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6 steps to a great case statement

Despite the creative spark that exists in most of us, good fundraising can often be more about making a good case than about writing the Great American Novel.

During the 2015 Bridge to Integrated Marketing and Fundraising Conference, Grace Hong of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Katharina Steinkellner of SOS Children’s Villages International and Kathy Swayze of Impact Communications made a case for making a good case.

They said that there are two kinds of case statements: a campaign case that articulates the goals and needs for a specific capital campaign or major initiative; and, an institutional case that articulates the goals and needs of an organization over all.

Either way, they presented six steps to a great case statement.

Talk to people, lots of people. The best people to interview are clients/recipients of services, organizational leaders, donors, program staff and volunteers.

Think. What’s it about?

Create an outline and a timeline. An outline includes a welcome message, identification of the problem, a Who We Are statement, the Vision, a call to action and a closing.

Define the marketing concept/theme.

Write. The hard work.

Put it to work. Remember cohesive messaging across the organization.