What are the best ways to create a compelling case for support?

1 Know your audience

Before you start writing your case for support, you need to know who you are writing for. Who are your ideal donors? What are their values, interests, motivations, and challenges? How do they prefer to receive information and communicate with you? You can use surveys, interviews, focus groups, or donor personas to gather and analyze this data. Knowing your audience will help you tailor your message, tone, style, and format to their needs and preferences.

2 Define your problem and solution

The next step is to define the problem that your organization is addressing and the solution that you are offering. What is the gap, need, or issue that you are trying to solve? How does it affect your beneficiaries, community, or society? What is your vision, mission, and approach to solving it? How do you measure your impact and effectiveness? You need to articulate these points clearly and concisely, using facts, stories, and emotions to illustrate them.

3 Show your uniqueness and credibility

Another way to create a compelling case for support is to show what makes your organization unique and credible. Why should donors choose you over other similar organizations? What are your values, principles, and culture? What are your achievements, awards, or recognitions? How do you ensure transparency, accountability, and stewardship of your resources? You need to demonstrate your competitive advantage and your trustworthiness, using testimonials, endorsements, or certifications to back them up.

4 Explain your need and ask

The final step is to explain your need and ask for support. How much money do you need and why? What are your specific goals, objectives, and plans? How will you use the funds and report on the results? What are the benefits and rewards for the donors? How can they get involved and stay connected with you? You need to make a clear and specific ask, using urgency, incentives, or social proof to motivate them.

5 Review and refine

Once you have written your draft case for support, you need to review and refine it. Evaluate the clarity, conciseness, relevance, accuracy, credibility, and ethics of the document. Additionally, make sure it is aligned with your brand, voice, and style. Consider its formatting, design, and editing for readability and appeal. Ask for feedback from your staff, board, donors, or experts to improve your case for support. Finally, update it regularly to reflect your current situation, achievements, and needs.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?