Equally importantly, the nonprofit leader must be able to articulate their organizations’ mission, impact, goals, and how donated funds will help reach those goals. This is what we call a “case statement”. With nothing tangible to sell, the nonprofit’s mission and impact become its products. Fundraising outcomes will always fall short in the absence of a solid case statement. Think about it: if you can’t tell someone why your nonprofit is worthy of investment, or how such investment in your organization will result in positive impacts in the community, why should anyone give a dime to your cause?
Whether writing a grant or sitting in front of a corporate partner or major individual donor prospect, an effective case statement will help the nonprofit leader demonstrate their organization’s value, impact, and attractiveness as a potential investment. In my experience, a good case statement answers the following five questions: