An effective case for support seizes donors by the collar, gripping their minds, their hearts, and inspiring them to open their checkbooks.

Every successful case should contain more than a dozen key elements, as I discuss in my book Making a Case Your Donors Will Love. In this article I’ll focus on three of the most essential.

A case statement is much like an elevator pitch. It’s your first shot at grabbing your funder, tugging at his or her heart strings, and convincing him/her to give to your organization. In today’s progressive and ever-changing fundraising landscape, one-pagers are no longer cutting it for foundations and philanthropists. It’s 2017. When was the last time you felt particularly moved by size 12 Times New Roman Font on a white piece of paper? After a program officer reviews thousands of case statements, even the most noble missions can become lost in mass mailings or foundation appeals. Here’s how you can stand out.