HAPPY NEW YEAR! We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and the starting of a great New Year.
To follow up on our last blog post “Why Should I Support Your Organization?”, I will walk you through the process of writing your case for support. As mentioned in the previous post I approach a case as the “cornerstone” of the development process. Each case has what I call “Cornerstone Considerations” that if followed, will allow you to draft the most effective case for your organization. Dealing with these “Cornerstone Considerations” will help you construct a solid case statement— while shrugging them off could make your case statement shaky. I hope you’ll find what’s here valuable.
Case Statement: Cornerstone Considerations
Before I write the case statement I ask myself the following:
While I’m writing the case statement:
- Do I understand the case for support? Its strengths?
- And weaknesses? Have I cataloged them in writing?
- Have I listed the objectives of the case statement?
- Which are measurable? How will I gauge success? Which are non-measurable, but equally important? Have I written all of this down?
- Do I know the audience? Who is the case truly supposed to motivate, e.g. who makes up the primary audience? Who are some of the other audiences? How important are they? Have I prioritized the hierarchy of importance, in writing?
- Is one case statement enough? How many do I need? Can one donor do it all? How do I know any of this? Have I put it in writing?
- Have I interviewed key shareholders in the organization:volunteers, staff professionals, and friends, to complete my understanding of the case? Have I asked about the importance of the case? Their personal enthusiasm for the cause…and the case? Have I probed to discover resistances to the case, which their friends and/or associates have mentioned? Have I made notes?
- Even though I’m getting crazy with all of this writing, have I written an outline detailing objectives, audience, message, and the support for the message?
- Can I come up with an intriguing, provocative positioning slogan?
- Regarding the investment of time and resources, have I viewed the case statement project in the context of worth rather than cost? Do I have enough time (or too much time) to write it?
- Have I made the most of the mission of the organization—and (re) acquainted the reader with its spirit?
- Have I put history in perspective?
- Have I spelled out the successes that the organization has enjoyed in meeting the challenges of the mission?
- Have I emphasized why that success is important to the reader?
- Is the current project discussed as a pressing problem? With a solution of personal concern to the reader? Have I mentioned what the solution will accomplish, specifically? Have I documented how it will enhance the mission of the organization (serve more people, serve current constituencies better, etc)? Or why it’s the best answer among many? And explained why it’s happening now?
- Have I made the case for the importance of private support? Have I mentioned the financial stability of the organization? Board commitment? Other sources of funding? Progress to date? Have I made the case for the importance of the support of the reader?
- Have I made a promise?
- Have I spelled out the benefits of participation? Like satisfaction in helping to solve a community problem, playing a personal role in the continuation of excellence, affiliation with others, recognition, even a good time? Others?
- Have I applied the “so what” test?
- Does the reader know what to do next? Specifically?
- Have I adopted a tone that avoids excessive propriety?
- Is there a point of view that matches my best guess at the state of mind of the audience(s)?
- Is the case statement long enough?
After I’ve finished writing the case statement:
- Have I limited the number of people who can approve?
- And have I set down approval ground rules?
- Have I determined format appropriate to audience, objective and message? If I hire an art director, will the design stand out on the home or office coffee table? Would I read it in the check-out line at Safeway’s?
- Are other publications needed?
- Have I thought about video and other media?
- Have I reported to the readership—made good on my promise?
- Have I evaluated results?
- Have I considered using a professional case writer?
Harold J. (Sy) Seymour, the dean of fundraising, says – “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 show the sincerity and value of the 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, the important donor demands full and complete knowledge of the projects they intends to support.
The Case Statement provides that information. With such preparation and the right solicitor, securing the hoped for gift should also proceed as planned. The informed and motivated donor is the generous donor.
Hopefully by now you will begin to appreciate the value of a thoroughly prepared Case Statement. The Case Statement truly is the foundation upon which the success of every development program rests.
I hope you have found these ideas useful. If I can be of any further assistance please give me a call. To learn more about how The Huddleston Group, please visit our website at www.TheHuddlestonGroup.com or email me at ron@thehuddlestongroup.com
Good Luck
Ron Huddleston, FAHP, CFRE
President
The Huddleston Group
