The Real Reason Your Case for Support Keeps Getting Rewritten

And why getting aligned early prevents six months of chaos

Picture this.

You and your team are embarking on a capital campaign. Spirits are high. Coffee is strong. You’ve cleared your calendar for “just a couple of weeks” to pull together the case for support.

And then it happens.

Suddenly, that clean, crisp Google Doc begins to bloat.

One person adds 14 paragraphs about the strategic plan.

Someone else adds a five-page history lesson that starts in 1964.

A board member wants more statistics.

Another wants more emotion.

A well-meaning volunteer suggests turning it into a 27-page annual report.

Your executive director wants every program included “just in case a donor asks about it.”

Six months later, you’re staring at a 42-page behemoth that has gone through what feels like 300 rounds of edits, half your team no longer speaks to the other half, and no donor on earth will ever read the whole thing.

It is now an unruly, out-of-control monster.

And the worst part?

You still don’t have a clear, concise case.

The Real Problem: You Started Writing Before You Got Aligned

This scenario happens inside nonprofits constantly—and it’s exactly why, when I first spoke on this topic a couple of years ago at the Minnesota Gift Planning Association Conference, the room nodded the whole time. Every single person had a story.

And since then?

My clients, colleagues, and friends in the fundraising field continue to share new horror stories with me:

• A case that grew to 68 pages

• A version history that crashed Google Docs

• A committee that had to vote on adjectives

• A “final draft” that had seven “final” versions

These stories are funny only because they’re so universal.

But they’re also a warning.

Most of them are caused by the same underlying issue:

You don’t have alignment before you start writing.

Why Alignment Changes Everything

When your leadership, staff, and board all share the same answers to the foundational questions, everything becomes easier:
• Your case becomes shorter.

• Your messaging becomes clearer.

• Your donor conversations become more confident.

• Your team stops rewriting each other’s work.

• Your fundraising moves faster—and with far less stress.

Usually, your team already has the answers.

They just haven’t been asked the same questions in the same room.

A Tool to Bring Your Team Together (Before You Write a Single Word)

To prevent the “six-month monstrosity,” you need clarity before content.

That’s exactly why we developed the “Your Guide to an Inspired Case” download, which helps you:

• Facilitate the right early conversations

• Center your case on what actually matters

• Identify the themes your donors care about

• Uncover the story threads that spark generosity

It includes questions such as:

• What was the true impetus for this project?

• What about our mission energizes us most?

• How will our community be better if we succeed?

• What would happen if our organization disappeared tomorrow?

You can download it directly from this blog.

Why I’m Bringing This Topic Back Now

The longer I do this work, the more convinced I am that alignment is the secret sauce in successful fundraising—especially when it comes to campaigns.

And because so many people have asked about this topic since that MGPA session, I reached out to my friend and colleague Anne Rodenberg. Anne and I have worked together for a few years, and her background in communications and fundraising leadership brings so much depth to this conversation.

We’ve resurfaced this topic because the need has only grown.

Campaigns are moving faster. Donors expect clearer messaging. Teams are stretched thinner. And the risk of creating a bloated, unusable case has never been higher.

If your organization is gearing up for a campaign, in the middle of one, or even just dreaming about the future—this is the perfect moment to rethink how your case comes together.

Ready to Build a Case That Inspires Generosity?

Start by downloading the free tool, gather your team, and walk through these questions together. It’s the simplest way to:

• Cut down on rewrites

• Reduce tension

• Strengthen internal clarity

• Launch your fundraising with confidence

And if your organization—or your conference—needs a deeper dive, Anne and I would love to bring this workshop to you. Just reach out.