When it comes to peer to peer fundraising strategies, getting companies to sponsor your event is a good way to go. But, figuring out how to get a company to sponsor you isn’t exactly common knowledge. Gaspard, Zeffy’s resident cyclist, triathlete and ironman wants to help.
"Don’t be afraid to ask people and businesses around you for help. You don’t know unless you ask! The more help you ask for, the better your chances are of getting sponsors."
-Gaspard
What is peer to peer fundraising?
From choosing the best peer-to-peer fundraising platform to peer to peer fundraising strategies, we’re here to help you prepare for your next peer-to-peer fundraising campaign with tips and step-by-step instructions on hosting a peer-to-peer campaign.
But, before we go any further, let’s talk about what peer-to-peer fundraising is. According to Network for Good, peer-to-peer fundraising is:
"…a fundraising strategy in which individual supporters host personal campaigns to collect donations from their friends, family, and colleagues on an organization’s behalf."
- Network for Good
The benefits of hosting a peer-to-peer fundraising event go beyond just helping your nonprofit organization raise money, they can help attract new donors, increase your organizations awareness, and allow your donors and volunteers to engage with your mission.
The hardest part of any peer-to-peer fundraising campaign is inspiring your participants to get out there and raise money. Asking for money isn’t easy (it’s why most peer-to-peer campaigns have a challenge attached to them) so giving your participants a complete peer-to-peer fundraising toolkit will help them meet their fundraising goals.
One undervalued tool: getting local businesses to sponsor you. And, knowing where to start is as good a place as any to, well, start.
Getting companies to sponsor you and your nonprofit.
There isn’t one way to get local companies to sponsor your challenge, fundraiser, race, event, etc. But there are a few things you can do to help them understand what it is you’re doing, why it’s important, how they can help, and what’s in it for them.
How to find sponsors for your peer-to-peer fundraising event.
By now you’ve probably googled “how to find sponsors in my area” for your next peer-to-peer fundraising event. And, if your google results were anything like ours, the results were pretty underwhelming. So, here are some tips to help you find sponsors for your event:
1. Decide what kind of businesses you think would make the most sense as sponsors.
Keep in mind that they’re more likely to say yes if they can see a relevance to your cause—AKA if it’ll be good for business.
2. Look for local businesses in your area that meet your criteria.
3. Make a peer-to-peer sponsorship proposal.
Clearly explain the purpose of the fundraiser, your goals, the nonprofits goals, how sponsors will benefit from supporting your event, and any details you have about visibility and promotional opportunities.
4. Reach out to the businesses you’ve listed.
Email, a phone call, or a in-person visit, there is no wrong way to go about this. But, make sure you personalize your sponsorship proposal for each business and take the time to explain why their support would be valuable. Remember to leave them your sponsorship proposal.
5. Use social media to raise awareness about your peer-to-peer fundraiser.
Follow and message with local businesses, community groups, and influencers who may be interested in supporting your cause. And, if all else fails, tag them in posts to grab their attention
6. Offer different sponsorship levels with levels of benefits.
This will allow potential sponsors to choose and level that suits their budget and make it harder for them to say no.
7. Make sure your sponsors are aware of the potential recognition they’ll get for their support.
Logo placement on event materials, website mentions, a table at the event, social media shout-outs, or speaking opportunities.
8. Follow up and remember to say thank you.
After reaching out to potential sponsors, follow up with a thank-you message regardless of whether or not they say yes. Taking the time to say thank you and invite them to the event to support your cause even they are unable to financially sponsor the event might just make them more likely to contribute next year.
Building relationships is never wasted time. Even if a business is unable to sponsor your peer-to-peer fundraiser this year, keeping in touch, networking, visiting their store or using their services while establishing long-term relationships will only help your chances next year.
We’ve got more tools that break down how to get companies to sponsor you.
We’ve written how-tos and made some templates for:
Peer-to-peer fundraising toolkit: How to write a sponsorship proposal.
Peer-to-peer fundraising toolkit: How to write a letter looking for sponsorship.
Peer-to-peer fundraising toolkit: How to make a one-page leave behind.
Oh, and remember to say thank you!
Meet Gaspard!
Hey there 🙂
My name is Gaspard and I’m working as a Sales Representative at Zeffy. Since I started, I’ve learned a lot about the day-to-day realities of nonprofit organizations. Even when challenges arise (pandemic), I see so much dedication, passion and resilience from all the organizations I work with. But, what fulfils me the most about my work is that I get to meet so many people that want to do good for the world. It truly is a privilege.
On a personal level, I’m an avid cyclist and currently training for an Ironman. Also, over the last 3 years, I've organized a fundraising campaign for Québec Food Banks. This work has helped me understand how challenging it can be to create and organize an event. All of my work, training and volunteer experience has really helped me help nonprofits grow year over year with Zeffy.
Cheers, Gasp.
