Crafting A Compelling Case For Support Digitally

Your case for support is boring. Not because your mission isn't important. Because you're writing for committees, not humans. Here's what every case statement includes: ⦿ History of the organization ⦿ Impressive statistics ⦿ List of programs ⦿ Credentials and awards ⦿ How funds will be used Here's what donors actually want: ⦿ What changes if I say yes? ⦿ What breaks if I say no? ⦿ Why me, why now? ⦿ Who else believes in this? ⦿ What happens after I give? The case statement that raises money reads like a invitation to adventure, not an annual report. Try this instead: 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 Paint the world you're building, not the history you're preserving. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 Use "you" more than "we." They're the hero, not you. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 Opportunity expires, not hope. FOMO beats obligation every time. 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 Winners attract investment. Losers attract pity. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 They're not buying services. They're building legacy. One client rewrote their case. Removed every committee word. Told one powerful story instead. Their campaign goal? Exceeded by 40%. Your case for support shouldn't sound professional. It should sound unstoppable. When did you last read yours out loud?

To Optimize “Fund Raising,” Change the Phrase to “Unlocking Potential.” We’ve substituted the process term for the compelling force that animates it.  We shouldn’t be in the business of “fund raising,” we should be showing how funds raised will unlock potential. Review your case for support or whatever materials you’re using to support your fundraising requests and ask: Are we just trying to direct contributions into buckets or pillars or categories? Are we assuming that donors will get jazzed about meeting broad organizational goals? Do we think institutional purpose or mission in and of themselves are highly motivating? You might even have to ask tougher questions including: Have we fallen into the trap of describing what we don’t have and can’t do with money? How much of our effort is being spent on balancing the budget rather than balancing the budget by showing where greater good can be done with additional support? Build a more vibrant, compelling rationale by striking any mention or notion of “raising money for” and replace it with the phrase “unlocking the potential of.”  That can be the potential of: Those you serve A program or service that has proven its impact but can’t stretch further without additional support High achievers and doers within your organization who are animated by a clear sense of purpose Communities or constituent groups that your services could further empower Then ask: How can we demonstrate this potential so that donors can see it and experience for themselves (if you can only describe it but not demonstrate it, you’re failing the “show don’t tell” test)? How can we advertise specific portals of purpose that demonstrate where time, talent and treasure can be productively applied? The more of this you can do, the more you create the conditions for significant, sustainable fundraising success. Look at all the ways that people have to invest their time, talent and treasure and note how often it human energy and human capital gravitate to places where potential is palpable but blocked by some artificial barrier and seems begging to be unlocked. 

Your case for support is failing. Not because of your mission or your writing. Because it answers the wrong question. Most cases focus on organizational needs: • What we do • Why we matter • What we need Compelling cases address donor aspirations: • What you believe • What's possible because of you • How you can make history I've seen organizations transform their fundraising by shifting from institutional accomplishments to donor-powered possibilities. The most powerful case statements don't sell your organization—they invite donors into a story bigger than themselves. What would change if your case focused on donor aspirations instead of organizational needs?