Case statements are letters, flyers, brochures, or other literature crafted specifically to garner support for nonprofit organizations. While development professionals usually write them to attract financial support (donations, event sponsorships, etc.), they can also be used to attract volunteers or community partners. Advice about writing them abounds; usually it boils down to using a mix of facts and emotions to appeal to as many people as possible.
You do need to appeal to as many people as possible, but it’s a mistake to do it in one document. A one-size-fits-all approach rarely pays off in marketing. It takes a little more effort to precisely define your audiences, but the payoffs of personalization are huge. While there are certain things that will need to be in every appeal, you should tailor the emphasis to each kind of audience. The same thing isn’t going to appeal to every person you need to reach. People who are directly invested in your cause will naturally react better to an emotional appeal; event sponsors may be more concerned with the advertising and exposure benefits that come with supporting your event.
Always include the following things, but carefully choose which of them to highlight:
- Your mission statement
- The worthiness of your cause
- A description of the people you help
- A description of your programs and services
- The impact of donations or sponsorships
- The tax benefits to sponsors and donors
- Any advertising and promotional benefits
Keeping all that in mind, be sure to open strong, close strong, and keep it short.
Substance and Style 