Joint fundraising ventures and events are gaining in popularity both for fundraising groups and for businesses. Forming a fundraising partnership with a local or national company can remove many of the hurdles facing small and medium sized, low-budget fundraising groups.
Why A Partnership Is Good For Fundraising Organizations
There are a number of advantages enjoyed by fundraising organizations when they partner with a local or national business. Marketing is a big one; the reason is simple—businesses have bigger marketing budgets and numerous resources already in place. Getting a fundraising marketing campaign organized and ‘out there’ is easy for experienced businesses. Fundraising groups benefit from the vast outreach of well-known companies and a recognizable national or local name.
Additionally, business partners may be able to offer:
- An established location for fundraising events
- Access to wholesale goods and services
- Campaign simplicity—many partnerships are agreements where the business will donate a percentage of profits on a given day or with coupon presentation; groups do not have to deal with order forms, delivery, or distribution issues
- Mentoring—by working alongside company employees on marketing campaigns and fundraising tasks, group members can learn effective techniques for future use
Why A Partnership Is Good For Businesses
Helping others is good for business. Small and large companies know this, and so they are willing to partner with fundraising groups to put a good face on their business. Businesses also form fundraising partnerships because:
- Campaigns bring in customers, particularly helpful when events are staged on slow business days/nights
- Businesses may get tax benefits by donating goods and services to nonprofit groups
- Business generosity builds future customer loyalty
- Businesses want to do good for others and help build their community
Good Fundraising Partners For Groups
There are a number of national chains and big-name companies who are offering their services as fundraising partners, including (but certainly not limited to):
BJ’s
Scholastic
Barnes and Noble
Papa Gino’s and Papa John’s
Macy’s
More are entering the ring everyday, so if in doubt, it’s worth asking management.
Local businesses make great partners in fundraising, too, and supporters will often flock knowing that they are helping out both a local group and a local business. Approach small, local pizza parlors, car washes, restaurants, service providers, and retail shops to see if they have an interest in a fundraising partnership.
In addition, national and local charities make excellent fundraising partners; many of these have good marketing budgets and pre-drawn marketing materials. A partnership with a charitable organization like the American Cancer Society, Heart Association, Make-A-Wish, or others can increase fundraising profits because supporters of both groups will have an interest in the event, and feel good about helping two groups with one donation. Helping another organization can also bolster your organization from within and be a great learning experience for participants.
All in all, there are many advantages of forming fundraising partnerships. The marketing benefits alone are worth a group’s while, but any group is sure to find that the experience of helping each other is a priceless commodity.