What The Neverending Story can teach us about putting donors at the heart of fundraising
Every story needs a hero. But who is yours?
Every strong fundraising story needs a hero.
But here is the question worth asking:
Who is the hero in your Case for Support?
As someone who writes many Cases for Support, I often get asked about the best reference or guide available for understanding how to produce impactful, donor-centric writing. Clients are almost always surprised to hear that my “gold standard” can’t be found in the Business section at Indigo, or at your typical ADP fundraising conference. For me, the best thing I ever read on the subject was written, for children, in 1979, by German novelist Michael Ende. For those less inclined to read children’s fantasy literature, fear not! You can always just watch the movie on Crave, though I dare say it is nowhere as good…
Every journey begins with a story.
THE NEVERENDING STORY
The Neverending Story tells the tale of Bastian Balthazar Bux, a young boy dealing with the death of his mother and his father’s neglect. While running from bullies, he escapes into a bookstore, where he steals a copy of The Neverending Story, and hides in the attic to read it.
As Bastian begins reading, he learns that the world of Fantastica described in the book is plagued by a growing formless threat called The Nothing (apathy), and that the center of the universe, a force of creativity and hope called the Childlike Empress, is mortally ill. To save the realm, she sends a chosen boy warrior, Atreyu, to find a cure. Atreyu doesn’t know where to look, or even what to look for, but he begins his hero’s journey for the cure, with Bastion avidly reading and following along the way.
As Atreyu journeys onward, overcoming multiple challenges and obstacles, Bastian begins to realize that the characters in the book are aware of him as the reader, and when Atreyu discovers that to save the realm, The Childlike Empress must be given a new name, he returns to her, believing fully that he failed in his quest. He tells her that he could not find the person that could save her and she gently laughs and corrects him. He had found the person that could name and save her. This special person had been there with Atreyu from the beginning, followed him through all of his trials, felt his pain and fear, but also carried with him the courage to do what was right and needed. Bastian, overcoming his self-doubt and incredulousness, calls out “Moonchild”, the name that he has chosen for her, and Fantastica is reborn and saved.
The Fundraising Lesson
A successful Case for Support always starts with a hero’s journey, where a person, group or organization is striving for hope. The challenge hope must always overcome is apathy, as it is much easier to do nothing than work to change the status quo.
The donor as the hero
However, what distinguishes an adequate Case from a great one is not the trials and tribulations documented in the text, but its ability to enter the reader into the story and give it life. The hero is never the organization positing the Case… it is the donor. It is the donor’s engagement that beats back apathy and reshapes the world.
Effective fundraising communication always puts the donor inside the frame, lets them experience how real the stakes are, and allows them to feel the emotional impact of victory. The donor may start adjacent to the story, but by the end, if done correctly,they are the Case’s story.
How are you communicating your organization’s hero’s journey?
Who is the hero?
If it’s currently not the donor, you may want to consider re-writing the ending.
About the Author:
Jason Muscant, BA (Hons), MA (he/him/his) is a bilingual philanthropy professional with more than 20 years of experience in fundraising, communications, and government relations. He joined Global Philanthropic Canada in 2025, bringing expertise in fund development, campaign strategy, major gifts, strategic planning, and donor engagement.
Jason has worked across diverse sectors, helping organizations turn complex ideas into clear, compelling stories that inspire support and advance their missions. He holds a Master’s degree in Political Theory from Carleton University and is a graduate of Concordia University’s Liberal Arts College.
