Writing is a People Process
It’s an interesting time to work in advancement communications.
Federal disinvestment in education, social services, medicine, conservation, and research has hit nonprofits nationwide, and individual donors need to understand their opportunities to be part of a new solution. The need for major gift comms is great, but many teams are understaffed.
That lean staffing has led a significant portion of the sector to turn to AI to quickly draft gift proposals, cases for support, and other solicitations.
Unfortunately, those who do are missing a critical window to deepen relationships with key allies.
By developing a case for support, you have the opportunity to bring your most consequential stakeholders to the table and strengthen your fundraising coalition.
We’ve had a few conversations recently that made us realize that not everyone “gets it.” They don’t understand that writing has more outcomes than just the document at the end.
When you include your closest supporters in the case writing process:
They see your dedication to building a culture of philanthropy
They trust that you understand their commitment to your mission
They know they belong to a community that advances your organization
They believe in this community’s power to achieve transformational change
Outcomes like these require bringing people to the table, listening closely to them, and incorporating their feedback. Using AI as a substitute for this deep engagement is neither straightforward nor a shortcut.
Here are three important reasons to include stakeholders in the writing process:
1. Intentional Engagement and Education
We always recommend engaging key internal and external stakeholders during a large fundraising communications effort like a campaign case. Starting this outreach via listening sessions early in the case-development process demonstrates that these groups are important partners in success, and gives eager donors and staff members the chance to share their perspectives. They’ll likely also appreciate having a seat at the table.
For many nonprofits—especially those with staff and boards unfamiliar with campaigns—some education is also in order. Bringing these groups in at the start creates an opportunity for them to learn what a case for support is, how it will align varied voices across vehicles, and how they can use it as advocates for your institution.
2. Trust, Alignment, and Boundaries
One-on-one interviews are critical for our writing work, but they lack the organizational heft of an in-person convening and only advance individual relationships rather than building trust or alignment within a broader group. We use workshops to strengthen the culture of philanthropy at our partners’ organizations and gather material for more compelling cases. Through these workshops:
We present a clear structure for stakeholders to participate and provide feedback
The voices assembled around the table get to hear from each other and recognize fellow members of a high-level philanthropic community
Careful facilitation finds common ground among the many perspectives of the group and creates distance from individual agendas
We highlight advancement’s role in fostering trust and mutual understanding among stakeholders
Participants frequently emerge from these sessions with an enhanced appreciation for the advancement team’s efforts, knowledge that there are many voices that must find harmony in the case, and a sense of excitement about moving the work forward. Our clients benefit by creating a positive experience for their colleagues and donors, and by setting early boundaries about the role stakeholders will play in the process.
3. Writing as a Thinking Process
The benefits we’ve described so far are largely organizational and relational, but there is a very specific alchemy that occurs within each individual when they take part in these workshops.
When people reflect on the language we’ve developed, consider how it relates to their own ideas, and begin to formulate answers to questions like, “what is the transformation?” the following happens:
They put your organization’s “fundraising speak” into their own words
They become more articulate at sharing why they support your institution
They grow more confident as advocates for your nonprofit within their networks
They continue to think about these ideas after the workshop is over, keeping your organization (quite literally) in mind
Collectively, these individual “a-ha” moments can transform a group of supporters or staff members into a fundraising coalition that looks for new opportunities to advance your nonprofit.
We benefit by hearing from close supporters—in their own words—why they love the organization and what they see as its greatest challenges.
AI is here to stay, but if you’re using it as a shortcut to bypass the writing process, you’re cutting out opportunities to bring others in, build trust, and realize longer-term benefits for your nonprofit.
The longest part of our case-writing engagements isn’t actually the writing—it’s everything that comes before— because that is where the critical work is.
And listening sessions are only the beginning. The trust built there needs to be sustained through mindful review and revision. If you shortchange this process, you also risk degrading the trust you’ve begun to build.
If you’re approaching a large fundraising effort, we recommend that you make the upfront investment of time and resources in your communications by being intentional about stakeholder involvement. It will deepen your base and yield greater investment in your nonprofit in the months and years to come.
