Plain Language for Nonprofits: Say More by Saying It Simply

Somewhere along the way, the nonprofit sector convinced itself that complicated writing sounds professional. So we “leverage cross-sector partnerships to build capacity for systems-level change” instead of saying “we team up with other groups to fix the problem for good.”

Here’s what that habit actually costs: readers with cognitive disabilities, readers whose first language isn’t English, readers with 10 seconds and a phone — which is to say, most of your community, most of the time. Plain language for nonprofits isn’t about dumbing down your work. It’s about refusing to hide it.

What plain language for nonprofits actually means

Plain language is writing your reader can understand the first time they read it. That’s the whole definition. It has a rich history in disability advocacy and government communication (U.S. federal agencies are legally required to use it), and it rests on a few practical moves:

• Short sentences. One idea each.
• Everyday words. “Use” instead of “utilize.” “Help” instead of “facilitate.”
• Active voice. “We fed 400 families,” not “400 families were served.”
• Jargon translated or cut. If a term must stay, explain it once, simply.
• Structure that helps: informative headings, short paragraphs, lists where lists genuinely clarify.

Notice what’s not on the list: shorter ideas, simpler thinking, less nuance. Plain language is a delivery system, not a ceiling.

The myth that keeps jargon alive

The fear underneath most jargon is that simple writing will make the work look simple or that funders expect “capacity-building frameworks” and will discount “we train local leaders.”

The evidence runs the other way. Research on reading behavior consistently finds that everyone prefers plain language, including expert readers, specialists just have less patience for decoding, not more. A program officer reads dozens of proposals a week. The one they understand in one pass has an advantage the jargon-heavy one never will.

And there’s a deeper point for mission-driven organizations: jargon is a wall between you and the people you serve. If your community can’t understand your program descriptions, who was the writing for?

Before and after: three nonprofit rewrites

The program description.
Before: “The initiative utilizes a wraparound service-delivery model to address multidimensional barriers to housing stability among vulnerable populations.”
After: “We help people keep their housing by tackling the problems that threaten it, like job loss, health crises, legal trouble, all in one place.”

The donation appeal.
Before: “Your contribution enables the organization to sustain and scale evidence-based interventions.”
After: “Your gift keeps a proven program running and brings it to more families.”

The impact statement.
Before: “87% of participants demonstrated measurable improvements in literacy outcomes as assessed by standardized instruments.”
After: “87% of our students became stronger readers this year, measured by standard reading tests.”

Same facts. Same rigor. Different number of readers who make it to the end.

How to edit for plain language (a 15-minute pass)

You don’t need to rewrite from scratch. Run any draft through four questions:

1. Can any sentence be split in two? If a sentence has “and,” “which,” or a semicolon holding three ideas together, break it up.
2. Which words would you never say out loud? Read a paragraph aloud. Every word you’d never say to a colleague at lunch is a candidate for replacement.
3. Who is doing what? Passive voice hides actors. “Mistakes were made” vs. “we missed the deadline.” Your community can tell the difference, and they trust the second one.
4. Would a smart 14-year-old follow this? Not because your readers are 14, but because comprehension under distraction (a phone, a bus, a toddler) mimics a lower reading level for everyone.

Free readability checkers (Hemingway Editor is the best known) will score your draft. Treat the score as a flashlight, not a grade.

Plain language is an accessibility practice

This is the part most style guides miss: plain language is a core accessibility requirement, not a stylistic preference. WCAG, the international web accessibility standard, addresses reading level directly. For readers with dyslexia, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, or brain injuries, dense text isn’t unpleasant; it’s a locked door. Plain language is the ramp.

That reframe changes the internal conversation. “Make it simpler” sounds like an aesthetic opinion someone can veto. “Make it accessible” is a value your organization already committed to.

Frequently asked questions

Will plain language hurt our grant applications?

No, funders read faster and remember more when writing is clear. Where a funder’s form demands specific technical terminology, use it, and keep every sentence around it plain.

How do we get buy-in from leadership who write formally?

Show, don’t argue. Rewrite one existing paragraph both ways and put them side by side. The plain version usually wins the room in under a minute.

Is there a standard we can point to?

Yes, the federal plain language guidelines (plainlanguage.gov) are free, and WCAG treats readability as an accessibility criterion. Both give your style guide external authority.

Try it on your own writing

Pull up the last email your organization sent. Run the four-question pass. If you find three sentences to simplify, imagine that multiplied across every page, post, and proposal you publish this year.

Then find out where your other communication ramps are missing: the Digital Ramps Scorecard is a free 10-minute self-audit across your website, social, email, documents, and multimedia.