Nonprofit Fundraising 101

Chapter 23 Sponsorships

“The best partnerships aren’t dependent on a mere common goal, but on a shared path of equality, desire, and no small amount of passion.”

—Sarah MacLean

Introduction

Corporations are all around us, every day. We buy their products and services, and increasingly, they’re interested in partnering with nonprofits to reach more customers, increase employee loyalty, and improve their image. Billions of dollars a year flow from companies to good causes globally, and when pursued strategically, corporate sponsorships can yield significant revenues and bolster awareness of your organization.

Personally, when I was helping to produce and spearhead sponsorships for both Craigslist Foundation’s Nonprofit Boot Camp and Social Media for Nonprofits, I witnessed the transformative impact of these partnerships first-hand. We raised well over a million sponsorship dollars between the two programs during my tenure, providing much needed resources; plus the sponsors we engaged provided valuable resources to our audience and helped promote our events.

Corporate sponsorships are also a great way to align your organization with a brand that people respect and recognize. This can give you legitimacy with people unfamiliar with your cause and bring attention to your nonprofit, specifically to fundraising events. And while getting corporate sponsorships revolves around the same basic principle of all fundraising—building relationships—it does require a slightly different and ...