Narrative Capital Audit

Narrative Capital is the reserve of credibility, trust, and clarity that determines how an organisation is perceived by the audiences whose support it needs. This audit maps where your narrative is strong, where it is weak, and where the gap between your actual impact and your perceived influence is largest.

Complete this tool with your leadership team — the conversation it generates is as valuable as the scores. Repeat the scoring for each of your three critical audiences.

Organisation	Date	Completed by

Step 1 — Identify Your Three Critical Audiences

Name the three audiences whose perception matters most to your ability to earn influence and sustain your work. Be specific: not “investors” but “East African DFIs” or “private foundations.”

#	Audience name	Why they matter	Current relationship status
A
B
C

The sections below are completed once per audience — A, B, then C. Three separate passes produce three distinct profiles. The differences between them are often the most revealing part of the audit.

Step 2 — Narrative Profile: Audience A

Audience A name

Rate your narrative on each dimension. 1 = Weak 2 = Below average 3 = Average 4 = Strong 5 = Excellent

Dimension	What we are assessing	1	2	3	4	5
Clarity	They understand clearly what we do and why it matters
Credibility	They believe and trust our impact claims
Distinctiveness	We stand out clearly from similar organisations
Relevance	Our story speaks to what they care about
Consistency	Our narrative is the same across all touchpoints
Evidence	Our claims are backed by specific, verifiable proof
Currency	Our story reflects where we are today, not the past

Total score /35	Most important narrative gap with Audience A

Step 2 — Narrative Profile: Audience B

Audience B name

Rate your narrative on each dimension. 1 = Weak 2 = Below average 3 = Average 4 = Strong 5 = Excellent

Dimension	What we are assessing	1	2	3	4	5
Clarity	They understand clearly what we do and why it matters
Credibility	They believe and trust our impact claims
Distinctiveness	We stand out clearly from similar organisations
Relevance	Our story speaks to what they care about
Consistency	Our narrative is the same across all touchpoints
Evidence	Our claims are backed by specific, verifiable proof
Currency	Our story reflects where we are today, not the past

Total score /35	Most important narrative gap with Audience B

Step 2 — Narrative Profile: Audience C

Audience C name

Rate your narrative on each dimension. 1 = Weak 2 = Below average 3 = Average 4 = Strong 5 = Excellent

Dimension	What we are assessing	1	2	3	4	5
Clarity	They understand clearly what we do and why it matters
Credibility	They believe and trust our impact claims
Distinctiveness	We stand out clearly from similar organisations
Relevance	Our story speaks to what they care about
Consistency	Our narrative is the same across all touchpoints
Evidence	Our claims are backed by specific, verifiable proof
Currency	Our story reflects where we are today, not the past

Total score /35	Most important narrative gap with Audience C

Step 3 — Priority Narrative Actions

Based on your three audience profiles, identify the three narrative changes that would have the greatest cumulative effect across all audiences.

Priority	Narrative action	Audiences affected	Owner	By when
01
02
03

What Your Scores Tell You

Score band	Interpretation
28–35 per audience	Strong narrative capital. Focus on consistency across channels and building the evidence base that makes the story hold up under scrutiny.
17–27 per audience	Moderate narrative capital. Clear gaps exist. Prioritise the dimensions scoring 3 or below — these are where the narrative is failing to do its work.
Below 17	Significant narrative gap. The story needs structural work — not better communications, but a clearer and more honest account of what you do, what you have achieved, and what you stand for.