at a conservative Christian event on Friday night that they "won't have to vote anymore" if he is elected into office in November. He implored Christians to save America by voting "just this time," so that he can win the presidential election in a landslide "that's too big to rig."

Trump, who is the Republican Party's candidate for president, made his remarks at the end of a speech at The Believers' Summit, an event hosted by the conservative advocacy group Turning Point Action, in West Palm Beach, Florida.

"Christians get out and vote. Just this time," he urged. "You won't have to do it anymore. Four more years. You know what? It'll be fixed. It'll be fine. You won't have to vote anymore my beautiful Christians."

Trump continued: "I love you Christians and I'm a Christian. I love you, you got to get out and vote. In four years, you don't have to vote again. We'll have it fixed so good, you're not going to have to vote."

On social media, there were some calls of alarm in response to Trump's comments, expressing concern that they alluded to authoritarianism and could be interpreted as an indication that he would not leave office if he wins the election.

"Democracy is in danger. This is not a drill," posted Allison Gill, who co-hosts the podcast "Jack," along with an image displaying Trump's message to Christians.

Toward the end of his hour-long speech, Trump said that the Democrats rigged the 2020 presidential election, which Trump falsely maintained that he won over President Biden.

The audience gave him a standing ovation, chanting: "Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight" and fist-pumping the way Trump did after a bullet grazed his ear during an attempted assassination at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania two weeks ago.

Trump shared that he had removed the last bandage from his ear just before speaking at the event.

"I just took it off. I took it off for this group. I don't know why I did that for this group, but that's it," he said.

Before Friday night's event, Trump had first been wearing a large white bandage over his ear. By the time of his rally in Charlotte, North Carolina on Wednesday, he was wearing a more discreet flesh-colored one. 

CBS News reached out to the Trump campaign for comment on his remarks.

Trump spoke to a packed audience at the summit just hours after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago. Netanyahu met with Mr. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris separately a day earlier at the White House. Event organizers said about 3,500 people attended the former president's speech.

He spent much of his speech criticizing Harris, who is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president after President Biden decided to drop his reelection bid.

Other speakers at the two-day event, which focused on "unity and biblical truth," included former Trump adviser Peter Navarro, Dr. Ben Carson, Housing and Urban Development Secretary during the Trump administration and conservative political activist Charlie Kirk.

Navarro, who was recently released from prison, spoke shortly before Trump and led the audience in a chant of: "If we don't control our government, their government will control us."

He told the audience that the justice system had unfairly gone after him, using rhetoric similar to that often used by Trump. 

"What happened to me, can happen to you," said Navarro. "If they can come for Donald Trump, they can come for you." 

Navarro served a four-month sentence for defying a congressional subpoena. He was  released earlier this month.

The former president has previously sought to appeal to evangelical Christians.

In June, he told a group of politically influential evangelical Christians in Washington that they "cannot afford to sit on the sidelines" of the 2024 election, imploring them at one point to "go and vote, Christians, please!"

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10 Steps to prepare for your first MUN conference

Many of you ask us, “How should I prepare for a MUN if it’s my first time?” Your first MUN conference can seem overwhelming. There are lots of things to read and research to do be done and you might not know much about the UN. We are happy to let you know that Model UN is not that complicated once you get the hang of it. These 10 steps will help you give you will give you what you need to survive, and thrive at your first Model United Nations conference.

Understand What is MUN?

• Before you start researching, reading and preparing you need to do is understand how MUN works.
• Each delegate represents a country in a UN committee to discuss an important global issue. Information about the said issue is provided by the conference in a Study Guide.
• Debate your ideas and practical solutions together with the other delegates in the committee.
• Combine your ideas with others in a document called a Draft Resolutions. Multiple drafts can be created by different groupings (blocks) of countries.
• Vote on the Draft Resolutions in the committee. A resolution needs a majority to be passed.

Learn the Basics About Your Country

Before you read the Study Guide / Background Guide the conference provides, it’s best to learn a bit about the country you will be representing to get over any natural biases you might have. Try to keep an open your mind towards the country you will be representing.

Things you should look up about your country:

• Land  – Find your country on a map. Check out your size, terrain and neighbors.
• Politics  – Check if you’re a democracy, a pseudo-democracy or an authoritarian power. If a democracy, check with party is in power.
• Data  – Population size, main languages, demographic breakdown and wealth, usually by looking at the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• News  – Glance at the news and see what your country has been up to most recently.

Doing this research will help you come up with valuable ideas when you read the Study Guide.

Read the Study Guide

The Study Guide (sometimes referred to as a Background Guide or Issue Summary) is where you will get the basic important information about the topic your MUN committee will be discussing. When you finish reading the guide you should have a basic understanding of the topic and what you are expected to debate. (If your guide sucks, check out our guide on what to do with your MUN study guide sucks).

The Study Guide should give you:

• General background about the topic
• Current issues relating to the topic
• Relevant numbers and data  (in good guides at least)
• Information about your UN committee
• Block positions  (not in every guide)
• Guiding questions  (not in every guide)
• Further reading  (not in every guide)

Study Guides are also important because they help you understand where the chairs want the debate to go. Now that you understand the topic you will be discussing, it’s time to fill in the blanks about your country.

Learn About your Committee

This should be covered in your Study Guide. If it wasn’t, now is the time to learn about your committee. A quick glance at the Wikipedia page should give you context.

You want to get a basic idea of:

• Objectives of the committee
• Current committee activities
• Past actions of the committee

Knowing your MUN committee mandate will help you understand what your committee can do and what it cannot. This will be helpful when the time comes to write practical ideas

Research your Countries Position

To understand your countries position, you will need to look at the news to get an idea of what policies your country would implement. For example, if you are representing Spain, you may what to look into things like… Did Spain ever send aid workers to natural disasters? Does Spain contribute to global anti-virus efforts? The answers to those questions will help you know where your country stands, even if there is nothing directly written about your countries connection to the topic you will be discussing.

The reason you should search like this is due to the fact you will not always find exactly what you’re looking for when you Google your country + topic. For example, if you search for “Spain policy on the flooding in Sri Lanka” or “Spain Zika Virus” you’re likely to come up with nothing.

There are three reasons for this:

• Most countries don’t publish their information in English
• Politicians don’t like to make committing statements
• Your country has no direct relation to the topic

This is why you should broaden your search terms and try to get a richer overview of your country so you will have a more well-rounded pool of information to work from.

If after all this you still find nothing about yourself, look at your neighboring countries, or countries similar to you. See how they deal with the issue. Sometimes a well-educated guess is all you will get if your country seems to be unrelated to the topic being discussed. Luckily, when there is little information, it is often more than enough.

Find The Opening Speech Speaker Time

Now it’s time to get ready to write our first speech. Most conferences require a mandatory Opening Speech for every delegate. At conferences without opening speeches, the first speech you give will serve a similar function.

The opening speech is usually 60 seconds. To make sure, take a look at the Rules of Procedure to see what the opening speaker time is at the conference you will be attending sometimes it could be a bit tricky since the conference may let the chairs decide how long the opening speech will be. It is usually between 60-90 seconds but can go as low as 30 and as high as 120.

If you can’t find a clear-cut answer its a good idea to email the MUN conference directly and ask them how long you will have for opening speeches.

Write Your Opening Speech

Your first speech should give a general impression of your countries view of the topic and ideas to solve the problems your committee is discussing. In your speech should include facts and practical policies to solve the problem. Your solution should be in line with your countries interests.

To take your opening speech to the next level check out our How to Write a MUN speech bible. In the MUN speech Bible, we teach the Clash, Information, Call to Action (CIA) method of speechwriting, a serious game changer when it comes to MUN speechwriting.

Learn the Rules of Procedure

When it comes to flow the flow of a MUN simulation, here is what you need to know.

3 Modes of a MUN Debate Simplified General Speaker’s List  – Default speech platform. Anyone can talk about anything and can yield time. Moderated Caucus  – Faster discussion on a subtopic voted to be discussed by a majority of the committee. Unmoderated Caucus  – Lobbying time. Everyone gets out of their seats and speaks one on one / in a group. Resolutions are written during this time as well.

This should be enough to get you started but to learn more check out our article on MUN Rule of Procedures.

How to Write a Resolution

MUN Draft Resolution Clauses Simplified Preambulatory Clause  – Clauses explaining why we are doing it. Operative Clause  – Clauses explaining what we plan to do. Operative clauses are instructions which should be clear, concise and written using emotionless language.

You can check out more about how this should be done in our article about how to write a MUN Resolution

Have an Open Mind

If it’s your first MUN, I am happy to let you know that after reading this short guide (and followed the steps we laid out) you probably did more research and preparation than most other first-time MUNers : ) and one significant step closer to winning Best Delegate.

MUN is a lot of fun and when you come prepared you are setting yourself up to enjoy the conference that much more. This is because you will have an idea where things are going and how to achieve your desired result. Go out and enjoy your first MUN conference to the fullest. You should also enjoy the sites, the socials and make new friends.

There you have it. Once you finish your first conference your eyes will be open to the world of MUN. Moving forward, know that all aspects of our 10 points are just scratching the surface and all of them can be improved upon.

If you have any MUN questions along the way feel free to reach out to the HelpMyMUN team to help you take your MUN to the next level.

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JD Vance, an Unlikely Friendship and Why It Ended

His political views differed from a transgender classmate’s, but they forged a bond that lasted a decade — until Mr. Vance seemed to pivot, politically and personally.

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By Stephanie Saul

Stephanie Saul, who covers education, reviewed about 90 emails and text messages spanning between 2014 and 2017.

When his book, “Hillbilly Elegy,” was published in 2016, JD Vance sent an email apologizing to a close friend from his Yale Law School days. The friend identified as transgender, but Mr. Vance referred to them in the book as a lesbian.

Listen to this article with reporter commentary

“Hey Sofes, here’s an excerpt from my book,” Mr. Vance wrote to his friend, Sofia Nelson. “I send this to you not just to brag, but because I’m sure if you read it you’ll notice reference to ‘an extremely progressive lesbian.’”

“I recognize now that this may not accurately reflect how you think of yourself, and for that I am really sorry,” he wrote. “I hope you’re not offended, but if you are, I’m sorry! Love you, JD.”

Nelson wrote back the same day, calling Mr. Vance “buddy” and thanking him for “being sweet,” adding, “If you had written gender queer radical pragmatist, nobody would know what you mean.” Nelson asked for an autographed copy, then signed off with, “Love, Sofia.”

That exchange is from a series of emails between two friends, part of a close-knit group of 16 students who remained together throughout their first law school semester in the fall of 2010. As now-Senator Vance seeks the vice presidency, Nelson has shared about 90 of their emails and text messages, primarily from 2014 through 2017, with The New York Times.

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Mastering the Art of Fundraising Speeches: Tips and Best Practices

Donors, sponsors, grantmakers, lend me your ears! Are you ready to give a rousing fundraising speech that results in more dollars for your cause? We’ve got you covered with inspiring tips and best practices, along with some examples to inspire you. Read on!

Let’s face it: public speaking isn’t easy. It’s especially difficult when you aren’t sure how to give the best possible speech you can. When it comes to fundraising speeches, a lot can be on the line. Reaching your fundraising goal , supporting your important work… It’s easy to feel the pressure. 

We’re here to help you understand how a fundraising speech works, what it should include, and how you can give the best one possible. We’ll also share some examples you can use to get started. 

It’s time to raise more with the power of your voice! 

What is a Fundraising Speech?

A fundraising speech is one you give at an event or public gathering that both educates your audience about your organization’s mission and encourages them to step up and give. Ultimately, the goal of a fundraising speech is to convert audience members into donors – preferably long-term or recurring donors . 

Whereas an elevator pitch is a short and direct speech detailing your organization’s work, a fundraising speech is typically longer and more focused on the event or campaign. Usually, your audience for a fundraising speech knows at least a little about what you do – but they may not feel compelled to give yet. 

An effective fundraising speech entertains, connects, and ultimately encourages donations. 

5 Key Elements of a Successful Fundraising Speech

Let’s look at some key elements for a fundraising speech that brings in significant donations for your cause. 

Credibility of the speaker 

First and foremost, the person giving the speech matters. Effective fundraising speeches are typically given by the following: 

• Executive directors
• Board members with a connection to the cause 
• Development directors 
• Celebrities endorsing the organization 
• Beneficiaries of the organization’s work  

What do all of these speakers have in common? They have a certain level of credibility because of their familiarity with the organization. Speakers who are well-known to the audience, such as celebrity endorsers or local corporate partners , have an additional level of credibility. 

Credibility can also be built by things like:

• Believability. Is the speaker making sense? 
• Speaking ability. Is the speaker pleasant to listen to? 
• A clear message. Is the speaker getting to the point? 

A credible speaker is a powerful one – and a powerful one can help you receive more donations. 

Pro tip: Want to increase your organization’s credibility? Increase your transparency! Learn how in this blog . 

2. Emotional connection 

Aristotle defined rhetoric as the “available means of persuasion.” When it comes to fundraising, pathos, or an appeal to emotions, is a crucial part of persuading someone to donate to your cause. 

An effective fundraising speech connects with the emotions of the audience, inspiring sympathy and empathy. But… how does one accomplish this? 

Storytelling is an excellent way to connect with your audience’s emotions. Humans are hardwired to connect with characters in stories, which will inspire them to put themselves in the shoes of the people your organization helps. 

Pro tip: Gathering stories ethically is an important step in creating a successful fundraising speech. Read this blog to learn the best way to get compelling stories while protecting any vulnerable participants.  

3. An appeal to logic 

An emotional connection won’t be everything for some potential donors. Quantitative data – how many people you’ve helped, what percentage of your activities are successful, etc. – will appeal to logic and convince even the stiffest donors that your cause is worthy. 

Appealing to your audience’s logic can also include: 

• Statistics about the problem you’re solving 
• Information about why your process is different or more effective 
• How you use donated funds to get all of this done

Including clear logic in your speech will make it even more moving. 

4. A strong call to action

You’ve captured the attention of your audience and got them fired up about your cause. Now what? 

This is where your call to action comes in. What steps should they take to help you achieve your mission ?

This is where in-person fundraising comes in. 

For example, if you have a text-to-give campaign, you might end your speech by asking your audience to give $20 by texting your unique keyword to the text-to-give number. This is an easy way to encourage quick donations using a tool everyone has in their pocket – a smartphone! 

A donation kiosk helps you capture spontaneous, on-site donations. The Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app allows you to turn a tablet and card reader into a donation magnet. Donors can give using cards, smartphones, and smartwatches. 

Learn more about the Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app in this short video! 

Being specific about what you expect from your audience will ensure your speech is successful in actually generating donations. 

5. Matching the tone of the event 

A fundraising speech should complement the event at which it’s being given. For example, you wouldn’t want to get too gloomy at a fun, family golf tournament . Similarly, you wouldn’t want to crack jokes shortly after a slideshow demonstrating your work with victims of natural disasters. 

Hitting the right tone will ensure your speech is heard and appreciated. It also helps make the speech fit into the event smoothly, so your attendees have a seamless experience. 

Fundraising Speech Tips

Here are some tips to make your fundraising speech successful. 

Avoid cliches 

Fundraising speeches sound sincere when they avoid cliche phrases and ways of speaking. For example, which of the sentences below is more compelling? 

• “To address this problem, we decided to think outside of the box.” 
• “To address this problem, we built a team of creative problem-solvers to come up with a solution no one had thought of before.” 

The second one resonates more, right? Notice that we also slipped a little bit of storytelling in there by sharing the process for building a team. This allows audience members to see more of your story and is more personal than a cliche everyone has heard before. 

2. Practice – but don’t memorize 

A great fundraising speech should be practiced enough for the speaker to know all the beats and feel comfortable with the content, but it should never be memorized. 

Memorized speeches come off as rote and robotic. When you know the beats of your speech but fill in the rest with honest thoughts, your audience is more likely to connect with you – and give up their hard-earned dollars. 

3. Know your audience 

Knowing who your audience is should guide you as you create the perfect fundraising speech. For example, will your audience appreciate humor? Will they understand a reference? Do they agree with your ideology? 

Write for your audience to ensure your fundraising speech connects with those listening. 

Nonprofit Organization Speech Examples

Here are some brief fundraising speech examples to inspire you. 

A gala speech 

Welcome, everyone! Thank you for joining us at our 5th annual Spring Fling Gala. We have an evening of live music, dancing, and fabulous auction items ahead of us. I just want to take a few minutes to talk about what this evening is all about – our mission of bringing the arts to underserved children. 

Our programs have introduced over 30,000 children to the arts, whether that’s through music, painting, dancing, or acting. Children who experience the arts in elementary school are ten times more likely to graduate high school. They’re also more likely to develop crucial skills, like communication, creative problem-solving, and collaboration. Some of these children have never been able to express themselves – until now. 

But we can’t do this alone. This evening, I want you to dig deep and give all you can to help us bring magic to these children. The smiles on their faces bring me so much joy – and I know you feel the same way. You can give at any of the kiosks stationed around the room. And don’t forget to bid on your favorite silent auction items!

Together, we can change the lives of these children and build a better future for us all . 

2. A donor appreciation event speech 

Tonight is all about gratitude. We’re so grateful to you for supporting our work housing our unhoused neighbors with dignity and style. 

I want to tell you a quick story about Kyle. Kyle and his dog Samson were on the street for nine months. Let that sink in – nine months of sleeping on cardboard in an alley, scavenging for food, being treated like a second-class citizen. That wore down both his physical and mental health. Samson was in desperate need of care that Kyle couldn’t afford to give. 

Your support allowed our team of experts to intervene. We found an apartment for Kyle and furnished it with donations, adding every touch of comfort that we could to ensure it was a home and not just a house. Our partner animal shelter took Samson in and treated him so he was back on his feet and wagging his tail right away. Kyle now has a job at a local coffee shop, where he greets the community every day with a big smile. 

But our work isn’t finished. There are many more people like Kyle who need help to get back on their feet. Who want to be active members of our society, but have been downtrodden because no one has offered them that hand up. 

If everyone in this room donated just $20 tonight, we would have $3,000 to put toward our next case. To give, text “Home” to [phone number] and donate through our online donation form. 

Thank you so much for helping us create stronger, healthier communities. 

Conclusion 

Ultimately, a great speech is all about connecting with your audience. A great fundraising speech takes that a step further – you connect with your audience in a way that inspires them to give . 

Getting the speech right can feel intimidating! But it doesn’t have to. Use the tips and best practices outlined above to craft a moving speech that adequately represents your organization and encourages audience members to be generous. Check out the example speeches to get inspired. Most importantly, don’t stress about it. The perfect fundraising speech will come to you! 

Once you get your audience excited about giving to your cause, you must have an easy way for them to do so. Donorbox has comprehensive tools to collect donations online and in person. Whether you’re launching a crowdfunding campaign, selling tickets to your next event, collecting on-site donations with the Donorbox Live™ Kiosk app, or using text-to-give to collect spontaneous gifts, we have you covered. Learn more about all of our features and sign up today ! 

For more fundraising tips, check out the rest of our Nonprofit Blog . Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to receive the best of the blog in your inbox.

Lindsey Baker Bower

Lindsey spent years wearing many hats in the nonprofit world. Whether she was helping arts nonprofits with their messaging and content, planning a fundraising gala, writing an NEA grant proposal, or running a membership program with over 400 members, she learned how to navigate – and appreciate! – the fast-paced world of fundraising. Now, she loves sharing those hard-earned lessons with the Donorbox community.

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