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Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) recently hosted the webinar “Collaborate with Corporate Brands for Fundraising Success,” in which presenter Cyndee Woolley, APR, discussed effective methods for nonprofits to strategically approach corporate sponsors.
Woolley began her presentation by sharing the five driving forces that make a nonprofit fundraiser successful:
1. Successful outcomes in brand awareness
2. A stable budget with reliable funding sources
3. Volunteer dedication and low turnover rate
4. Digital presence for mobile donations
5. Corporate sponsors
Specifically highlighting corporate sponsors, Woolley explained how important it is to maintain an ongoing mutually beneficial relationship. Alignment with corporate interests is crucial, which can include:
- Shared cause between corporate sponsor and nonprofit
- Fulfillment of a need
- Corporate sponsorship exposure in front of consumers
- Employee-driven opportunities
A key takeaway from Woolley’s presentation was her depiction of the perfect sponsorship pitch. Woolley suggests considering the following key factors when crafting a sponsorship pitch:
1. What types of projects does the appointed corporate sponsor fund?
2. How is their corporate sponsorship budget funded?
3. Who is the corporate sponsorship gatekeeper?
Woolley concluded her presentation by leaving participants with three reminders and pieces of advice:
1. Fundraising success stories build credibility and emotional engagement
2. Use a mix between statistics and stories for fundraising promotion
3. Don’t confuse frugality with morality
The “Collaborate with Corporate Brands for Fundraising Success” webinar is a part of PRSA’s communication strategy presentation series and is available on demand until Oct. 20, 2016. The webinar is available to PRSA members for free; non-members may also gain access to the webinar for the full price of $200.