This activity was developed by Matt Luskey, Western Pennsylvania WP site director, and is based on Chapter 2, "Creating a Case Statement," of the Fundraising Plan Workbook, developed by NWP's Susan Freundlich and Stephanie Clohesy of Clohesy Consulting. (For more information, see the first link in the "Getting Started/Making a Plan" section of the Fundraising Resources page for the full workbook in PDF form.) The activity has been made generic for any site's use, but you can personalize it for your particular site.

The beauty of this resource is that it allows a site team to work together to develop a strong case statement for their site. A case statement/case for funding/case for support (often just called "a case") is a written statement or narrative that details why a funder or donor should support the work you do. Using five pieces of chart paper, each focusing on a different topic, the activity encourages participants to think together about what makes their site unique, as well as discover (or uncover) the stories and notable facts that can strengthen both the emotional appeal of and evidence behind the case.