Successful fundraising starts with your school’s story. Your case for support enables you to share your school’s vision, show the difference you want to make, and get your community on board. Essentially, it is the core document that explains what you are fundraising for and why, and outlines how you plan to raise funds.
Your case for support will help focus your fundraising plans, ensuring a clear purpose which aligns to your school’s strategic vision. It demonstrates your need for support and therefore gives donors a clear reason to give. Once finalised, it acts as a reference document that can be rearticulated in a number of ways to communicate your fundraising plans. (See how one school used it overleaf.)
It can be daunting to write a case for support, but you don’t have to go it alone. Once you have agreed what you want to raise money for and why, ask for support from colleagues, governors or parents to develop the key messages.
From parents and alumni to local businesses and trusts, it’s important to share information about your project (and the difference it will make) with your community. Your case for support will help shape your fundraising appeals to these different groups – whether you’re writing a bid, developing a promotional brochure for local businesses, writing an article for your parent newsletter or creating a video to share with your alumni. Your case for support will help you to engage the whole school community in making your vision a reality.