A Practical Guide to Raising Annual Operating Dollars
Raising annual operating dollars is one of the hardest parts of nonprofit work. Good Words for Good Work guides nonprofit leaders through the one step that changes everything: creating a Case for Why. You will gain clarity about your work, empower your team and board, and inspire donors to fund the annual, unrestricted (or lightly restricted) operating support your mission depends on.
This is the first book in the Let’s Build Hope Fundraising Series, with future guides focusing on annual planning and board development.
For nearly three decades, Linda Haley has watched organizations of all sizes struggle to raise this kind of support. The problem is rarely passion. It is clarity in expressing the need.
If you cannot clearly define what you are offering your community and what it truly costs to deliver it, it becomes very difficult to invite someone to invest in it.
Good Words for Good Work walks through one powerful step nonprofits can take toward raising annual operating support with greater confidence and consistency: creating what we call a Case for Why.
A Case for Why is not another marketing piece. It is not a glossy brochure. It is a foundational document that defines your work and communicates the full scope of what it takes to carry out your mission.
This book will show you why it matters and how creating one can change the trajectory of your fundraising.
What You’ll Be Ready to Do
Good Words for Good Work is a practical guide to creating your organization’s Case for Why. You won’t just learn about it–you’ll start building it! By the time you finish, you will have laid the foundation for raising the annual, unrestricted (or lightly restricted) operating dollars your mission depends on to endure and grow.
“A case for annual support (the Case for Why) is the most important case statement that your organization will write. It creates a shared language, defines your work, and most importantly, articulates your nonprofit’s reason to exist in a way that inspires donors to give.”
Linda B. Haley, Author
Linda B. Haley, CFRE
President & CEO, Let’s Build HopeLinda is the founder of Let’s Build Hope and an award-winning fundraising strategist with more than 30 years of experience helping nonprofits, from grassroots organizations to large institutions, raise over $200 million. She combines strategic thinking, metrics, and heartfelt storytelling to guide organizations in building sustainable, mission-driven fundraising. Linda is known for her warmth, honesty, and practical approach, helping boards and staff align around a shared vision and take meaningful steps to grow support for their mission.
Dr. Eliza Sanders, PhD, GPC
Writer In Residence, Let’s Build HopeEliza is a grants and fundraising strategist who brings expertise in research, storytelling, and persuasive communication to every project. She has secured major funding for nonprofits across health, education, and conservation, and maintains an 80% grant success rate with small- to mid-sized organizations. Eliza is known for her clarity, precision, and empathy, helping organizations communicate their work effectively and inspire generosity.
Go Beyond the Book
Good Words for Good Work is designed to help you take meaningful steps on your own. For organizations that want extra support along the way, Let’s Build Hope is here to guide your team, strengthen your fundraising, and turn your Case for Why into real, mission-sustaining results. Explore our nonprofit consulting services.