I’m looking for guidelines on how much to charge sponsors for a new and/or growing fundraising event. How much is exposure worth?

Many successful fundraisers have found that it is best to offer sponsors a range of participation levels and let the sponsors determine at which contribution level they want to be represented (e.g. Platinum, Gold, Silver, Patrons, Friends). Some fundraising events make the mistake of only offering individuals or companies one level of sponsorship instead of giving them the option to go up or down. Let the sponsor determine their level of involvement and in the case of Platinum or top sponsorship you could set the minimum amount of sponsorship required, but don’t put a cap on the dollar amount – you might end up being pleasantly surprised.

Before you begin to set sponsorship levels for your fundraising event it is advisable to first prepare a detailed budget projection of how much your event will cost if no sponsorship dollars were raised. Knowing the total cost of what expenditures you are facing will help you determine your sponsorship levels and whether or not they are in line with the event you are proposing.

With each sponsorship level you must clearly outline what the company or individual will be receiving in return, the target audience they will be reaching, how their name will be promoted, the role they will be playing, and if you are looking for repeat sponsorship make sure that you deliver on the exposure that has been promised. For example, don’t promote that they will be receiving national exposure when in the end only local coverage will take place.

Determining how much this exposure is worth to each individual or company will vary from event to event, individual and company, and what they hope to get out of taking part at this particular point in time. For some, it could be about showing support for a cause they believe in. For others, it could be tied to their brand marketing and name recognition, so the level they choose to participate at for a specific event could depend on the need it is meeting at this time. In one instance they may be looking at sponsorship opportunities for exposure to the community to draw business in, while at another time they may be looking to tie into a fundraising endeavour that will bring publicity to a new product they are launching.

For best results, don’t use a form letter to target your major sponsors. Also, make sure that you tap into the perceived value they will receive in addition to supporting a worthwhile cause. You are, in a sense, marketing your event to them. Do a Google search and see if they have any new press releases announcing new products or changes in their company. Then tell them how top level sponsorship for your fundraising event can be a benefit to them. Companies are looking for new ways to reach their audiences. This is evident in how they are reacting to TIVO and television on demand, which lets potential customers fast forward through advertising commercials. Companies are now paying millions to have their product featured directly in television shows and movies in order to reach consumers.

Finally, look at approaching sponsors that are a fit for your fundraising event’s demographics. And to raise top sponsorship dollar requests, look for ways that top contributors can be showcased. For example, if you are looking to have a car manufacturer as your top sponsor and they have a new product launching, is there a way that their new car can be on display at the actual event or as part of the fundraising event.

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Advice and recommendations are based on limited information provided and should be used as a guideline only. Neither the author nor CharityVillage.com make any warranty, express or implied, or assume any legal liability for accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided in whole or in part within this article.