MAKING YOUR CASE: PREPARING A CASE STATEMENT
One of the most important tools for the success of any major gift program is a compelling case statement. I am thusly amazed at how few organizations have an up-to-date and professionally written document. Ask yourself this question: If your boss just attended a fundraising conference and learned that a case statement is the heart and soul of a well-functioning development operation and asked to see yours, what would you give him/her? If you are one of the many CEO’s on this Blog, ask your chief development officer for a copy of the case and let’s see what you get?
So what is a CASE. An effective case is more than just a brochure for prospective donors. Instead, it is the rationale for the very existence of your institution as well as for its growth and strengthening. It shows the institution’s productivity and demonstrates how the organization benefits society. Moreover, it clearly presents the ways in which your organization wants to improve its service and details the new resources required.
We can quote Sy Seymour, the dean of fundraising:
“The case statement is an orderly compilation of those arguments that may be expected to influence a prospective donor to give or to act affirmatively and generously in behalf of a cause or an institution seeking aid.”
Donors who can make important gifts are routinely besieged with requests for money. They will not support projects considered to be “fly by night” or unworthy of their affiliation. A properly prepared case statement will do much to demonstrate the sincerity and value of your organization and help to establish favorable consideration. Much as a banker demands full disclosure of a loan applicant’s personal and financial status before making a loan, important donors demand full and complete knowledge of the projects that they intend to support. The case statement provides that information. An informed and motivated donor is a generous donor.
What Is a Case Statement?
A case statement is a document that introduces your organization; explains a project, program, or idea for which you are seeking funding; details the impacts that success will bring; and, in general, “makes a case” for your funding request. I prefer short, to the point, well written, and distinctive statements that stand out and tell a convincing story that the donor can relate to.
In general, the case statement needs to answer questions before they are asked, such as the following:
- What is the organization, and what does it do?
- What is your mission?
- What have you done?
- What is distinctive about your organization compared to all others in your field of service?
- What are you trying to do that is specific to your funding request?
- How will the donor’s investment accomplish this?
- Why should donors/investors bet on your organization? What’s in it for them?
- Who else is participating?
Case statements are about the “ask.” This means the funding for general support, an opportunity; such as a new program or equipment; or a building. There has to be an explicit, stated, and crystal-clear connection between the donor’s investment and the outcomes. In other words, the donor must see the following: $ = outcomes.
The writing of your case statement is not a task for an intern or junior staff member. It should be written by senior staff members – those individuals who know everything about your organization, who are fully committed to the mission, and who have a track record. You should assign the best writer that you have. Alternatively, and often, many successful major gift operations hire proven consultants to write the statements in collaboration with senior staff.
We may quote Sy Seymour again, who said that a case statement should
“aim high, provide perspective, arouse a sense of history and continuity, convey a feeling of importance, relevance and urgency, and have whatever stuff is needed to warm the heart and stir the mind.”
– Designs for Fund Raising, Harold J. Seymour
Characteristics of a Strong Case Statement
There is no one set of rules for what constitutes a good case statement. If there were, all statements would be identical and boring. To borrow a marketing phrase, you should “tell them what you are going to tell them, then tell them, and then tell them what you told them.” The case statement must tell a story that the reader will remember.
Checklist
Use the following checklist to help ensure that you’ve written a good case statement:
- What do you want?
- Why do you want it?
- What will you do with it?
- How do you define success?
- Who else might be involved?
- Is your introduction a brief summary of your project, program, or idea, and is it written in such a way that it will catch the attention of the reader?
- If the only thing a donor reads was the first paragraph, will he get the idea?
- Have you explained who you are and what you do?
- How is your success going to make the donor look good?
- How is your project going to make the donor feel good about his investment?
Remember, it is essential to give yourself enough time to reread the case statement, have other staff read and comment on it, fix typos and spelling and grammatical errors, and make appropriate edits.
Conclusion
Writing a case statement is not difficult. Don’t make it so. If you have a clear, well-thought-out idea, the words will come. Get help if you need it. Write it as a fresh document, not a cut-and-paste exercise. Readers appreciate brevity and well-crafted proposals. You need substance, but you also need form.
The case statement is not a landfill where everything gets tossed in. It should be a diamond – sparkling, hard, valuable, and symbolic of something of incomparable value – your organization.
Remember, your goal in developing a case statement is ultimately to lead a donor toward a decision to give your organization a gift – so make it inspiring, exciting, and meaningful, and give it a sense of urgency. Not only that, but don’t overemphasize the ‘gloom and doom’ aspect of the need – tell your donors why your organization is a bright spot in the situation – why you’re committed to doing something to solve the problem. After all, people want to be a part of a solution, not a part of a problem. Geographic proximity typically interests donors, as does relevancy to one’s own life circumstances. Lastly, include a ‘sense of the future’ in your case. Be sure to articulate how your organization commits itself to addressing the ongoing problem in the future. In sum, your case should position your organization as a problem-solver in meeting community needs.
Lastly, review your case statement annually – perhaps at your board retreat. The process of reexamination validates your organization’s contribution to your community and underscores the excellent that work you’re doing on behalf of your constituents.
To quote one of the best case writers in the industry, when you have your completed document, sit down with your staff and a couple of close donors and ask this: Does our case statement pass the “so-what” test?” Does yours?
If you would like to know more about case statements, please click here to receive your free copy of The Essential Case Statement.
Good Luck
Ron Huddleston, CFRE, FAHP
President
