American Historical Association

130th Annual Meeting (January 7-10, 2016)

January 07 - 10, 2016

Successful fundraising communications begin with a strong case for support—yet many organizations struggle with case development. During this session, we will demystify this important but challenging concept and give your history-related organization a simple, clear and focused way forward. We will discuss the importance of developing a set of clear, powerful core messages, especially tailored to appeal to potential donors with a propensity to support history-focused institutions (including museums, libraries, research organizations, professional societies, etc). These are the ideas that stick in donor’s heads, the phrases that your Board members and senior staff repeat in conversation, the “a-ha” moments that make your mission click. We will review the key elements that are most often included in successful case statements. Then we will move onto the materials and resources you need to help your leaders, staff and volunteers walk into donor conversations with confidence and powerfully communicate your message. We will discuss media and formats ranging from traditional print brochures to interactive iPad toolkits. Whether you’re thinking ahead to your next campaign or focused on building your annual fund, this workshop will give you concepts, examples, tools and tricks for defining and communicating an inspiring case for support.