Corporate sponsorships can transform your nonprofit’s fundraising game—but landing them requires strategy, preparation, and a personal touch. Here’s how to simplify the process, raise the bar, and set yourself up for success in 2025.
Get Your CRM System Ready
The foundation of any successful corporate sponsorship campaign is a well-organized CRM system.
- Track Everything: Ensure your CRM can track donations and sponsorship histories.
- Segment Contacts: Organize your data to easily identify potential sponsors within your community or network.
Consider using a CRM like GiveButter. It's an all-in-one platform that is free and easy to use, with affordable upgrade options tailored to the nonprofit space.
Define Your Need
Before approaching a corporate sponsor, clearly articulate your need.
- Why That Amount?: Be specific about the funding you’re requesting and what it will achieve. Corporate donors want to know their contributions will make a measurable impact.
Pro Tip: Corporate sponsors want to know they’re contributing to a meaningful cause and enhancing their community recognition. Let the numbers do the talking!
Start with Your Community
Cold outreach might work occasionally, but relationships are key. Begin with your immediate circle.
- Leverage Your Network: Ask board members, staff, and volunteers about their workplaces or connections.
- Add a Custom Field to Online Fundraisers or Subscription Widgets: Use your CRM to capture relevant information about each contact’s network or workplace. This can help you identify potential corporate partners.
Start by having key leadership compile a list of all the organizations they are connected to, then develop a strategic engagement plan to foster those relationships.
Leverage Technology to Stay Informed
Stay relevant and up-to-date with your corporate outreach efforts.
- Set Google Alerts: Monitor news, announcements, and developments about target companies. This can help make your interactions more personalized.
- Build Sponsor Profiles: For each potential sponsor, maintain a document outlining key information such as:
- Company overview
- Key individuals and LinkedIn profiles
- Upcoming events
- Recent news or press coverage
- Master Documents: Create a master outreach document that includes detailed notes about each potential sponsor and outreach assignments. Link donor profiles to your master outreach document for easy access.
- Consistent Messaging: Use standardized email and phone templates to ensure consistent messaging.
Google Workspace is a free tool designed to streamline task and project management. It enables seamless collaboration and offers powerful features to help your team work efficiently.
Plan Ahead
Corporate sponsorships take time to secure.
- Engage Early: Start outreach 9-12 months in advance of any event or campaign.
- Understand Timelines:
- It may take 3 months for corporations to respond to your initial outreach
- Another 3 months for the company to choose a sponsorship level
- And an additional 3 months for approval and funding
The last thing your organization wants to do is wait until three months before the event to begin outreach. Give yourself plenty of time!
Craft an Impressive Proposal
Here is checklist of items your corporate proposal should include:
- A personalized cover letter from leadership or key contacts.
- A compelling pamphlet outlining sponsorship tiers and their benefits.
- Clear and concise information about how to move forward with a donation.
Does your proposal appeal to both the head and the heart? Ensure it resonates with all types of donors by incorporating compelling impact data and authentic success stories.
The Takeaway
Securing corporate sponsorships is about building relationships, demonstrating impact, and staying organized. Start with your community, leverage technology, and plan ahead to make the process smoother. Not sure where to start? Ask your employer. Remember to not overlook personal connections. Employers often care about the causes their employees support and may already have a giving program. With these steps, your nonprofit can secure the support it needs to thrive in 2025 and beyond.
