Raising Sponsorship

Obtaining support for your fund-raising project

CLICK THE IMAGE TO WATCH A VIDEO ON ATTRACTING LOCAL SPONSORSHIP

SPONSORSHIP

Sponsorship events are a great way to raise money by doing something fun and different. There are lots of ways to challenge yourself and gain the support of your friends and family. Such as:

  • Sponsored Challenge & Activity Events
    • Sponsored Walk
    • Sponsored Silence
    • Sponsored Headshave
    • Fundraising at Work
  • Making your plan for attracting sponsorship
  • Getting sponsorship for events 
    • Financial Support
    • Team Support
    • Partial Activity Support
  • Gaining Pledges
  • Fundraising in the Community
  • What to do with the money you have raised.

Sponsored Challenge and Activity Events

There are many activities that can be used to attract sponsors and to challenge the participant to do something they may not have previously done, whilst raising money for their cause.

For example:

  • Carol Singing
  • Fun Run
  • Bike Ride
  • Classic Car Shows
  • Sponsored Walks
  • Quiz / Pub Quiz
  • Sponsored Swim
  • Coffee Morning
  • Go to Work in Fancy Dress
  • Charity Car Wash
  • Shave Your Head sponsorship
  • Office Fun Activities – Bin Basketball, Speed Typing, Longest Paperclip chain in 60 seconds, etc., etc.
  • Bloopers / Swear Box
  • Sponsored Silence
  • I Quit – Give something up for a week (or however long you choose) and ask friends and colleagues to sponsor you for the duration.
  • Golf Club Charity Days
  • The list is endless!

Some of these fundraising ideas may be brought together and hosted as part of a larger event.

There are several things to check before setting up a sponsorship activity: Make sure the sponsor form is clear, with these details shown:

  1. Participant’s name and contact details
  2. CCT logo, and Title of the Challenge
  3. What is the challenge and how can they be sponsored, e.g. Sponsor per mile for a Walk, or per length for a Swim, or for completion of a Shaved Head, etc. Be as clear as possible
  4. Each sponsor’s row should feature the total due at the end of the challenge.
  5. The form, totalled should be returned to the CCT with the money raised.
  6. Aim to collect all your earnings within two weeks of completion of the challenge.
  7. Click here to find out how to bank the money

Fundraising at work

Work is an excellent place to fundraise. There are a number of different ways that your colleagues or the organisation more generally can support you:

  • Ask colleagues if they will sponsor you.
  • Suggest to your company that they give you a one-off donation.
  • Find out if your company operates a matched-giving scheme. This is where companies match pound for pound the amount given by employees.
  • Make use of your internal e-mail system, newsletter or notice board to tell people what you are doing, but ask your employer for permission first!
  • Ask if you can approach company suppliers (stationers, printers, caterers) for donations. They may well be willing to donate as a way of building a stronger relationship with your organisation.

Top tip!

If a company decides to sponsor you then try to make sure that the donation is tax-efficient. This means that the company does not deduct any tax from their donation, by giving you your donation ‘gross’.  They benefit by off-setting the donation on their annual accounts.

Making your Plan to attract sponsorship

Have you ever considered asking a local business to get involved with your fundraising? It does not have to be a huge monetary ask but it can be for things you may not have considered.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Most companies have a policy on this. Basically it sets out what their commitment is to their charitable endeavours.

How different companies fulfil this varies from company to company, but can include:

  • Time. Staff from these companies helping out your event. This is a ready made and free work force!
  • Specific Funding. While not all companies are in a position to simply give you a large cheque for your particular charity they may be more likely to sponsor a specific part of an event or fundraiser. This works very well as the company has their name attached to something tangible and the charity saves an expense they would have normally paid. This could be paying for a portaloo at an event in a church with no toilets, or paying for the costs of a group of musicians to perform meaning we (the charity) get 100% of the profit.
  • Campaign Sponsorship. For example sponsoring a Christmas Memory Tree (talk to your Local Community Officer to find out more).

How CCT can help

  • CCT can help you compile a list in your area of suitable businesses and individuals to approach.
  • We can help you develop a system of tracking your efforts, this could be a simple excel template.
  • The Letter to the Sponsor. We can assist you with writing a succinct and persuasive letter.

Getting Sponsorship for events

The first thing about sponsorship is about building a relationship between you and the potential sponsor.

You need to convince them that the cause you are raising money for, is worthwhile and can benefit them.

Before you visit or make a phone call, find out the relevant person’s name – whether it is a Director, their PA, or perhaps one of the Managers responsible for team activities – perhaps in the HR team.

Make a personal contact – don’t email until after you have made contact by phone or personally, then you can follow up with all the information by email at a later time.

Put yourself in their shoes. It’s not all about you and the charity. You are trying to convince them that this is a good idea from their business or organisation’s point of view. When you are asked questions, you can answer convincingly, because you know all about your event/activity. Try and think of what questions you might be asked –

  • Why should we get involved?
  • How much do you need from us?
  • Will we receive any brand recognition?
  • Can we be included in any publicity?
  • Can my staff become involved?
  • How many staff will be needed to help?

Financial Support

Many companies are happy just to make a cash donation. It’s a great feeling to be able to receive such a donation, but don’t forget some essentials:

  • Say Thank You!
  • Say that the donation will be recognised by the activity and the event (unless they prefer not to have recognition)
  • Offer to place their logo/flag/company literature, etc., in and around the venue of the activity or church, so that they get good exposure and visitors are aware of their involvement.
  • Use their name in any publicity (radio or press) for the event. No need to be specific about the amount, but something along the lines of: “we are particularly grateful to John Smith and Sons for their generous contribution towards the event.”, or “The team at John Smith and Sons have kindly offered their time with marshalling, running the tea stall and supporting the event. We are most grateful for their generous support.”

Team Support

What could the company’s team help you with? It depends on the type of event, but if it is a Sponsored Walk, for example, they could help with marshalling the key points of the route, ensuring safety at road and busy junctions. Helping with refreshments, selling raffle tickets, etc., etc.

Make sure their time has been worthwhile, that they are kept reasonably busy, and they are doing tasks they feel comfortable with.

Say Thank You frequently, and at the end of the activity, send a written letter to the Company Director “to thank the company and the team for providing such wonderful and generous support, without which the event would not have been so successful”, for example!

Partial Activity Support

When the event is a little bigger than previously considered, it may be possible to get local companies and organisations to support part of the whole event.

For example:

  • Sponsoring the hire of the loos
  • Sponsoring the hire of the electrical, music and lighting system
  • Being hosts to the activity (concert, etc.)
  • Providing someone to be the Host on the microphone – maybe someone who has a good speaking voice. Make sure they are well briefed with all the relevant information.

See above for recognising the contribution from companies and organisations. The reward and thank yous should be at the same level.

Gaining pledges

Fundraising in the community

  • Community groups such as the Lions, the Rotary Club or your local Women's Institute or Mothers’ Union group may be willing to donate part of their regular fundraising to The Churches Conservation Trust. They may ask for you to come and present to their members about the work of the Trust in return.
  • Do you belong to any hobby or social groups? Knitting circles, gyms, running clubs, pottery classes, life drawing, tango dancing... These groups are all full of potential sponsors, event attendees, raffle ticket buyers or simply people donating. If you are a member of your local church, why not ask the congregation for support?
  • Local businesses often have a ‘Charity of the Year’. Ask them to support The Churches Conservation Trust through you - the publicity generated by your challenge will benefit their public image as well.
  • Some people enjoy doing public collections – if you would like to do this, please see our ‘legal points about fundraising’ section for more information.
  • Many supermarkets operate a customer-giving system, where the customers pop a token into a box, and then the monthly total of donation is split between the charities which have been nominated.  Many supermarkets donate £1000 a month between three charities, so this is a good way to raise a few hundred pounds.

Top tip!

For the best response, approach organisations that you know personally or where your friends or relatives work. Make sure you highlight the benefits getting involved will provide to the organization. Remember to keep them informed of your progress and say thank you  afterwards!

Fundraising through your personal contacts

  • Ask your friends and family not only to personally sponsor you, but also to pass round your sponsor form amongst their colleagues and friends too.
  • If you have children or grandchildren, ask their school if they will publicise your fundraising activities and see if the school or any of the other families would be willing to sponsor you.
  • Try to get your sponsor form to as many people as possible, but remember to keep track of where they have gone so that you can collect all the pledges afterwards.
  • Make sure the first sponsor on your list is generous...hopefully everyone else will follow suit! 

Top tip!

If your sponsors are UK taxpayers and agree to Gift Aid, we will be able claim back an additional 25% of the donation from the  government, at no extra cost to the donor. To enable us to claim Gift Aid ask the donor to complete below Gift Aid Declaration. Not all donations are eligible for Gift Aid. If you would like further details on which donations are eligible please contact us.

Gift Aid Declaration

 

What to do with the money you raise

  1. Let your sponsors in advance when you need to collect the money you have raised, and encourage them to complete the Gift Aid section of your sponsor form.
  2. Send your money to us as a cheque made payable to The Churches Conservation Trust. Please do not send cash through the post!
  3. We highly recommend that you send any cheques to us by Recorded Delivery. The address to send these to is: Finance, Churches Conservation Trust, Vulcan Works, 34-38 Guildhall Road, Northampton, NN1 1EW
  4. Include your completed sponsorship forms with the money you have raised, to enable us to claim Gift Aid. 
  5. We will always try to acknowledge any money sent to us as soon as possible, so you know it has been safely received.

Thank you for fundraising for Churches Conservation Trust!