SO WHAT? Telling a Compelling Story...Activity Template

SO WHAT? TELLING A COMPELLING STORY… ACTIVITY
Use this template to guide the development of bullets and headlines describing
successes, impacts, and other funding-related activities.
QUESTIONS TO GET YOU STARTED

Form Approved
OMB No. 0920-XXXX
Exp. Date xx/xx/20xx

•

Describe a time you were involved in an interesting
public health preparedness and response situation.

•

Is there a personal story you can share about the
participants in your program?

•

Describe an instance when HHS-funded preparedness
or response resources* affected you personally, within a
health department, or in a broader context (state, local,
regional, national).

1. Showcasing the nature of the preparedness
and response challenge: Something observed at
ground level that clearly illustrates why the work is
necessary.

•

In your organization, what have you been able to
accomplish that you couldn’t have accomplished without
HHS-preparedness and response funding?

Ex. A story describing factors unique to the community which
created a challenge and how you overcame them.

•

How has your city/county/state/ tribe benefited from
HHS-funded preparedness and response activities?

•

What has HHS-preparedness and response funding
accomplished in your community that no other resource
has? –We are looking for the “so what?”
* CDC/PHEP

YOUR INFORMATION*
Your name, phone number, email address

*Your contact information will be treated in a secure manner and
will not be disclosed, unless otherwise compelled by law.

Organization, Job Title

Topic of your compelling story or impact? Ex. Lab
Capacity, Regional Collaboration, Flood Response,
etc…

OPHPR STORYTELLING GOALS

2. Illustrating the public health contribution:
Examples that prove Public Health preparedness
and response not only makes a difference, but
also illustrates the unique approach it brings to
the issue.
Ex. Tying an event or outcome specifically to public health
preparedness and response involvement, management,
oversight, or ownership.

3. Supporting the evidence-base: Examples that
compliment qualitative research on evidence
based interventions.
Ex. Linking an effected program to a specific population and
the potential health outcomes estimated due to the success,
impact, funding-related activity.

4. Demonstrating return on investment:
Demonstrating awareness of how you use funds
and demonstrating you are fiscally responsible
and transparent.
Ex. The purchase of equipment, how it is used, any
interoperability, and a sustainment plan.

Public reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions,
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not
conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send
comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to CDC/ATSDR
Information Collection Review Office, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS D-74, Atlanta, Georgia 30333; ATTN: PRA (0920-XXXX).

HEADLINE:

CHECK LIST - Have you:
□ Described the impact or “So what?”
□ Included an action verb?
□ Captured the overall message of the story?
□ Captured the audience’s attention?

“Cuts to federal preparedness dollars threaten
biological and chemical agent lab capacity.”

KEY BULLETS:

CHECK LIST - Have you:
□ Described the public health preparedness
and response capability that was addressed
and why it’s important?
□ Specified the affected population(s)?
□ Included a statistic that is relevant to the
audience?

• "With X numbers of labs funded by CDC, we did X
number of tests in X number of days, meaning X number of
citizens could be treated/protected/etc...”
• “With new cuts, X labs could be closed, slowing testing
times and increasing potential morbidity by X%."

OPHPR Partnerships Team | PHPRPartners@cdc.gov