A corporate partnership is a great way to secure financial support for your rescue mission. But where do you start?
Well, we asked our Advisory Board member, Shannon Anderson to share her wealth of knowledge to help you. Shannon is a multi-award winning fundraiser, social entrepreneur and change leader with a passion for helping not-for-profits achieve their goals.
Shannon has helped organisations such as Guide Dogs Victoria, beyondblue, and us here at PetRescue! Check out her free guide to securing a corporate partner.
1. Collate your most impressive facts and statistics
- How many animals do you look after and rehome per annum?
- Have these numbers increased in the past year (due to demand) or decreased due to your success at rehoming? Both are good stories to tell.
2. Convert your work into dollars so they understand your needs
- How much does it cost you to care for and rehome these animals each year?
- Where does your income currently come from, and how much funding do you need each year to do this work (i.e. what is the shortfall)?
- What more could you do with more funding, or what special/new projects do you have on the horizon that need funding?
3. Gather some of your own stories or content to present
- You are great at what you do, and people (particularly corporate sponsors) need to see the impact of your work. Gather some successful rescue, foster or adoption stories and good news content, with photos, to share.
- These stories don’t need to be long or have professional photo shoots – candid and authentic is better.
4. Identify benefits you could offer a local business or corporate supporter
- Do you produce a newsletter you could promote them on?
- Do you have any social media accounts you could promote them on?
- Could you facilitate some volunteering for the employees of a local business?
5. Identify your business prospects
- Phone them first to introduce your organisation, and see if they are willing to receive a proposal from you.This important step will prevent you wasting your time and theirs if there is no interest whatsoever.
6. Create a tailored proposal
- You need to include all of the information you have gathered about your organisation (steps 1 to 4 above), combined with some research on the corporate you are seeking funds from in a basic written sponsorship or supporter proposal. Don’t send a generic proposal to multiple businesses. Taking the time to tailor your proposal will increase your chances of success.
7. Manage the relationship well
- Make sure you keep your new corporate partner engaged and informed by regularly sharing your good news with them.
- Keep in touch with them.
- Involve them in your work if you can.
If you move through all of these steps, you should be well placed to seek, secure and retain some local corporate supporters for your local rescue group, shelter or foster facility.
Want to learn more?
Shannon recommends ‘Our Community Complete Fundraising Handbook’ for $36. Find out more here.
Other useful website links for general fundraising resources, information and templates can also be found here:
Banner image: Theia from WA Pet Project