Many nonprofits seek corporate donations to help cover the costs of their fundraising events and raise more for their mission. But it isn’t easy to find potential partners, capture their attention, and secure support, especially with so many other causes vying for corporate dollars.
Competition is the biggest challenge nonprofits face in pursuing sponsorships these days, says Shelley Mayer, founder of Ramp Communications, a marketing consultancy in Toronto focused on nonprofit clients. To stand out, groups need to stop thinking about this form of support as a “transaction,” she says, and think more deeply about how to engage companies with a shared mission and build a larger partnership, “and maybe the event is just a piece of it.”
For the Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit in Atlanta that provides emergency assistance to food-service workers, events are often where its journeys with corporate donors start, says Bryan Schroeder, executive director. The organization does not try to “squeeze every penny out of the room” at events such as its recent annual gala, “Team Hidi.” Instead, fundraisers focus on ensuring that donors have the best experience possible to deepen ties.
Offer Exclusive Access
One approach that works: Create a “sense of exclusivity,” Schroeder says. “At the end of the day, that’s what people are really seeking.” For example, before a past event, Giving Kitchen acquired an expensive bottle of whiskey and used it as a cultivation opportunity instead of selling it in the auction.
The night before the party, Schroeder invited a group of executives at companies that were sponsoring the event to meet him for 15 minutes to “talk about something really special.” He surprised them with a glass of the whiskey and a conversation about the tasting notes, which made for an intimate, memorable experience, he says. “These are executives with a ton of money, a ton of access, and we’re sitting there drinking whiskey that you cannot find, and they are blown away,” Schroeder says. “And now, you know, a year later, they’re writing a $100,000 check to Giving Kitchen.”
‘Don’t Get Caught Up in the Details’
Schroeder recommends having a few people at your event whose job consists only of focusing on the experience of the most important donors and potential supporters. Don’t get caught up in the details of the event, he says. “Make sure you’re investing your time where it belongs.”
To improve your odds of landing a sponsorship, approach companies before their budget is set for the year, Schroeder suggests. And don’t be disappointed if you get a “no” — just try again next year. As much as possible, think about this work through a relationship and long-term lens, he says. For example, if a longtime sponsor can’t support you this time, put the company on your guest list and encourage the people you know who work there to come.
Here are more tips from experts to help you get corporate sponsors for your next event, make the most of these collaborations, and ensure they last.
Determine if it’s a fit. When looking into potential partners, think about what your nonprofit has to offer that could interest them, says Amy Crowell, principal at Next Stage Advisors, a consulting firm that helps nonprofits improve fundraising and events. When researching companies, here are a few things to look for:
- shared interests or alignment with your mission
- a customer base that overlaps with your donor demographic
- ties to people in your nonprofit’s network such as staff, board members, volunteers, committee members, or event honorees
Don’t overlook small and medium-size businesses. “Go big, for sure, because there is money there,” says Amy Milne, chief experience officer at Beyond Fundraising, a Toronto-based fundraising and event-production consultancy for nonprofits. “But there’s also this middle pond that’s full, and those are the people that care, right? Those are the people that you can get to quicker and are often untapped.” Plus, small sponsorships can grow over time if you treat these partners well.
Use your connections. Be as specific as possible when enlisting your board’s help, Crowell says. Instead of asking an open-ended question like can they help you get sponsors, share a list of 15 to 20 companies you think are a good fit and see if they have any contacts, she suggests.
Turn to your most involved volunteers and donors, too, Mayer says. If any of them work at, own, or have ties to a business, see if they would be willing to advocate for your organization.
Get to know the company before reaching out. Look online to see if it has a “social impact statement” or other information about corporate social responsibility or charitable giving, Milne suggests.
Learn about the company’s people, too. For example, read articles about the CEO and look up key employees on LinkedIn. The insights can help you get a sense of their personality so you can plan a smart approach. “This doesn’t have to be laborious,” Milne says. “But we’re in a people business, so treat it like we’re in a people business.”
Start a “business conversation.” When making initial contact with a company, it’s best to call, leave a message, and follow up with an email, Milne says. Don’t feel like you need to take a “buttoned-down” approach, she says. Instead, be open and honest about what you are looking for and how your pitch is aligned with the brand. Think of it as a business conversation, Milne says. “Corporates try stuff and fail all the time. They start with conversations, so be human.”
Make your message smart and exciting, she suggests. Share some initial ideas you’re enthusiastic about, such as creative ways to incorporate the company’s product into your event. “Show them what life is going to look like when they partner with you,” she says. “Be excited. If you’re excited, then they get excited.”
Ditch the presentation deck. Companies these days don’t want a polished deck about a sponsorship opportunity, Milne says. They want to build a partnership. You could create an internal deck with your ideas, she says, but don’t lead with it when pitching to a company because you don’t know what they have to offer. “If you limit yourself with that, you’re going to limit what you get back,” she says.
Instead, plan to do a lot of listening. That way you can customize the collaboration based on what you know the company wants and can give in return. If you like, you could fill out the deck afterward and share it with the business to highlight areas of alignment and opportunities you see based on this conversation, she says.
Offer an experience with the brand. The SickKids Foundation, a nonprofit in Toronto that promotes the health and well-being of children in Canada and internationally, focuses on creating branded “activations” for qualifying sponsors at its annual gala, “Scrubs in the City.” Each company gets an opportunity to promote its brand while engaging guests in a fun way, says Marijke Vandergrift, associate director of sponsorship.
For example, this year’s event included “beauty touch-up stations” through a collaboration with Giorgio Armani Beauty. Another sponsor, Canadian luxury retailer Holt Renfrew, created a “light tunnel” photo booth experience that gave participants a branded GIF they could share on social media.
The party is so popular with companies that there is a significant waiting list for sponsorships, Vandergrift says. “There’s just all these different opportunities that not only are kind of ‘Instagrammable’ but also are engaging. And around every corner there is something for guests to do at this event.”
Create a tailored “gratitude document” after events, even if it’s just a small PowerPoint deck. Don’t simply share how much money you raised. Say what the impact of that money will be.
Provide employee volunteer opportunities during the event. This could be appealing to companies that are encouraging employees to volunteer as part of their corporate social-responsibility efforts, Crowell says. It’s easy for the employees because they just have to show up, she adds. And it can provide more visibility for the company, such as by having the volunteers wear company shirts or branded name tags.
Use sponsorships to cover all event costs. “That’s always my goal so that if something happens and the whole event gets canceled or it rains or nobody shows up, you’re still not in the hole for that event,” Crowell says. Plus, if your costs are covered beforehand, you can say during the event that everything raised that night will go straight to the cause. You can get really specific about what different gift amounts will enable your organization to do, she adds, which motivates donors to give.
Another tip: Identify items you’ll need to buy for your event that could offer a marketing opportunity, Crowell suggests. For example, if you are organizing a 5k race and need to buy bottled water, figure out how much it would cost to add a company’s logo, and build that added cost into a sponsorship level.
Report back. Crowell encourages her clients to create a tailored “gratitude document” after their events, even if it’s just a small PowerPoint deck. Don’t simply share how much money you raised, she says. Say what the impact of that money will be. “You can never over-thank people,” she says. “But I really think it also makes you stick out from other potential nonprofits that are in partnership with the company.”
Some of Crowell’s clients hold “gratitude calls” for sponsors, usually on Zoom, before or after an event. The executive director or founder often thanks the company for its contribution and talks about the impact. Sponsors that are interested in employee engagement especially appreciate this tactic, Crowell says, because they can invite whomever they like to join.
Set expectations for sponsorships and clarify how each company defines success early on, Vandergrift says. That includes defining key performance indicators so you can report back on what the company received for its investment, she adds, such as impressions of social-media posts, signature cocktails served, or the reach of ads. And capture photos of sponsors’ guests, signage, and engagement at the event for your reporting.
Create “moments” throughout the year to keep companies engaged, Mayer suggests. For example, if an animal shelter knows a sponsor throws outdoor parties for its employees, the nonprofit could offer to bring some animals to one of them as a special treat for the staff.