S
Sponsorship
Proposal
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How to Write a
Proposal
2010
You should prepare a sponsorship proposal for each
area or activity of your event for which you require
funding. This comprehensive guide will allow you to
achieve this goal.
Table of Contents:
1 PREPARE A BRIEF OUTLINE ABOUT THE EVENT: .................................................. 3
1.1 HISTORY OR BACKGROUND OF EVENT: .......................................................................... 3
1.2 EVENT AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: ..................................................................................... 3
1.3 WHO IS ORGANISING THE EVENT: .................................................................................. 4
1.4 STATEMENT ABOUT YOUR ORGANISATION’S RESOURCES: ................................................ 4
1.5 WHEN, WHERE AND TIME OF THE EVENT: ....................................................................... 5
1.6 WHAT ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE PLACE, WHO WILL PARTICIPATE? ....................................... 5
1.7 OUTLINE THE BENEFITS AND FEATURES THE SPONSOR WILL RECEIVE: ............................... 6
1.8 STATE REALISTIC BENEFITS TO SPONSORS, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER WHAT YOU
PROMISE: ............................................................................................................................. 6
1.9 STATE WHETHER THEY ARE EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS FOR THAT AREA/ACTIVITY: ................... 7
1.10 LIST ALL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SPONSOR: ............................................. 7
1.11 CLEARLY STATE WHAT YOU WANT FROM THE SPONSOR: .............................................. 8
1.12 SPONSORSHIP NEEDS TO BE MANAGED, THEREFORE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE PHYSICAL
AND MATERIAL RESOURCES THAT YOU REQUIRE TO DO THIS: ..................................................... 8
2 WHAT CAN YOU OFFER A SPONSOR? ....................................................................... 9
2.1 HISTORY OR BACKGROUND OF EVENT: .......................................................................... 9
2.2 NAMING RIGHTS – AS A GENERAL RULE IF YOUR EVENT COSTS $20,000 TO STAGE, THEN
NAMING RIGHTS FOR THE EVENT SHOULD BE WORTH $20,000: ................................................... 9
2.3 NETWORKING – THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOVERNMENT
AND OTHER CORPORATE IDENTITIES THROUGH INVITATIONS TO SPECIAL EVENTS: ...................... 10
2.4 AUDIENCE EXPOSURE – YOUR EVENT AUDIENCE IS A POTENTIAL ASSET TO YOUR SPONSORS:
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2.5 MEDIA AND PUBLICITY OPPORTUNITIES – BUSINESS LOGOS AND NAMES ON PROMOTIONAL
FLYERS, EVENT PROGRAM, POSTERS AND IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER: ....................................... 11
2.6 PRODUCT SAMPLING – ON SITE MERCHANDISING, GIVE-AWAYS, MAILING LISTS ETC: ........ 11
2.7 PROMOTION THROUGHOUT EVENT: ............................................................................. 12
2.8 DISPLAY THEIR PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL FOR THEIR BUSINESS AT THE EVENT: ............... 12
3 NEGOTIATING YOUR SPONSORSHIP DEAL ............................................................ 12
3.1 CONFIRM THAT THE SPONSOR IS A VIABLE AND REPUTABLE PROSPECT BEFORE ENTERING
INTO SERIOUS NEGOTIATION: ............................................................................................... 13
3.2 WHENEVER POSSIBLE, NEGOTIATE IN PERSON WITH THE DECISION MAKER: ..................... 13
3.3 GO INTO THE NEGOTIATIONS KNOWING WHAT YOU AIM TO ACHIEVE AND WITH A STRATEGY
OF HOW TO ACHIEVE IT. BE AWARE OF YOUR ‘BOTTOM-LINE’ AND DON’T AGREE TO ANYTHING
LESS! 13
3.4 BE DIFFERENT, MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION MEMORABLE – SLIDES, VIDEO ETC, BUT
REMEMBER YOU WON’T HAVE MUCH TIME, SO KEEP YOUR PRESENTATION SIMPLE AND TO THE
POINT: 13
3.5 ALWAYS FOCUS WRITTEN PROPOSALS AND PRESENTATION ON THE BENEFITS FOR THE
SPONSOR: .......................................................................................................................... 13
3.6 DETERMINE IN ADVANCE WHAT ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS YOU MAY BE ABLE TO OFFER IF
REQUIRED TO CLINCH A SPONSORSHIP DEAL: ......................................................................... 13
3.7 ALWAYS HAVE A CLEAN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONCESSIONS THAT YOU CANNOT MAKE,
THE EVENTS ORGANISING BODY MAY HAVE DECIDED THAT ‘NAMING RIGHT’ TO THE WHOLE EVENT
IS NOT ACCEPTABLE: ........................................................................................................... 13
3.8 REMEMBER WHEN NEGOTIATING THAT THE PRICE ALWAYS RELATES TO THE BENEFITS: .... 13
4 THE SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT: ........................................................................... 13
5 HOW TO KEEP SPONSORS HAPPY: .......................................................................... 14
6 GRANTS ...................................................................................................................... 15
6.1 WHEN APPLYING FOR GRANTS REMEMBER: .................................................................. 15
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6.2 WHAT WILL FUNDING ORGANISATIONS WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR EVENT? ................. 15
Outline about the Event:
History/ background of event:
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Objectives:
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Organizers:
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Resource Statement:
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Location, Date, and Time of the Event:
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Activity and Participators:
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The benefits and features the sponsor will receive:
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State realistic benefits to sponsors, you have to be able to deliver what you promise:
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State whether they are exclusive sponsors for that area/activity:
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List all financial responsibilities of the sponsor:
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Clearly state what you want from the sponsor:
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Sponsorship needs to be managed (required physical and material resources that you need):
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What can you Offer a Sponsor?
History or background of event:
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Naming rights:
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Networking:
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Audience exposure:
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Media and publicity opportunities:
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Product sampling:
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Promotion throughout event:
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Display Location:
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Negotiating your Sponsorship Deal
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Confirm that the sponsor is a viable and reputable prospect before entering into
serious negotiation:
Whenever possible, negotiate in person with the decision maker:
Go into the negotiations knowing what you aim to achieve and with a strategy of how
to achieve it. Be aware of your ‘bottom-line’ and don’t agree to anything less!
Be different, make your presentation memorable – slides, video etc, but remember
you won’t have much time, so keep your presentation simple and to the point:
Always focus written proposals and presentation on the benefits for the sponsor:
Determine in advance what additional components you may be able to offer if
required to clinch a sponsorship deal:
Always have a clean understanding of the concessions that you cannot make, the
events organising body may have decided that ‘Naming Right’ to the whole event is
not acceptable:
Remember when negotiating that the price always relates to the benefits:
The Sponsorship Agreement:
A sponsorship agreement is a document, such as a letter, which confirms the details of the sponsored
event or activity and stating the conditions agreed to by both parties.
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Remember to include:
Description of the event
What is being sponsored
Benefits to be gained by the sponsored organisation
Benefits to be gained by the sponsor
How the sponsorship agreement will be administrated
Insurance if relevant
The period of sponsorship
Method of payment
If you are negotiating large amounts of funding, it would be beneficial to seek legal
advice regarding consequences of non-performance, resolving dispute and if
necessary conditions for termination of the contract
How to Keep Sponsors Happy:
Always deliver what you promise
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Once you have the money don’t forget about your sponsors, continue the communications
with regular briefings
Provide them with complimentary tickets to the event
Present all event sponsors with publicity material, such as, programs, posters etc. These can
be displayed, showing their support for the event
Provide certificates of appreciation
Send them a letter thanking them for their support and involvement
Send them a post-summary of the event and include press clippings etc
Grants
When applying for grants remember:
Timing is crucial, most applications need to be planned and submitted up to six months in
advance
Check closing dates
Make sure you have a clear understanding that the aims and objectives are compatible
with the funding organisations
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from the particular funding organisation in putting your
application together
Propose a realistic event budget
What will funding organisations want to know about your event?
How much will the event cost?
How much funding do you already have?
Is the event receiving other grants funding?
They will also require a draft budget.
Is the event being organised by an incorporated body?
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Are you a non-profit or charitable organisation, company or individual?
A brief history of the event.
When and where it is to be held.
Who will co-ordinate the event, and event Manager or community committee or both?
What are the events aims and objectives? Are they compliable with the grant guidelines?
What will be the long term benefits of the event?
How will the event be marketed and promoted?
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