Why write a sponsorship request letter?
Writing sponsorship request letters is something all non-profits must master in order to thrive. Unless your organization is self-funded or has a stable source of income that does not require it needing external funding, then you will at some point need to write sponsorship request letters for the non-profits activities.
The best sponsorship letters are those that are clear, address exactly what is required of the sponsor, and are persuasive enough to make a potential sponsor accept to part with his money.
Some key points to remember are:
Be direct and get to the point
Your sponsorship request letter shouldn’t drag on. The cover page and should provide an overview of what you are about and what you’re requesting. Be sure to be specific in your request. Once you have attracted the reader’s attention, you can go on to include other pieces of information in separate pages as attachments. The main letter though should be direct and straightforward.
Give information about the event/cause/
Provide details about the event you’re hosting. Include information about the date and time, the theme, the location. The reader should have adequate information about the cause.
Tell the reader what their contribution means to you
Be sure to include what the potential sponsor’s contribution will mean for the organization or towards the event. A sponsor likes to see how his giving will make an impact on your program. If you have had similar events in the past, you can include specific details about the event and state the successes that were achieved.
Give different sponsorship options
Some sponsors may be able to sponsor in part. Some may be able to give in instalments. If your event is such that you can accommodate these payment plans, make sure you state that. You’ll include a separate document with your cover letter that details your sponsorship options.
Explain Exactly Where the Funds Will Go
When considering sponsoring your team, local businesses will want to know what their funds will accomplish.
Use Advertising as an Incentive
Sports clubs are perfectly positioned to offer advertising as a sponsorship incentive. You can place the sponsor’s sign on your scoreboard or even brand your uniforms. Then, each game, your sponsor gets promotional benefits.
Some Tips about Fundraising in General and Sponsorship Request Letters
Here are sample sponsorship request letters you can use.
Sample 1 – Sponsorship Request letter
Mary Johnson,
Owner, BobbyJoes Restaurant.
Houston, Texas.
September 25, 2018.
I am writing on behalf of the Lakeside Recreational Center. Since 2009, we have been providing children from our surrounding community with free afterschool care, counseling, tutoring and recreational activities. Most of these children come from broken or abusive homes and the Center has become a safe place for them to learn and grow in.
We have been able to keep the center open and provide these services to these children with the help of generous individuals and groups like yourself who support us in cash and kind. We are currently trying to relocate to a new facility in Townsend, Houston because our current one is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of the center. We need to raise $400,000 to make the property our own.
We hope you will be able to join us in raising the money for this new location, so we can keep the center running. We are currently seeking donations of $1000, but will be glad with whatever you decide to assist us with.
As part of our upcoming events, we are hosting a musical concert on the 13th of October, 2018 at the Center, and we intend to advertise all our corporate sponsors at that event. You will also find additional information on the attached pages.
Kindly use the envelope attached to send a Check (Payable to “Lakeside Recreational Center”), or visit our website at www/lakesiderec.org for other payment options. Please feel free to drop by the center any time and see what goes on there.
Again, we appreciate every support you decide give. You can contact us with any enquiries at lindahayle@lakesiderec.org or call 555-2323.
Yours Faithfully,
Susan Bid,
Proprietor,
Lakeside Recreational Centre.
Sample 2 – Sponsorship Request letter
James Smith, September 25, 2018 Dear Mr Smith, Ave Medical Center is an organization dedicated to giving free medical care to burn victims who cannot afford reconstructive surgery on their own. We are a non-profit and have been doing this for the past five years since 2013. We provide these services on a needs-basis. We cannot meet up with all the patients who require our care, as we have limited funding and depend on the goodwill of donors like yourself in order to make the surgeries happen. We are delighted at the work we have been able to achieve over the years. Our greatest joy is being able to give our patients their bodies back, and in many cases- a new lease on life. You can find attached pictures and testimonies of patients who have benefited from our services and been given a better quality of life based on our intervention. These are people who would not have been able to get the help they needed otherwise. We currently have 256 people on our waiting list for surgery. The approximate average cost of each surgery is $10,000. We need your help! It is our desire that you sponsor the cost of a surgery. You may choose to do more than that! If you cannot sponsor a full surgery, we appreciate any contribution you can make to the cause. Your contribution will go a long way in changing someone’s life for the better. We hope that you will support the Center in improving people’s lives, one surgery at a time. Please find attached payment details. Do not hesitate to reach us with any questions you have at 419-6682. Thank you so much! Sincerely,
15D Surgar Lane,
Winter Park,
Orlando, Florida.
Hilda Green,
Ave Medical Centre.
