Find Sponsorships for Your Business by Partnering with a Nonprofit Organization

If you are looking for sponsorships, the best way to find them is by partnering with a nonprofit organization. Nonprofit organizations have a great cause that also come with an endless stream of promotional and public relationship opportunities and they need help reaching their goals.

When your business partners with a non profit, sponsors are able to identify a matching cause to support through your efforts and everyone wins in the end. Growth and goodwill typically follow these types of partnerships so these four ideas are a perfect way to find sponsorships in your industry.

1. Find a nonprofit organization that aligns with your company’s values

Nonprofit organizations need help in areas like marketing, event planning and community outreach. If your company has the resources available to provide this assistance, make a connection with them and offer to help on their next endeavor. This will not only build goodwill within your industry but also create a mutually beneficial partnership as well.

Choosing a nonprofit partner must be done in a way that connects the dots for both organizations. Does the nonprofit have a need for sponsorships? Do your company’s values align with theirs?

When looking for sponsors, it is important to identify a match that will bring success to both parties.

A partnership between two organizations should always be mutually beneficial and in alignment with their goals before proceeding forward.

2. Create a plan to highlight the benefits of a partnership with your company

Once you’ve identified a great match, create a plan to highlight the benefits of partnering with your company. It is important that nonprofits understand how the partnership will not be a distraction or deviation from their overall goal as an organization.

Creating a plan will help to structure your offer that makes sense to the core stakeholders and board at the nonprofit. The simpler your presentation the higher the likelihood of gaining their trust and eventually landing a solid partner.

Here are key components of a plan that should be presented when making your pitch.

1. Does your target audience align with the nonprofit’s ideal market?
2. What are the specifics about the audience (demographic, location, market behavior, trends, community makeup, etc)
3. What are some possible campaign angles
4. Why your campaign will move people to connect with your partnership or activation
5. Projected and forecasted results, conversatively speaking

Now that you have a plan outlined, dress it up nicely in an easy to understand document. If you have a graphic designer who can breathe life into it by turning it into a visually appealing proposal, that would be a great appraoch.

Your plan must prove your case for the partnership. Using pictures are a great way to speak to the emotions of a buyer so make sure to include great visuals.

3. Reach out with an initial request about the partnership idea then schedule an appointment for a more lengthly conversation

There’s no substitute for picking up the phone and making a phone call to connect with people. When you’re looking to engage with a nonprofit as a potential partner, you should definitely figure out a way to meet with them in person or live on zoom to discuss your ideas.

Never pitch your idea on the initial outreach call. Your first call is primarily to spark interest, find the appropriate person who makes decisions, then schedule an appointment for a more indepth conversation about the partnership. If you’re unable to schedule an appointment on the first call, don’t panic! You’ve still had a successful conversation that has planted the seed.

The reason for this is because nonprofits are bombarded with sponsorships and outreach so it’s hard to reach out without making contact in some way before scheduling a meeting.

At this point, the name of the game is follow up. But make sure you also have more than just one potential partner lined up to reach out to.

4. Present your case, project future wins, paint the picture of how you can help the non-profit grow, illustrate how your partnership can help sponsors grow and reach their goals

The point of this meeting is to present your case and how you can help their organization grow. Your goal should be to illustrate that the partnership will provide sponsors with a unique opportunity for success, reaching new audiences or increasing engagement in meaningful ways.

During this call, it’s important to establish rapport and a high level of trust. With a simple to understand plan and highly engaging imagery and videos, it will make it easier for you to get to a deeper point of connection.

Keep in mind, your ultimate goal is to help the potential sponsors reach their target audience and grow their reach, and with your partnership with the nonprofit, you should be able to hit those markers. The nonprofit partners are always looking for ways to fund their operation but also want to help their sponsors get what they need.

If you’re able to communicate that you understand that specific reality, then you’re a shoe fit into a long and prosperous partnership.

5. Take your partnership and approach potential sponsors with the fire power of both organizations

Once you have a plan in place and have chosen the best partner for your sponsorships needs, it’s time to move forward with sponsors. The same principles apply in terms of having a plan, being consistent with outreach and follow up, and then creating a solid presentation to seal the deal.

Your sponsors are going to want a document that clearly lays out what they’re getting in return for their investment. This is your opportunity to sell them on the value of partnering with you and the benefits coming back around from doing so.

What will it do for them? How does it help sponsors reach different audiences or increase engagement? It’s important that you keep the same approach you took with attracting and aligning with the nonprofit. Remain centered on their goals and speak sparingly about what you bring to the table. There’s a time and place to showcase what you can do, but keep it high level.

Who is your ideal nonprofit partner and when will you make the first outreach call?

Finding sponsorships for your business by partnering with a nonprofit organization is not easy but it is definitely worth the effort.

Opportunities abound, but you have to know where and when to find the right ones. From partnerships between sports teams and local businesses or in-kind donations from public organizations, there is a limitless pool of places to find what you need to grow your business.

Take action today and start lining up appointments so you’re progressing closer to your goals while helping push the cause of companies you align with. All the best!