Defining Your Organization's Core Value in Three Sentences

The Problem 

Most organizations default to defining their core value by listing their activities and statistics, leading with, "We provide services X, Y, and Z to address issue A in community B."

Facts and figures are important, but only engage the analytical brain. Resonating with people engages their emotional, decision-making brain. When you lead with logistics, you lose the audience before you ever get to the heart of why they should care.

The Framework

Your core value definition needs to be direct, immediate, and emotionally charged. I recommend boiling it down to this framework:

Step One: Anchor

Identify the pain point, challenge, or inequity that exists in the world that your organization steps up to address. This immediately validates the audience’s feeling that something is wrong.

Example: "In our community, Group X consistently lacks access to Resource Y needed for a stable future."

Step Two: Bridge

State exactly what you do to solve that problem, but use clear, active language. 

Example: "We bridge this gap by Action A that delivers Service B directly into neighborhoods."

Step Three: Outcome

Describe the tangible change your work creates. This is your why.

Example: "Our work provides a clear pathway for families to achieve economic stability and self-determination."

Putting It All Together

Notice how this structure moves from a shared problem to your unique solution and the results of that solution. In the recent past, a core value statement may look like this: "We are a 501(c)3 that runs five educational programs targeting disadvantaged youth to increase high school graduation rates across the county.”

Now, a core value statement shows real impact and passion for the cause: "Every child deserves an equal opportunity to succeed. We make that possible by embedding mentorship programs directly into under-resourced schools. This ensures the students we serve gain the confidence and tools they need to achieve their fullest potential." 

The Takeaway

Just as a successful social movement knows how to simplify its message for mass appeal, you need to simplify your core value to trigger deep connection. The goal is no longer technical accuracy, but connection.