How to Write a Successful Letter Asking for Corporate Sponsorship of a Special Event

I've worked for non-profits as a professional fundraiser for more than 15 years, and have been very successful at raising money. One of the things I learned to do early on in my career, was to write a successful letter requesting company sponsorship of a special event. Putting on a special event is expensive, and no non-profit can do it without corporate sponsorship. Corporations however only respond positively to causes they believe in and, as mercenary as it sounds, if they're going to get something in return. Here therefore is how to write a successful letter asking for corporate sponsorship.

1. Target companies with similar interests. Don't just blindly mail letters to any corporation you can find on the internet. You need to do some research first and find 20-30 companies that have given money in the past to non-profits similar to yours. Some of them will also have information on their websites about the types of non-profits they will fund. Take note of this and send your letter out accordingly.

2. Decide what the company will get in return. As I said, this sounds mercenary, but very few companies give money for nothing. If you're expecting a company to give you money, you need to figure out what's in it for them. Do they get a free advertisement in your brochure? Do they get special seating at your special event? Will their name appear as sponsors in press releases, brochures, and flyers? Figure out first of all what the benefits are to the company before you start sending out letters.

3. Create levels of sponsorship. Don't forget, you want to get one high level donor (who will get special perks) three or four middle range donors, and ten or more lower level donors. Decide on your levels, for example, $50,000, $25,000, $10,000 and then decide what each level will get as an incentive. So, for instance, the one gold level donor will get their company name above the name of the special event and the best table at the event, top billing in all advertising of the event, plus 20 free tickets. The next level donors will get mentions in press releases, brochures and programs, on the banners and 10 free tickets. The low level will get mentions in all the above, but in smaller print and only 4 free tickets. Whatever incentives you decide on are fine, just make sure the top level is getting a much better deal than the lower ones.

4. Write your letter. When you write your letter, start of by putting the 'ask' in the first paragraph. Nobody wants to wade through a whole letter to find out what you want. A typical corporate sponsorship fundraising letter should look something like this:

Paragraph one: A brief description of your non-profit, your special event and how much money you want.

Paragraph two: A more in depth description of your non-profit and the programs you provide.

Paragraph three: A paragraph giving a personal story from one of your clients, so the company can see how your non-profit impacts people's lives.

Paragraph four: State the levels of sponsorship. Don't go through all the incentives for each sponsorship - include those on a separate flyer to be included in the package you're going to send out.

Paragraph five: State your non-profits desperate need, and re-state your 'ask' - "this is why we are asking you to please consider becoming a sponsor at the $50,000 level".

Final paragraph: Thank them for their time, give them information about how they can contact you, and state that you will be contacting them with a follow-up phone call within the next week.

5. Create a sponsorship form they can complete and return. It's amazing how many non-profits ask for money, but don't make it simple for the corporation to give it to them. Include a sponsorship reply form and a return addressed letter. Asking for corporate sponsorship is easy, but make it even simpler for the company you're asking.

6. Put together a nice solicitation package. When the letter is completed, add it to a solicitation package that includes your 501 (c) 3 letter, your financial statement, a copy of a brochure from a past event so they can see the sponsorship incentives past sponsors got, a list of major donors and other corporations to your organization, and a sheet detailing the programs your agency offers. Add your solicitation letter to this package and mail it off.

7. Wait a week and follow-up. In your solicitation letter, you mentioned you would follow up with a phone call. Make sure you do that. It's amazing how many organizations forget and sometimes the company is waiting for them to call to discuss the donation they're going to give.

Don't forget, the secrets to a successful letter asking for corporate sponsorship are these few things: Good research of the company you're targeting. Creating good levels of sponsorship incentives. Writing a good letter that outlines what you are asking for and what they get in return. Prepare a packet of information with anything they might need to make a decision. Follow-up.

It's really that simple.