5 Awesome Tips for Creating Corporate Sponsorship Packages
Corporate sponsorships are an important part of the nonprofit fundraising landscape. Thanks to Corporate Social Responsibility, more corporations than ever before are getting involved in philanthropic efforts, corporate giving initiatives, and general service activities.
In today’s world, businesses are actively looking for charities to partner with and sponsor – and they have a lot of worthy missions to choose from! Which means nonprofits still have to be proactive in finding, engaging, and signing corporate sponsors.
That makes building the perfect corporate sponsorship package that much more important!
Creating a corporate sponsorship package isn’t as simple as writing a quick email and sending it off to the company down the street. In order to be taken seriously, your corporate sponsorship packages must be compelling, involved, and engaging enough to catch the eye of a person in charge of corporate partnership or community giving.
Join us as we deep-dive into the five main components of creating the perfect corporate sponsorship package:
Tip #1: Understand the essentials of a corporate sponsorship package
Corporate sponsorship packages are typically sent to potential sponsors to offer them the opportunity to become involved with your cause. They’re a great way to get the word out about your nonprofit, your mission, and the different ways a corporation can help make an impact.
They also give an overview of what you’ll provide the corporation in exchange for their support (e.g. tickets, promotion, advertising, public recognition, brand awareness, etc.).
Package components typically include:
- A personal cover letter
- An outline of your nonprofit mission
- An overview of your supporter audience
- Sponsorship levels available
- Quantitative and qualitative benefits of sponsoring
Corporations are approached by dozens (if not hundreds) of nonprofits each year to receive support (either financial or through underwriting). In order to forge a lasting partnership – one that will turn a one-time corporate donor into a long-term supporter – you need to create a personal message around why their organization is a fit for your nonprofit’s mission.
The most important element of the package is the why. Focus on the impact that their support could have both on your mission and on their business. Make it known that they’re helping you change the world, and in return, you will provide value back to them.
Tip #2: Craft a compelling corporate sponsorship solicitation
Good old fashioned corporate sponsorship letters are still the best way to get your point across to a potential business partner. Letters give your team space to highlight your accomplishments, mission, demographics, impact, and partnership opportunities for your potential corporate sponsor.
Before starting to write your sponsorship letter, you need to research the organization you’re reaching out to. Take time to understand their history, their current philanthropic partnerships, the board, leadership team, and their mission. This will help you find commonalities between your cause and their business!
Keep these questions in mind when writing your corporate sponsorship letter:
- Why did you choose this corporation?
- What do they have in common with your nonprofit?
- What personal connections can you leverage?
- Who exactly will you be reaching out to about the sponsorship?
- What kind of sponsorship are you pitching?
Doing your research and knowing what you’re looking for before you start writing will help you better articulate your needs. As you begin writing, keep these four top tips in mind:
Personalize it
It might be a small step, but it’s important to personalize your letter. Incorporate information about their business, their giving history, and why your partnership matters. Make sure you include the name, role, and address.
Appeal to their emotions
If there is ever a time to tug on heartstrings, this is it. Tell the story of your nonprofit, how it was started, what services you provide to your beneficiaries, the impact of your cause, and what you will be doing with the incoming funds.
Come out and ask
Sponsorship solicitation letters shouldn’t go on for too long. Get to the point and ask directly, confidently, and quickly. State your case and put the ball in their court.
Follow up as soon as possible
This might be the most important time to say thank you. Follow-up a day or two after they receive the solicitation to see if they have any additional questions or if they have an answer.
Tip #3: Personalize your corporate sponsorship package.
If you really think about it, corporate sponsorships are unlike anything else your nonprofit will ask for. They are typically large donations that are made with an understanding that this isn’t just a one-and-done, or one-sided kind of relationship.
Corporate sponsorships are intended to last, which means they require dedication from both sides. Take your time and personalize your corporate sponsor outreach to increase your chances of them saying yes. Here’s how:
Add compelling visuals
Include pictures of your beneficiaries, the work you’re doing, your team, your board, and more. It’s also a good idea to include some pictures of past events or sponsor signage to give them a glimpse of what they’d be getting in return.
Offer unique incentives
All corporate sponsors aren’t created equal. While some organizations might want signage at an event in return for their involvement, others may want included on promotional items or have a special segment in your run of show. Tailor your incentive programs and benefits to meet the unique needs and giving history of your target partner – and charge accordingly.
Send from someone high-up
Many times, you’ll be sending this sponsorship solicitation to someone high-up. As a sign of respect for their position and their time, send your package from a person at a similar or higher-up level on your team.
Tip #4: Offer the right corporate sponsorship levels.
Figuring out a way to articulate ROI can be challenging for nonprofits, and corporate sponsors require more visibility into this metric than most of your other stakeholders. Each corporation is different when it comes to having a clear baseline for ROI, which is something that nonprofits should keep in mind.
OneCause makes providing value to your sponsors a breeze! The OneCause Fundraising Platform offers unique ways to not only showcase your sponsor logos, but foster sponsor engagement with features like the Sponsor Game. The best part? With robust analytics, you’ll be able to report out on impressions to showcase and prove the value of the sponsorships you’re offering.
While you should have the same sponsorship levels for all of your corporate sponsors (it just keeps it easier for your internal team) you can play around with what different sponsors receive in return for each level.
Setting appropriate sponsorship levels and incentives depends on the types of sponsors you’re going after. If you’re working with smaller organizations, it’s not appropriate to ask for larger donation amounts. Large corporations, on the other hand, might be more ready to meet these expectations. Just remember to provide a scale of sponsorship options for donors of all shapes and sizes.
Tip #5: Make securing your corporate sponsorship a seamless process.
While building out perfect corporate sponsorship packages is important, it’s also critical to think about what a sponsor will do with the package once they decide to say yes to your proposal!
In your packages, make sure to include:
- A detailed overview of the sponsorship package levels and what each one includes
- All contact information in case the sponsor has any questions or concerns for your team
- A postage-paid remittance envelope
- A URL to an online payment option that will allow corporate sponsors to view different packages, select which one fits their needs, make payments, and engage with other sponsors
- A next-steps section that outlines the next phase of the sponsorship
Now that you have the five tips to help you maximize corporate sponsors, it’s time to get started on the path the partnership success.
Wrapping Up!
The OneCause Fundraising Platform equips your nonprofit with new and innovative giving strategies through a modern, flexible giving experience that unlocks donor generosity.
Ready to learn more about how the OneCause Fundraising Platform can drive deeper supporter engagement and make fundraising easier for your team? Schedule a tour with one of our product experts!
If you’re a current customer, reach out to your Customer Success Manager to chat about using the new Platform at your next event.
To continue learning with OneCause, check out these additional resources:
- Corporate Sponsorships for Nonprofits | The Ultimate Guide: Learn how to capture and sustain corporate sponsorships
- 10 Expert Tips to Boost In-person Event Attendance and Fundraising: See how you can take your event attendance with this blog
- How to Write A Corporate Sponsorship Letter: 5 Steps: Learn how to build out your sponsorship asks in just 5 steps.
- Creative Ways to Drive Event Sponsorship: 4 Protips For Revenue Growth: Learn 4 easy tips to better drive event sponsorship
