| Course | FDR-4400 Fundraising for Nonprofits |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 1 |
| Paper type | Organization assignment: organizational analysis and case statement |
| Length | About 756 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | B.S.B.A. in Finance |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for FDR 4400 Module 1
Teenagers on the Delaware: An Organizational Analysis and Case for Support for a Camden Youth Rowing Program
Student Name
B.S.B.A. in Finance, Thomas Edison State University
FDR-4400: Fundraising for Nonprofits
Mentor Name
Month Day, Year
Teenagers on the Delaware: An Organizational Analysis and Case for Support for a Camden Youth Rowing Program
The Organization
Delaware River Youth Rowing was founded in 2011 by two former college rowers who coached on the river and noticed that almost none of the teenagers in the waterfront neighborhoods had ever been on it. Its mission is "to use the discipline of rowing to help Camden teenagers finish high school, reach college and lead." About 140 students aged 13 to 18 take part each year, practicing four afternoons a week from March to November and training indoors through the winter, with required study hall twice a week. Sargeant and Shang (2017) describe fundraising as building relationships with donors over time, not as a series of one-off appeals.
Programs and Results
These outcomes are the organization's strongest fundraising asset. Weinstein and Barden (2017) emphasize that donors give to results and to people, not to organizations, and that a case should show what changes because the organization exists.
| Program | Participants | Recorded result, last three years |
|---|---|---|
| Rowing practice and racing | 140 a year | 31 regattas entered; 12 medals at regional races |
| Study hall and tutoring | All rowers | 94 percent of seniors graduated on time, against a city rate well below that |
| College access | Juniors and seniors | 78 percent of graduates enrolled in college; 11 rowed in college |
| Summer learn-to-row | 60 middle school students | 40 percent joined the full program the next spring |
Finances and Funding Base
The annual budget is about $620,000: coaching and program staff 58 percent, boats and equipment 14 percent, boathouse lease and utilities 11 percent, transportation to races 7 percent and administration and fundraising 10 percent. Revenue is concentrated: two foundations provide 46 percent, a spring gala 22 percent, a county youth grant 15 percent and individual donors only 17 percent, from about 320 donors, most of whom give once a year at the gala.
Fundraising Readiness
The organization's readiness is uneven. Its programs and results are strong, but its funding base is fragile, its board's role in fundraising is undefined and its information is too thin to support a major gifts program. Sargeant (2001) found that donors leave when they feel unthanked and uninformed about results, which is a risk for an organization that contacts most donors once a year.
| Factor | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Board | Nine members; four give and help raise money; no giving policy |
| Staff | Executive director spends about a quarter of her time on fundraising; no development staff |
| Data | Donor records in spreadsheets; no record of contacts or interests |
| Funding mix | Heavily dependent on two foundations and one event |
| Case and materials | Strong outcomes, but no written case statement |
The Case Statement
The need
Camden's waterfront is a few blocks from where many of its teenagers live, yet few have ever been on the river. Many of their high schools have no organized sports beyond basketball and football, and too many students leave without a diploma or a plan.
What we do
For fourteen years, Delaware River Youth Rowing has offered these teenagers something rare: a demanding team sport on open water, coaches who know them, two study halls a week and an adult who helps them find and apply to college. There is no cost to families. Every rower is expected to keep their grades up to race.
What changes
Our rowers graduate on time at a rate of 94 percent, and nearly four in five enroll in college. They learn that showing up at 3:30 in the afternoon in March, in the cold, with seven teammates waiting, is a promise worth keeping. Alumni now coach our youngest rowers.
Why now
The county-owned boathouse we have leased since 2013 has a failing roof and a dock that inspectors have limited to half our fleet. Without a new or rebuilt boathouse within three years, we will have to cut the program by half. We are planning a campaign to secure a permanent home on the river.
How you can help
A gift of $500 keeps one rower on the water for a season, including coaching, equipment and race fees. A gift of $5,000 buys a new single shell. Gifts of any size, and the time of volunteers and mentors, help a Camden teenager finish strong.
Conclusion
Delaware River Youth Rowing has the results and the story that fundraising depends on, but not yet the structure. The case statement gives every later document a common foundation; the readiness analysis shows that broadening individual giving and engaging the board must come before any large campaign.
References
Sargeant, A. (2001). Relationship fundraising: How to keep donors loyal. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 12(2), 177-192. https://doi.org/10.1002/nml.12204
Sargeant, A., & Shang, J. (2017). Fundraising principles and practice (2nd ed.). Wiley.
Weinstein, S., & Barden, P. (2017). The complete guide to fundraising management (4th ed.). Wiley.
Reading the FDR 4400 Module 1 assignment instructions
Across fourteen organization assignments, worth 45 percent, you apply each concept to the nonprofit you chose in Module 1. Module 1, Fundraising and Organizational Analysis, covers the principles of fundraising, the case statement and the roles of board, staff and volunteers. Expect assignments that profile the organization, examine its funding and readiness and draft its case for support, which later becomes the basis for letters and proposals. The organization here is a composite; your own analysis should use the nonprofit you chose. Choose an organization whose annual report and tax filings are public, since the analysis depends on its finances. This analysis is the foundation for every later assignment.
How the FDR 4400 Module 1 example is put together
The paper profiles the organization's founding and mission, then shows programs and outcomes in a table, since results carry the case. A finances section breaks down the budget and revenue sources and identifies the concentrated funding base. A readiness table rates board, staff, data, funding mix and materials, followed by a margin note on why the baseline matters. The case statement is written in donor-facing language under five headings: need, what we do, what changes, why now and how you can help. A short conclusion names the priorities the analysis reveals. The case statement at the end draws on the analysis above it, so every claim in the case has support.
Reading the FDR 4400 Module 1 grading rubric
Organization assignments carry 45 percent of the FDR-4400 grade across fourteen tasks, so each one counts. Mentors look for an accurate and specific picture of the chosen organization, application of the course's concepts, such as the case statement and fundraising readiness, and writing that is usable, not merely descriptive. A case statement that is concrete, focused on results and written for donors rather than staff shows the second course objective in practice. An honest readiness assessment that names weaknesses sets up stronger later assignments. Mentors also credit an honest assessment of fundraising readiness, including gaps in staff, board and data. Accurate figures from public filings support the analysis. Papers that use the nonprofit's own numbers, such as its share of revenue from individual donors, make the analysis specific.
FDR 4400 Module 1 help: mistakes that cost marks
First organization assignments lose points when they copy the nonprofit's website, write the case statement in jargon or staff language and skip the weaknesses that will shape fundraising strategy. Use the organization's own figures where you can. Put results and people at the center of the case. Write it so a donor could read it in two minutes. Rate readiness honestly, including the board's role. A free first sample of your own FDR-4400 Module 1 assignment is available on request. Use the organization's Form 990 and annual report for figures, and lead the case with people served rather than the organization's needs. Keep the case under a page.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Thomas Edison State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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FDR 4400 Module 1 questions, answered
Where can I find a free FDR 4400 Module 1 sample paper?
The youth rowing organization analysis above profiles mission, programs, finances and fundraising readiness and includes a full case statement.
What is a case statement in fundraising?
A document that sets out the need an organization meets, what it does, the results it achieves, why support is urgent and how donors can help.
What should an organizational analysis for fundraising include?
Mission, programs and outcomes, budget and revenue sources, board and staff capacity, donor data and the strength of existing materials.
Why is a concentrated funding base risky?
If one or two funders or a single event provide most revenue, losing any of them threatens the whole program.
What textbook does FDR-4400 use?
Weinstein and Barden's The Complete Guide to Fundraising Management, fourth edition.