Great — below are all three, written so you can lift them straight onto a website or into a resource pack. I’ve kept the language practical and community-friendly.
1. Fillable worksheet: Defining Your Why
You can present this as a downloadable PDF or an online form.
Step 1: The problem
What problem are we trying to solve?
Who or what is affected, and where?
Step 2: The change
What change do we want to see in 3–5 years?
Describe the outcome, not the activities.
Step 3: Why it matters
Why is this important to our community?
What would be missing if our group didn’t exist?
Step 4: Why us
What makes our group the right one to do this work?
(Local knowledge, skills, networks, experience.)
Step 5: Our why (draft)
Using the answers above, write a 1–2 sentence summary of your why.
2. Facilitator guide: Running a “What’s Your Why?” session
Purpose
To help your group clearly agree on why you exist and what you’re trying to achieve, before jumping into projects or actions.
Time needed
30–45 minutes
Group size
Works best with 4–12 people
How to run it
1. Set the scene (5 minutes)
Explain that this is not about listing activities or past achievements.
The goal is to agree on the reason the group exists.
Tip: Remind everyone there are no wrong answers at this stage.
2. Individual thinking (10 minutes)
Give everyone the worksheet and ask them to fill it in quietly on their own.
3. Group discussion (15–20 minutes)
Go through each question together:
- Start with the problem
- Move to the change you want to see
- Then why it matters
- Finish with why this group
Capture key phrases or themes on a whiteboard or shared document.
4. Draft the why statement (10 minutes)
As a group, write 2–3 draft “why” statements.
Refine them until you have one that:
- Is clear and simple
- Feels true to everyone in the room
- Can be explained to someone outside the group
5. Agree next steps (5 minutes)
Decide how you’ll use your why:
- Put it into your plan
- Use it in funding applications
- Share it with volunteers and partners
3. One-line “why statement” templates
Following are template examples of a one-line “Why” statement. The last one is likely to be most applicable but use these as starting points — not rules.
Template 1: Problem → Change
We exist to [address this problem] so that [this positive change happens].
Template 2: Place-based
We work in [place/community] to [create change] because [why it matters locally].
Template 3: Community benefit
Our purpose is to [do what] so our community can [benefit or outcome].
Template 4: Environmental / conservation groups
We exist to protect and restore [what] so future generations can [outcome].
Good test:
If someone asked “Why does your group exist?” and you could say this sentence out loud without explaining it further — you’ve nailed it.