Writing a Compelling Case for Support

The most fundamental tool in fundraising and one which underpins all your activities (or should do) is your case for support. So what is this and what should it include?

Your case is the document that pulls together all the information you need to raise funds. It is the starting point of all your fundraising that ensures you are making the strongest “ask” and also being consistent in what you say about your work and your charity. So it is worth some time and effort to get this right.

Developing a detailed case for support will also save you time later, as you will have much of the information needed for fundraising to hand in one place. It will also ensure consistency of messaging across all your channels, so your charity speaks with one recognisable voice.

Things to Include

So what should you consider when drafting the case?

• Don’t assume people understand your cause – spell it out
• Highlight the need for your work (and prove this with statistics, case studies and testimonials)
• Show what is unique about your charity or its approach
• Describe the impact your work is making (again with stats, case studies and testimonials)
• Show how lives will improve as a result of a donation
• Set out why your charity is a safe bet to give to
• Demonstrate value for money in what you deliver
• Say clearly why you need funds and what you will do with them
• Show that you can be trusted to use your money well (e.g. based on your track record)
• Illustrate the case with powerful images, which make an emotional connection with the reader

Keep it Real

In writing about your work, it is tempting to exaggerate or use hyperbole, but these are best avoided. Stick to the facts and only claim what you can justify. So avoid words like “incredibly”, “awesome” or “unique”. This builds credibility.

Avoid AI

While it is tempting to do so, do not use AI to write your case for support. It will produce a bland document, which may also be inaccurate. You need to write with fire in your belly and produce compelling copy in your house style. Many donors and funders will spot AI copy a mile off and reject your appeal as a result. It is fine to use AI for initial research (and always check the “facts” provided) but never for your final version.

Testing the Case

Once you have a draft, make sure you test it on a wide range of stakeholders and especially those who represent the types of donors you will be targeting. At its simplest, you can do this by sharing it with people inside and outside the charity, including those with lived experience of your cause, if relevant. You can also run or commission some focus groups to explore it in more depth. All of these will help ensure you have got the language right. Beware too of design by committee – you are not under obligation to accept all the suggestions made. You are the copy owner so have confidence in your instincts when finalising the text.

Tailoring the Case

Once you have agreed your final draft, you can then tailor it to different fundraising audiences (cash donors, trusts, corporates, legacy prospects etc) and also edit it into a range of longer and shorter versions, right down to your “elevator pitch” or one line summary. The aim is to create a flexible range of versions to be used in different circumstances, which all draw on the main case and provide consistency. You will then have a good range of tools in your box.

In summary, getting the case right is fundamental to effective fundraising and so time and effort spent on it will be a good investment that will repay itself.

Further Help

If you need help in developing your case for support, we have a specialist fundraising copywriter on our team, who will be very happy to help, so do get in touch today for a free initial chat about this. Please contact Ben Ansell on 01903 723519 or email ben@wgconsulting.co.uk.