Make a Profit! Increase Nonprofit Revenue through Sponsorships

Fundraising can be stressful. Not everyone likes to ask for donations and unfortunately grants can be hard to come by. You may think that sponsorships for nonprofits are just for events such as 5Ks, Casino Nights, and more, but you can actually create an annual sponsorship package for your organization. Read on and learn more about how to attract and land potential sponsors.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Are you arranging a Zumba marathon or wine tasting, creating a cookbook, or organizing any other fundraising activity? Sponsorships should be part of all fundraising activities. If you don’t have any events on the calendar, you can still ask for annual sponsorships for your nonprofit.

How to Start

Begin by thinking about what you can offer potential sponsors. Come up with various marketing opportunities you can provide them with, for example:

Ads or logos on social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Ads or logos on your website.
Ads or logos in your newsletter.
Logos on your event banners.
Public speaking opportunities.
Allowing the sponsor to set up a table in your facility to market their products.

This is not an extensive list, and your imagination really is the limit. For example, come up with collaboration opportunities and create a sponsor wall where you highlight your current sponsors. Of course, having a wall is more effective if you have a lot of foot traffic in your building.

Although cold calling works, it is definitely easier to obtain a sponsorship when the company knows your nonprofit. Because of this, you should always work on developing and cultivating relationships in the community. Join your local chamber of commerce, go to professional networking events, etc. Get to know the companies and get a feel for what they are looking for. For example, if the owner of an athletic store might prefer to sponsor a race to a wine tasting. And the owner of an outdoor specialty store would probably rather sponsor a cook-off than a casino night. If you organize several different activities, it’s better to spread out your sponsors and not ask everyone for every event. You don’t want to exhaust your revenue sources.

Levels of Sponsorship

Companies have different budgets for supporting nonprofit organizations. However, don’t assume a company should support at a certain level based on its size and resources. Oftentimes, larger companies support more nonprofits and thus might provide less support for each organization. Compare that to the local business that like to market in the community and support fellow locals. You should always get a feel for your potential sponsor and suggest a level that you think matches his/her budget. And remember, it’s easier to go down a level than up.

I won’t give you specific amounts for nonprofit sponsorships here, it all depends on your budget, what event you’re doing (how many people it will impact), and the impact your organization has in the community. If you’re just starting out and are not really known in the community, you should start with lower levels (perhaps ranging from $100 to $1,000). However, if you have a large event, have a longer relationship with your sponsors, and/or have a larger impact in the community, you can ask for several thousands of dollars. Finally, if you’re not sure what amount to ask for, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our coaching program is only $69/month and we spend several hours each month discussing your fundraising plan or any other topic that you want to touch base on.

Thank your Sponsors

Regardless of whether you have an annual sponsor or an event sponsor, you should always send a thank you card. This should be handwritten and not emailed. If you have the budget, it is a nice gesture to provide each sponsor with something special at the end of the year. It could be a nice chocolate, a gift basket, personalized cards created by your clients, etc. Don’t spend too much money on it though, a sponsor doesn’t want all of his/her money to go towards a gift, it should be spent on your mission.

Conclusion

We hope that you learned something from this blog and feel engaged and confident enough to go out there and ask for sponsorships for your nonprofit. This blog is just an overview of how to obtain sponsorships and if you would still like some assistance or in-depth information, we encourage you to reach out to us at grants@jlmconsultinggw.com or through our website jlmconsultinggw.com.

Go get ‘em!