Inhora Home for the Dying
STRATEGIC ADVANCEMENT TOOL FOR CATHOLIC NONPROFIT
The Backstory
After years of working in healthcare and serving veterans, Miles Gloetzner realized that there was a gap in care for those reaching the end of their lives. Many of the dying who could have died comfortably at home were being institutionalized because of a lack of resources or caretakers.
Miles had a vision to create a home where dying veterans, homeless, impoverished, or anyone in need could receive free, non-medical care in a homelike environment surrounded by family. With staff and volunteers making all their guests feel welcome and providing care for the dying, family members could focus on simply spending time with their loved one.
Miles knew that if his dream was going to become reality he would need help achieving his goals. In order to fundraise his startup, he would need donor support. To get donor support, he would need to create a professional and compelling Case for Support to send to his potential donors. He needed a team of writers and designers who could receive his vision and translate it into a document that he would feel proud to present to potential supporters.
The Challenge
As a new startup, Miles would need:
- The funding to create a website and build the homes that would be the central axis of his ministry.
- Donors that would support his marketing and promotional efforts.
- To create confidence in his donors that this organization would meet critical needs that were being overlooked by the community.
- To spread awareness of his startup and create networking opportunities that would help his organization grow.
The Strategy
Case for Support
- Identify the target audience for the Case for Support - a different audience than the people Inhora will minister to.
- Design and write a compelling document that expresses the Catholic values and mission of the organization to the diverse community of potential benefactors, including Catholics, non-Catholics, and healthcare professionals.
- Build confidence by exploring the foundations that have already been established and sharing Inhora’s successes and goals thus far.
- Share budget breakdown and expectations of cost, as well as creating expanded budget expectations to extend the document’s usefulness.
- Inspire a belief in the organization that will encourage potential benefactors to share and promote the brand to their own networks.
Why it Works
Our approach focused on sharing the story of the Inhora startup, why it began, and the vital needs it meets. Our designers and copywriters worked closely with Mr. Gloetzner to ensure that the vision and mission of Inhora was portrayed authentically and accurately. The copy was written with a focus on the value that Inhora offers the dying and their families, while the design and images show the vulnerability and compassion that the organization embraces. This approach allows both the mission and values of Inhora to shine.
Their Case for Support also includes a detailed budget breakdown, Board member introductions, and compelling statistics. In combining storytelling and transparency, Inhora’s audience has reason to believe in the organization. They can see the heart of the ministry and the foundation that has been laid to drive its success. The document instills confidence in Inhora’s target audience, allowing Miles and the stakeholders to create a network of supporters who want to see the organization succeed.
By sharing their heartfelt origin and being transparent in the details, we created a document that would pull on donors’ heartstrings while inspiring their confidence in Inhora’s success and moving them to give generously to this noble cause.
