Creative Partnerships Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters, and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures; and to Elders both past and present.
Sponsorship is when a company gives you support cash or in-kind in return for recognition. It is most definitely not a gift — sponsors always want something back and they want to be able to measure it. They want results. They have a product or service to sell and a brand to promote and protect, and they think hanging out with you will help them do that.
The million dollar question. You just have to think strategically and plan rigorously. Step one is to know thyself. What is your mission? What can you offer? Be clear about your demographic and have stats ready to go. Check their websites for mission statements, goals etc.
Do you know someone who knows someone in the company? Ask for an introduction or connect with their staff on LinkedIn. Check our website for plenty of case studies, partnership profiles and inspiration on successful relationships between arts, business and donors.
Make an initial approach. Create a whizz-bang one-pager about yourself or your company with your mission and values, history, demographics and successes. Approach media partners first so sponsors know they will get the profile. Above all, be brief, be brilliant, be gone.
Now you have to create a great proposal — and we mean great, like unputdownable. Start with a story — yours, or the story of someone whose life you changed through your work. Describe what huvud sponsring do and who you do it for demographics.
Fingers crossed they will say yes. At this point you must get everything in writing, including who expects what from whom and when. You have to protect your own ethics, image and purpose.