Sponsorship – Profitable Teamwork
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Corporate sponsorships can help defray costs for running technical communication programs and events. Seeking sponsors will not jeopardize a nonprofit organization's status as long as the whole community benefits from the proceeds. While obtaining sponsors requires some effort, starting small with a mailing list of local companies and asking members for introductions can make it more manageable. Effective tips for starting a sponsorship program include keeping requests simple, targeting local businesses, clearly explaining the benefits for sponsors, and following up with thank you letters.
Sponsorship – Profitable Teamwork
- 1. Sponsorship – Profitable Teamwork Bob Young, NEO STC Fellow and Sponsorship Co-Chair, [email protected] “I have enough to do, why should I seek sponsors?” Corporate sponsorships are encouraged to help defray program expenses. Whether your community meets face-to-face or online, there are costs for running a successful program: meeting room expenses, food, guest fees, printed programs, server costs, and so on. Building alliances through sponsorships will help fund your program as well as increase member networking with the outside community. Potential for getting new members at the same time. THIS IS YOUR FIRST COMMITTEE, START HERE!! “But, we’ll jeopardize our non-profit status.” NO! It’s okay for your non-profit community to seek financial assistance to pay for programs. That is, as along as the entire community benefits – or at least has an opportunity to benefit – from the proceeds. Pure sponsorship, where the sponsor gets nothing in return, is counted as simple income. However, if a chapter has more than $1,000 in advertising in a year, it must file a 990-EZ tax form rather than the simple 990 ePostcard. This should not deter your efforts. If you have questions, call the STC office. Note: For non-U.S. chapters: please check with your appropriate governmental agency. “I have limited volunteers, this takes effort and it’s too hard.” Yes, there is some time involved. No, it’s not hard to start or revive a sponsorship committee. We agree that not everyone is comfortable in calling people they do not know. You can create a simple email or Constant Contact and ask a few members to help send out the message. Then, have these folks follow up with the companies that received the information. Now, they are no longer contacting strangers but potential partners to help pay for STC programs that benefit your membership. And, as a hidden benefit, you are teaching members how to improve their interview and public-speaking skills. “Okay, so how do we start?” Here are some basic tips: a. Keep it simple. Start by making a mailing list of local companies in your area. Shy away from contacting the larger corporations because they help sponsor larger organizations. Focus on local companies so you get to know them, and vice versa. Think of this as team-building with your local community to sustain your sponsors and promote STC’s message. b. Do you know of a company that is hiring? This is an excellent opportunity for the company to broaden its list of candidates by advertising on your web site. However, for IRS purposes, do not combine sponsorships with job postings.
- 2. Sponsorship Presentation Page Two c. Don’t be timid to ask your members if they know someone at a local company that may be helpful in securing a sponsorship. For example, John Doe buys tires from a friend at the store that is looking to build its clientele. Don’t just focus on tech companies, other companies are willing to help too. d. Create a message. Explain in 25 words or less what the proceeds will be used for (scholarship, educational activity) and to what benefit for the sponsor. They can come to the meeting for a free dinner, hand out company literature, say a few words before the main speaker, provide a door prize (everyone loves winning something!), and so forth. e. Create an email that introduces your STC group. This eliminates the cold-calling because you are merely seeking contacts. f. Consider advertising on your STC website. See letter c. Make sure that ads are consistent in size and placed appropriately on web pages. g. Seek non-monetary sponsors. Companies can provide a free meeting room, print your programs, or help defray food cost. Get inventive not greedy. This is a unique way to start working with them as they learn about your organization. h. Send thank you letters…even to the rejections! Just because a company is not prepared today to sponsor an activity does not mean that they won’t think of you in the future. Drop them a line every now and then. There are handouts with this presentation. Feel free to copy the information, such as an introductory email and invoice, to your STC logos and stationary. For any questions, please contact Bob Young at [email protected].