For most nonprofit organizations, there is only so much you can get done without good partners. While your loyal supporter base is the best place to start, the most successful nonprofits branch out beyond individual donations. This is where corporate sponsorships come into play.
For nonprofits, corporate sponsorships provide a go-to source of financial support as well as a network of business or community ambassadors. And, for businesses, sponsorships can help underwrite initiatives, create new funding streams, and open the door to larger Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.
Corporate sponsorships don’t appear out of thin air, however. Nonprofits must be able to reach out effectively with a compelling message to grab attention and secure funding. After all, corporations can receive hundreds of corporate sponsorship inquiries.
This guide walks through the five steps of writing a compelling corporate sponsorship letter to ensure your nonprofit can stand out from the crowd.
As a bonus, we’ve included a few corporate sponsorship templates to make it easy for your team:
Before starting out, research the organizations you’re reaching out to. Take time to understand their history, current philanthropic partnerships, board, leadership team, and mission. This will help you find commonalities between your cause and their business!
Once you have the research done, it’s time to hone your message. Answering these initial questions will help inform the direction and messaging of your letter moving forward.
Ask key clarifying questions, such as:
In this first stage, make sure you have a clear idea in place of what you’re going to be asking potential sponsors for. Forging a relationship solely for financial reasons or donations requires a different message than one focused on finding new volunteers or long-term supporters. Knowing what you’re looking for before you start writing will help you better articulate your needs down the road.
Once you have a clear idea of the direction of your ask, it’s time start writing. Here’s a few high-level best practices to keep in mind:
Now it’s time to come out and tell your potential sponsor what you’re actually looking to achieve. There are a few best practices to keep in mind during this step:
In this section, your team should emphasize the importance of this sponsorship for the corporation. Highlight CSR trends and best practices and mention the impact this sponsorship could have on the corporation’s reputation in the community.
If possible, include case studies or success stories of your other sponsors (as long as they’re not business competitors with your potential sponsor!).
This part of your letter is crucial because it is where you have to sell the company that you’re reaching out to on the value that they’ll receive from partnering with you. In the end, you want to tie the benefits that your partnership can provide to their bottom line. Can you introduce them to new audiences? Can you give them an opportunity to publicly highlight their values?
When you can tie a company’s corporate social responsibility to their financial health as a business, they will be more likely to enter into a long-term relationship with your nonprofit.
Overall, a corporate sponsorship letter should make a strong, compelling case for why a business should want to sponsor your nonprofit. In your conclusion, make a clear final statement and include the appropriate valediction.
Writing strong, compelling corporate sponsorship letters is critical for nonprofits to drum up financial donations and build long-term partnerships.
Here are corporate sponsorship letter templates your team can use for your next sponsor appeal:
Dear [Company Name],
At [Nonprofit Name], we [brief introduction to the mission and vision of your nonprofit]. [How we serve the community and how corporate partners can help us reach this goal].
We are reaching out to [Company Name] today because [background on the company’s history with corporate philanthropy]. This involvement in social good makes your team the perfect partner for [Nonprofit Name].
We would like [brief outline of what you’re looking for from the company] and in return we are ready to do [something in return for the organization].
[Closing statement on why this partnership is a good idea.]
Sincerely,
Signature
Dear [Company Name],
At [Nonprofit Name], we [brief introduction to the mission and vision of your nonprofit].
[How we serve the community and how corporate partners can help us reach this goal]. We are currently planning [an event that does x, y, and z]. [Outline the event and how you’re going to raise money].
In order to deliver the highest impact with this event, we think [Company Name] can help our efforts go further. In exchange for providing [whatever service or donation you’re asking for], [Nonprofit Name] would highlight your team as the corporate sponsor for this event.
[Closing statement on why this partnership is a good idea.]
Sincerely,
Signature
Dear [Company Name],
At [Nonprofit Name], we [brief introduction to the mission and vision of your nonprofit]. [How we serve the community and how corporate partners can help us reach this goal]. We are currently planning [an auction geared towards raising money for this cause or mission].
In order to raise the most money for our beneficiaries, we would like to ask [Company Name] to provide or sponsor an item to include in the auction. In exchange donating an item to the auction, [Nonprofit Name] would include your information on all marketing and promotional materials.
[Closing statement on why this partnership is a good idea.]
Sincerely,
Signature
Dear [Company Name],
This year, [Church Name] is working to raise money for [the goal of your fundraising mission]. We are able to reach these goals thanks to the generous donations of our congregation and sponsors like [Company Name]. Would you consider being a part of this exciting campaign
We came across [Company Name] when researching organizations with similar values as [Church Name].
[Closing statement on why this partnership is a good idea.]
Sincerely,
Signature
Choosing the right solutions for your toolkit can help make your auction a success. Looking for more information about running an auction? Check out the additional resources below: