Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships
- Corporate Sponsorship and Partnership Proposal
- Response form (for submitting checks)
Corporate donations provide you with a great boost in your fundraising efforts and gives your sponsor a way to support a worthy cause and gain publicity at the same time. Here's how it works:
Step One: Do your homework
Sponsorship money will probably come from one of three places:
- Your local department: There is usually money in your department that can be used for miscellaneous purposes. The chances of getting money from this bucket are greater if you are coming to the end of a fiscal year and there is money left over in the miscellaneous funds.
- Community Giving Department: Most large companies have a Community Giving Department. Their purpose is to give away pieces of their budget to various charities. Check and see if they have a specific type of charity they contribute to (like health or education) and see if LLS fits that profile. If not, they may have money set aside for employee initiatives, so it never hurts to ask!
- Charitable Grant: Typically, grants are given only once or twice a year, so make sure that you check the grant’s calendar. Most grants are limited and restricted to very specific charities, so make sure you check the guidelines before applying
Find out who is the decision-maker (your manager, HR manager, CEO, etc.) in each department listed above. The larger the company, the more digging required. Some sponsorship requests require certain information or documents. Make sure you have a list of everything required for the request because if you hand in a proposal without that information, they may not consider it.
Step Two: Prepare your sponsorship ask
- Once you have done the research, you may have an idea of a range of money that your company is likely to give you. Pick the dollar amount at the top of that range that you are going to ask for.
- Now that you know what your decision-maker requires in a sponsorship proposal, review the TNT Corporate Sponsorship and Partnership Proposal and make sure that all information needed is in there. If you need additional information, ask your team manager.
- Write your cover letter (click for samples) for the Corporate Sponsorship and Partnership Proposal. Make sure to include an inspirational reason why you are participating. The more personal you make it, the more likely a company will sponsor you.
- There are many levels of sponsorship, from $2,500 to $25,000. Each level has its own benefits for the company. Read the response form and get familiar with the benefits at each level.
Step Three: Set a meeting
- If the decision-maker resides in your office, set a 30-minute face-to-face meeting with them.
- You are most likely to get sponsored if you meet with them face-to-face because it is a personal ask.
- If you can’t meet with them face-to-face due to them being in another office or time restrictions, ask them for a 30-minute phone call to talk about sponsoring you.
Step Four: Present the sponsorship package
Face-to-face or phone meeting:
- Print two copies of the response form for the meeting. Make sure to read it over so it is fresh in your mind.
- In your meeting, be prepared to talk about how sponsoring TNT will benefit the company, how TNT has benefited you, an inspirational story of why you participate, and what The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society does for cancer patients.
- If you need to do a phone call or if they just want you to email them the information, make sure to email your cover letter and the TNT Corporate Sponsorship and Partnership Proposal at least one day before the call for them to review.
- Use the response form to make this conversation easier. Highlight the benefits at each level
If email is the only way to present the proposal:
- Make sure to include your cover letter and the TNT Corporate Sponsorship and Partnership Proposal.
- Copy your cover letter’s body into the email.
Step Five: Follow up
- If you have not heard back from the decision-maker, follow up by phone within one week.
- Don’t be shy about reminding them there is a deadline to support your fundraising efforts.
- Keep following up every week to two weeks until you get an answer. Remember, this may be a long process, so don’t get discouraged!
Step Six: Turn in your sponsorship
- Email your response form to sftntinfo@lls.org or fax it to 415-625-1159.
- Submit your sponsorship check the way just like any other check or have the company mail the check to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 1390 Market Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94102.
