It’s been said that no one ever gave to an organization because of a wonderful PowerPoint presentation or because of its case statement.
A case statement is a funny thing when you stop to think about it. After all, it is a document that outlines the history, mission, and vision of your organization while supplying details of projects that are at the center of your latest funding campaign. Unfortunately, this kind of document can be boring. Sorry, there’s no other way to get my point across.
Have you ever spent time writing one and then wondered if anyone will even take the time to read it?
Suggestion: Turn your case statement into a fairytale.
Begin with “Once upon a time”…what the situation was that caused your organization to begin operating? Then introduce the hero or heroine. This person could be your founder, a current leader, or a beneficiary of your services. Explain what that person is striving to accomplish. Then put obstacles in the way of accomplishing your goal—in other words, why the hero or heroine can’t succeed with things as they currently exist.
Then describe what has to happen for the individual in question to live “happily ever after.” Describe what that looks like and show how the world or your community will be a better place if the hero accomplishes his/her goals (with support from the donor). When you put this last step into play and explain to donors or prospects how their support can make this fairytale come true, that’s when you have fundraising gold!
So remember, it’s not about pie charts and slides when communicating your cause to others. It is about developing a short “fairytale” that can immediately connect with a potential supporter or current one.
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