Advancement · Communications

Tell their story
the way they agreed

Stories from the people a program serves move donors, and they belong to the people who lived them. Record each story by code: the formats and uses the person agreed to, how they want to be named, whether a minor’s guardian signed and when consent runs out. Log every place the story appears, and the tool flags any use outside the agreement, consent about to lapse and risks to minors.

Add a storyWhat you get
$12one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $12

Included with Caveat Classroom and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Development and giving kit, $39 for 30 items.

Stories

The worked example is made up: an adult learner’s story used inside its consent, a teen’s video with a clip that went beyond it, and a photo whose consent is about to run out. Person codes only. Saved on this device only.

Loading the story form. If nothing appears, turn on JavaScript.

What you get

Advancement · Communications$12 · included with Classroom and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A record per story by person code: formats, agreed uses, naming, face, minor status, how and when consent was given and when it runs out, seven consent practice checks and a log of every use; counts of uses agreed and logged, uses outside consent or after expiry, days of consent left, and a printable plain-language consent form drawn from the record.
Who it is for
Communications, development and program staff at nonprofits and schools who collect and share client, student or family stories.
Format
Browser tool with a saved record per story. Prints a consent form, the record, every story in a table or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
$12 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the tool opens once you are signed in with it. Included with Caveat Classroom and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Development and giving kit ($39) and the Advancement Suite pass ($99), and 1 more bundle. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Communications space in Caveat Advancement.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Give the story a person code.
  2. Tick the formats and uses agreed.
  3. Record naming, face and dates.
  4. Log each place it is used.
  5. Act on anything flagged.

Add a story

Consent for a story is ongoing

Consent that holds upFreeServices never dependon saying yes.SpecificEach format andeach use, ticked.InformedThey saw the finalversion first.ReversibleHow to withdraw,and what stays online.Consent that holds upFreeServices never dependon saying yes.SpecificEach format andeach use, ticked.InformedThey saw the finalversion first.ReversibleHow to withdraw,and what stays online.
A story told with the person, not about them, is also the more persuasive story.

Specific and free

Agreement to a newsletter story is not agreement to a paid ad. Ask about each format and each use, say plainly that saying no never changes services, and show the person the final version. People who depend on a program can feel they cannot refuse; a real choice is what makes the consent worth having.

Minors, safety and time

For anyone under 18, record a parent or guardian’s consent and the young person’s own yes, and prefer a first name. Before using any identifying detail, ask whether being found could put the person at risk. Set an end date, renew before it, and stop new uses when consent runs out or is withdrawn.

Sources

  1. Dochas. Code of conduct on images and messages (dochas.ie).
  2. Bond. Putting the people in the pictures first: ethical guidelines for collecting and using images and stories (bond.org.uk).
  3. National Council of Nonprofits. Storytelling and ethical communications resources (councilofnonprofits.org).
  4. Federal Trade Commission. Guides concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, 16 CFR Part 255 (ftc.gov).

The worked example is made up, including the people and codes. This is not legal advice: release forms, privacy rules for health, education and other records, and rules for minors vary, so follow your organization’s policy and counsel. Keep signed forms in your secure files. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.