Finding Sponsors for School Events Can Be Easy

School events are great at getting the students excited about learning, give them opportunities to bond with fellow classmates, and can help them grow in confidence. However, funding these events can be expensive. PTOs and other school teams and organizations are usually responsible for producing the funds for the events. The question you may be asking is, “how do I raise the funds for my event or organization?”

Most non-profit organizations need to gain revenue through donations. Grants and other government funding often is not enough to allocate to all needs within the organization. This is particularly true for schools who have additional events such as science fairs, film festivals, sports teams, etc., to pay for. Student registration fees usually only cover personal investments like uniforms, bus fare and supplies, so funding for venues, new equipment, software programs, etc., must be gained through donations.

Fundraisers are a great way to gain ongoing revenue to cover basic needs like renewing supplies, refreshment costs, rentals, etc. But when looking to fund large events, however, fundraising can fall short of your funding needs. This is why finding sponsors is important.

Sponsorship provides a way to gain larger amounts of revenue quickly and reliably. A sponsorship is having businesses committing funds or resources to your organization, in exchange for promotional benefits. This provides the businesses advertising opportunities that can reach target audiences.

Businesses know that customers are looking for companies that show they care. That means that businesses are looking for opportunities to donate to good causes, like your event or organization. Sponsorship opportunities help businesses showcase their values.

Sponsorships are a win-win! Your organization gets the funding it needs, while the business builds a greater customer base.

How to find sponsors

When looking for sponsors, you need to do a few things:

1.   Get to know your audience.

Sponsors want to know who they are going to advertise to. Look for companies that will fit with the demographic of your community. Most of the people attending your event are parents with a certain generational mindset. If you are a High School, you also have teenagers who are also potential customers. Companies who appeal to these groups are going to get a greater customer response than those who may appeal to senior citizens or a specified audience.  

2.   Plan ahead.

Businesses need time to consider the donation and contact those in charge of marketing. In addition, it may take some time to print logos on merchandise used for advertising. Make sure you give your school’s organization plenty of time before the event to gather funds and prepare advertising components.

3.   Organize.

It is important to communicate and organize with all the members of the school’s organization. Make sure everyone knows who is in charge, who is making calls or sending emails, who is being contacted, and so forth. Setting goals helps all the members understand the needs and can motivate them to raise the funds needed. It also helps to keep a record of sponsors contacted, if and what they donated, and what information they received. This not only helps with communication, but it is a handy tool to have for the next event. 

4.   Look within the organization.

There are often businesses with relatives or employees who are already supporters of your school. It is more likely that these businesses are willing to work with you, knowing already the contribution of your school’s organization, and there is already an established trust built. Alumni are also willing sponsors purely because of school pride.

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5.   Think local.

Local businesses are the best sponsors because they are going to benefit from your audience the most. People generally do their shopping within a 10-mile radius, usually less for consistent needs. Big name companies, such as Walmart, Target, Kohls etc., are great options since they are usually conveniently located in most communities. Approaching small businesses as well can help build the local economy. Small businesses are also usually more willing to support their own community and can greatly benefit from a larger customer base. 

6.   Decide how you will provide promotional content.

There are many ways to advertise for your benefactors. You can add logos to merchandise or team uniforms, add thank-yous and logos to programs and pamphlets, and even make public announcements during the event. There are many ways to promote your sponsors. Your organization could also decide on multiple types of advertisement for different levels of support, more advertising for bigger donations.

7.   Prepare an information packet for the sponsors.

Include what you are funding, why it is important and what your funding goals are or levels of sponsorship. Providing your sponsor with this information is advertising for you. Explain how the donation will be recognized and an estimated attendance rate you are expecting at this event. You will also need to provide a letterhead for tax reasons and your tax ID number. Do not forget to add a commitment deadline for the sponsors.

8.   Call or visit in person.

Adding a personal touch will go a long way. Talking directly to the sponsor or making an appointment to visit them in person helps provide an opportunity for questions and shows that you are willing to take the time for them. Follow up on sponsors that have not made a commitment. Be persistent but not pesky.

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Good Relationships with Your Sponsors are Important

Creating a good relationship between you and your sponsors is key to success. It is important to be honest and open about your school’s needs. There also needs to be clear and consistent communication so that everyone gets the information needed. Establishing a good relationship with your sponsors helps establish trust which can then lead to future donations.

After the event, do not forget to say thank-you to your sponsors. Sending them a thank-you letter poster, certificate, or small gift (like a uniform jersey or school t-shirt) helps establish that good relationship by showing the company that you value them. It also gives them something they can display to show customers their caring nature. You can include information such as how many attended the event, how much money was raised, or how their donation was specifically helpful.

Schools do so much for the future of our country by teaching our future leaders. Your event is important, and you are doing amazing things! You and your donors share that understanding and those values are important to them as well as you. Your endeavors of funding your projects will, quite literally, pay off!