With this is mind, we’ve put together 5 top tips for securing corporate sponsorship for your charity:
Do your research
Many businesses will have a page on their website detailing the charities they support. This will explain why they fundraise for those particular charities: personal experiences of individuals within an organisation, supporting the local community etc. It’s worth looking into these to find potential matches between your vision and their choices.
Oh, and it’s also worth checking out company blog posts and social media too!
Create team-based events
Most businesses will agree that team-based events are a great way for colleagues to get to know each other and if they can raise money for a charity at the same time, that’s a huge added bonus. Here at Studio 24 we get involved in the Chariots of Fire race every year. From our point of view it’s a great chance to socialise, don our S24 t-shirts, and raise funds for a local cause.
With the ever-increasing popularity of challenge events such as Tough Mudder, Spartan Race and Insane Terrain (which Emma is running to raise money for The Elizabeth Coteman Fund), there is certainly a lot of scope for you to piggyback existing/arrange your own team-based events to attract businesses to raise funds for your cause.
Be found
Some organisations choose to support a charity of the month, an approach taken by one of our clients: The Cambridge Building Society.
Linking back to point 1, it’s important to search for those offering these opportunities but it’s also imperative that you are found by businesses looking to support different charities on a regular basis.
This is where the world of digital marketing plays a very important role. Ongoing Search Engine Optimsation and carefully managed Google Ads (making use of the free Google Ad Grants for not-for-profit organisations) are key to getting your charity noticed. In addition to this, ensuring that potential donors experience a fully responsive website is a must in such a competitive market. Making it simple for the user to find out about your charity and why they should support you, no matter which device they are viewing your site on, will certainly make you stand out from the crowd.
Create a buzz
Businesses involved in corporate partnerships understand that alongside the benefits of participating in a fun activity and raising money for a cause they care about, there is the added benefit of PR gained from supporting a charity.
Be sure to celebrate your partnerships and the support they are giving your charity through social media. This will help raise the profile of both parties and provide that added value.
Develop an ongoing relationship
Once you have a corporate partner onboard, keep communication regular, ensuring that you are providing a range of fundraising opportunities that will really resonate with their workforce. It’s great to have annual events that they are familiar with and are on the social calendar every year, but having more adhoc/tailored opportunities will help keep the relationship fresh.
Even if the organisation rotates their charity support, ongoing communication can help with referrals and relationship building for the next rotation.