5 internal uses for a case statement

A case statement is a succinct and jargon-free summary of your organization’s work that compels people to support it. In essence, it’s an invitation to give. You may feel that unless your organization is preparing for a capital campaign, you don’t need a case statement. But the truth is, your fundraising efforts will be hindered without it regardless of whether you’re involved with a capital campaign or not.

Creating an effective case statement

An effective case statement makes it clear to donors how your mission will benefit from the gift you’ve asked for – whether it’s a year-end gift, a major gift, an in-kind gift, or a small monthly gift.

We provide a quick and thorough guide to creating one here.

How to use your case statement

If you don’t have a case statement yet and you’re still not convinced you need one, consider all the ways you can use it internally:

1. Writing appeal letters. Having trouble getting started? You can pull language from your case statement to help you draft an appeal letter.
2. Grant applications. You can repurpose language from your case statement to provide key information in letters of inquiry and grant applications.
3. Involving your board in fundraising. When your board and development committee members are familiarized with your case statement, they’re well-prepared to do outreach to donors and prospective donors on behalf of the organization. And they’ll feel more comfortable doing so, too.
4. Preparing for major asks. Most of us feel nervous about personal interactions with major donors. Get to know your case statement inside and out, and you’ll find you can rely on it during major gift conversations.
5. Asking for support from local businesses. A well-crafted case statement makes it easy for local businesses to see how their support will benefit their community (and their bottom line).

Your case statement should be reviewed annually to make any necessary updates. This is a good practice to get into, as it will prompt you to update your materials and talking points to reflect those changes.

Conclusion

Developing a compelling case statement forces you to pinpoint your organization’s work and clearly define how gifts will support those efforts. In addition to helping donors understand the scope of your work and the potential impact of their gift, it’s a valuable tool for fundraisers to use internally.