The Case for a Better Case: 4 Elements of “VIBE"

by Ross Mudrick

As we’ve been reminded from hours of Netflix in quarantine, every good story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. First, you establish the protagonist and why the audience should care about them. Then, you put the character through some tests, to make the reader feel something. Then, you show how the character has (or hasn’t) changed, to leave the reader wondering how they’ll respond to the next challenge.

For nonprofits to succeed in the fundraising, it is essential to tell a clear story about why the work matters. A case for support is that story. Though a case for support is generally thought of as a medium-length document (say 4-10 pages) that is used in a fundraising campaign, it can have a number of uses, and the process of creating one can also be a powerful tool for getting staff, Board members, and donors on the same page about why the campaign, and the nonprofit’s mission more broadly, are important.

A nonprofit’s case for support is particularly important right now. The pandemic has created so many new needs, and simultaneously stretched donors’ capacity, and it’s up to fundraisers to show why they are deserving of a donor’s resources. With organizations facing tough choices between urgent needs and long-term impact and infrastructure, a case can keep stakeholders focused on why they cared about the work in the first place, and why it is worth investing in even in tough times.

The Elements of a Great Story

A good case for support is, at its heart, a story. You establish why the audience should care; the problem being solved. Then you identify your community as the protagonist that is uniquely suited to solve that problem. Next, you detail the challenge facing your hero; maybe the roof is leaking, or you can’t afford to accept the clients who need your work the most. Finally, you paint the picture of how the world will be different after your community has solved the problem it faces.

Sounds simple enough, right? Right! But getting the storytelling right only gives you a good case. If you want a great case (and right now, when in-person meetings are out of the question, you really need a great case), you need to give it some VIBE: Values, Identifiers, Backbone, and Echoes. Okay, maybe that’s a bit hokey, but it works, I promise.

Values: You and I, We’re Not So Different

Donors give because they share your values, whether it’s a commitment to education, an unyielding belief in freedom of speech, or a deep passion for local food systems. A great case evokes these deeper values that the community embodies, to remind the reader why they cared in the first place.

Charts, numbers, and facts are good, but we decide with our hearts as much as with our heads. Call upon your community’s values early and often to make your case come alive.

Identifiers: Like Looking In a Mirror

Donors give because they feel connected to an organization, and that in supporting it they are part of a community. They believe their personal stories run through your particular school, museum, hospital, or synagogue. A great case reminds your reader of both the work that the community accomplishes, and how that work has touched that specific reader.

If the museum has a beloved exhibit that your community is probably missing right now, mention it by name, even if it isn’t affected by the campaign. If the pastor has an idiosyncratic mannerism, make a little joke about it. If the cafeteria on the west side of campus serves the best pizza, mark it on the map of the post-campaign footprint. The right identifiers can make your readers feel like they’re already part of the club, and that a gift is just the cost of being included.

Backbone: When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough Run a Campaign

You, the staff and leadership, aren’t running a campaign. The whole community is running a campaign, and you’re doing it together because the work is just that important. It won’t be easy, but you refuse to take no for an answer!

Establishing the stakes of the campaign, and stressing that you need everyone working together to get it done, prevents people from sitting on the sidelines and letting “the usual suspects” cover the tab for everyone else. It reminds people that their contributions matter, even if they aren’t the largest donors.

Echoes: Everything that needs to be said has already been said.

Chekov’s Gun is a principle of storytelling that focuses on the importance of closing the loop. If you see a gun on the mantle in the first act, it better get used by the end of the show. Your case should follow this rule: if you make an argument on the first page about why your community matters, you better explain how the campaign will help you serve that purpose even better.

That kind of continuity, of introducing an argument then seeing it through, is what separates a good case from a simple laundry list of expenditures. It shows respect for the reader and reminds them why the work matters.

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It’s tempting to put our campaigns on hold right now, but your case is a perfect example of something you can focus on even if solicitations aren’t happening. With all the elements of a good story, and your VIBE in place, your case will get people to jump out of their seats and grab their checkbook. But, a great case is just one of the many ways to drive your campaign towards success. Check out our tools for more ideas and templates that will get your aspirations funded.

Ross Mudrick – Consultant to Heller Fundraising Group. Ross is a foundation strategist and writer for nonprofits who has worked with the Heller Fundraising Group on many campaigns – often writing the case for support and providing a robust foundation fundraising strategy. For more information and to get in touch with Ross directly, please email us at: info@hellerfundraisinggroup.com