Sponsors help nonprofits host exciting events that bring in more donors. And in exchange for their support, they receive excellent marketing opportunities at these events or campaigns. Nonprofit sponsorship packets are crucial in inviting more support from these corporate sponsors.
A sponsorship packet gives companies a better idea of what a nonprofit does for the community, why people care, and how the company can benefit from this sponsorship arrangement.
Nonprofit sponsorship packets don’t have to cost a lot to print. They may even be offered entirely online. Regardless of how your organization sends out these packets, there are a few things you must include.
This article will discuss how sponsorship packets can help you gain businesses’ attention, what to include, and how to design a stunning packet. We’ve also included a complete resource package along with templates and a few examples to help you get started on your own.
What is a Sponsorship Packet, and How Does it Help?
Nonprofit sponsorship packets are used to inform and entice businesses for upcoming sponsorship opportunities for nonprofit events, capital campaigns, virtual campaigns, and more, and in turn, lay out benefits for the businesses. These corporate-nonprofit partnerships can be extremely beneficial in the long run for any nonprofit.
The appeal of using a sponsorship packet instead of relying on face-to-face communication is that packets lay out specific sponsor benefits and keep everyone on the same page.
Sponsorship packets can also be personalized to target a company or business type and share demographic details and marketing appeals that may encourage more significant gifts.
The Essentials of a Nonprofit Sponsorship Package
Sponsorship packets are usually different for each nonprofit, but your organization should include a few vital details.
1. Nonprofit mission
The first and most important marketing detail of any organization is its mission. During this era of corporate responsibility, businesses are more aware than ever of how customers view their products and organization. They also have a clear understanding of what causes they want to support and where they’d like to market their products or services.
Nonprofits that share their mission with potential sponsors immediately draw attention from companies with similar goals and purposes.
2. Event or campaign details
Sharing event details in a sponsorship packet is equally essential and relatively obvious. If you want a business to sponsor an event, you must tell them when and how to get there.
If you’re looking for sponsors for a capital campaign, these details should give more specifics on what their funds will achieve.
An event sponsor helps develop an extraordinary event. A capital campaign sponsor helps the nonprofit purchase land or transportation, build a facility, and more.
So whatever you’re seeking sponsorship for, be sure to add important details while also showcasing how the event or campaign aims to help the community.
3. Fundraising goal
When providing details on how the business’s sponsorship will benefit the organization, your nonprofit must also give a specific fundraising amount goal.
By sharing your campaign or event fundraising goal with sponsors, they’ll better understand how much the event will raise and what percentage of that goal they’re contributing. With this information, they’ll have a better idea of what benefits they can expect.
4. Target demographics
Sponsorship packets give nonprofits the perfect opportunity to make a sales proposition. Including target demographics like the age, sex, and interests of your organization’s donor database helps companies learn more about your donor base.
With this information, companies can see how marketing at one of your events can help them reach more of their target audience. This is a crucial piece of information for every business and often the deciding factor. So, break down details based on your donor demographics and share them with your potential sponsors.
5. Sponsorship levels and benefits
After sharing your fundraising goals and target demographics, it’s time to break down sponsorship levels and benefits. Most businesses have their own marketing budget. Providing details for each sponsorship level informs them of what each amount offers.
Even better than the overall goal is the sponsorship levels. Give them specific amounts they can support your organization with and respective benefit details. This makes their decision easy and quick and saves unnecessary discussions.
6. Deadline
Businesses are no different than anyone else. If you allow them to wait to finalize sponsorship details, they will. Including a deadline on your sponsorship packet creates a sense of urgency and will help both sides make a satisfactory contract.
7. Contact information
Nonprofits must also add contact information to sponsorship packets to ensure businesses reach out to the right contact person. This is crucial when volunteers do most of your event or campaign’s sponsorship outreach.
It’s best to include your organization’s director of development, executive director, or board chairperson’s contact name, email, and phone number as a primary contact.
5 Ideas to Craft a Stunning Sponsorship Packet
Your sponsorship packet may be a mailed marketing piece or remain entirely online. As you design and develop your sponsorship packet, the following five ideas will help you gain attention and convince corporations to take you seriously.
1. Personalize
Businesses receive more sponsorship appeals than they can fund, so most will be ignored. To stand out in the crowd, you must personalize your sponsorship packets for each business.
A few ways to do this are to include a contact name, programs that fit their organizational mission and goals, and a personal message from your board chairperson. You should also try to personalize your sponsorship levels and benefits to fit their interests.
2. Include high-quality images
Design is as important as content, especially when it comes to grabbing and holding the attention of significant sponsors. High-quality images, preferably real photos of your organizational impact and work, can do wonders for your sponsorship packets.
Technology advancements make including stunning images easier. Even your cell phone takes better pictures than the best cameras from a few years ago. There are also online visual tools like Canva and Pexels to help find stock photos and create stunning marketing pieces.
3. Use white space
Just because you have the images doesn’t mean you need to use them all. White space on your sponsorship packet helps draw readers’ attention to the important parts and details.
White space also ensures that your design is neat. Too many images and heavy use of text or data can scare some people away.
4. Use nonprofit branding
How do you know something comes from McDonald’s, Apple, or Walmart? That’s right. It’s because of branding.
Your nonprofit’s branding includes your organization’s logo, website colors, and donation form. Branding your sponsorship packet will help people know it’s yours. Your branding should be the same across all marketing pieces online and off.
This also creates a sense of confidence among potential sponsors about your organization.
5. Focus on impact
Corporations want to know if their funds are going to a larger purpose. Including their sponsorship impact throughout your sponsorship packet encourages them to give more.
You can add these details to your sponsorship levels. You’ll also want to include impact examples in your sponsorship letters and acknowledgments and share any impact reports.
A Complete Downloadable Corporate Sponsorship Guide with Email Templates
Here’s a free resource including actionable tips for building your corporate sponsorship program. We’ve also included two email templates to help you reach out to sponsors and thank them for their participation.
Click to download for free.
3 Excellent Examples of Sponsorship Packets
The following sponsorship packets will give you a better idea of what other organizations include in their sponsorship packets.
1. Mint Artists Guild
Mint Artists Guild immediately shares how sponsorships benefit the business, what the nonprofit does, and the impact.
Their sponsorship packet is different because it includes all annual events. Sponsors can sign on and receive marketing perks at each.
Mint Artists Guild also allows nonprofits to volunteer, add their logo to the nonprofit’s website, and include an art event at a corporate event.
These benefits help the nonprofit stand out from others. Another addition they’ve made to their packet is the logos of past sponsors. Businesses have competition, and if they see those competitors on the list, they’re more likely to sign up as a sponsor.
2. Maya’s Hope
Maya’s Hope works to improve the lives of orphaned, impoverished, and special-needs children around the world.
This organization’s sponsorship packet clearly outlines its mission, vision, and program goals. They also give sponsorship levels, and benefits corporations can expect for each in an easy-to-read chart.
Their sponsorship packets include some attractive perks that range from special treatment the night of their event to advertising opportunities.
3. The Atlantic Council
The Atlantic Council is a group of policy-makers using research and innovative methods to achieve real-world impact.
This organization offers a variety of corporate membership and sponsorship opportunities so companies can find the best option for them. They list the benefits of membership, including invitations to private dinners, briefings on current events, a partnership manager, and more. They also offer event sponsorship opportunities.
What’s Next?
Now that you’ve seen other nonprofits’ sponsorship packets and have an idea of what you need to include, you can get started with your own. You must take the time to research and find benefits that fit potential sponsors’ needs. Remember to personalize your sponsorship packet and use free online tools like Canva to design one that stands out.
Thousands of nonprofits use Donorbox to create fundraising pages and donation forms to make it easy for sponsors to complete sponsorship payments online. You can add various sponsorship amounts (with benefits) to our donation form and add the form link to your sponsorship packet. We have several other simple and affordable features for nonprofits of all types and sizes – check them out on our website.
Our success package Donorbox Premium supports you with expert coaching services and powerful fundraising tools. Pricing is personalized for every organization. Book your demo today!
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Kristine Ensor
