Corporate Sponsorship
Many companies and corporations are willing to support many student fundraisers and can offer great support as you support a great cause.
To be able to attract a corporate sponsorship, you’ll not only need to be collecting money for a cause you truly believe in, but also know all the facts relating to what you’re doing and how companies could benefit from sponsoring your campaign.
Do your Research
It can be intimidating and very daunting to approach companies for sponsorship but knowing all the facts surrounding your fundraiser and the company you’re asking will no doubt give you the best chances you could get.
When looking at who to approach, it is best to avoid companies who hold a very different public belief to the fundraiser you’re running/supporting. Some charities you’re supporting may not want to be associated with companies if they go against what they support. Also, some companies may support a variety of other campaigns, so may not be looking to jump onto a new fundraiser so quickly.
Regardless of the matter, the main point is you should be spending time doing your research. Look for companies which sound like they could strongly agree and work with the ideas behind your campaign.
Creating a Sponsorship Pack
Once you’ve picked a company to approach you need to pitch to them why they should sponsor you. This could be done by sending a letter or booklet to a representative of the company.
Gather the main facts of your fundraiser and create a portfolio/sponsorship pack to present.
You should include:
An introduction on yourself/your group and what you do
An explanation of what your fundraiser is about
Any statistics on how many people are getting involved
Your fundraising targets
What kind of sponsorship you are looking for, and what the company would receive in return as part of the deal.
Remember you need to make this worthwhile not only for yourself but for them too!
When outlining what you can offer in return it is important to be thorough with the details. Be specific on what is included and what you want in return. The last thing you want in longer campaigns is problems arising later in the year and a breach of contract.
The list below outline some options you have in what you could receive from a corporate sponsor.
Ways you could receive sponsorship...
Matching funding (companies donating the same amount that you raise in donations from the public)
Advertising
Cash
Prizes
Gifts (such as samples or merchandise)
Staff time (companies sending a few speakers at an event to visit and support)
Internships and Work Experience Opportunities
Discounts or Free use of Facilities
What could be offered in return for sponsorship:
Exclusive brand representation on a specific fundraiser (This could mean getting exclusive access to being featured on a website, on any banners you use for an event etc)
Insert logo on all merchandise or social media posts
Educate others about the company at Fundraising events
Allow representatives to hold pitches at events
Some may even like to offer year-round exclusivity to one company, meaning that they are the only ones to provide branding on your events for the duration of the contract
Prohibited Sponsors
There are a few companies that you cannot enter into a Sponsorship Agreement with due to YUSU’s own sponsorship deals which are already in place. As a YUSU member you benefit from these deals, so we can’t allow you to compete with them. Here’s the list:
Taxi Companies (YUSU is sponsored by Streamline)
Insurance Companies (YUSU is sponsored by Endsleigh)
Bus Companies (YUSU is sponsored by First)
Club nights that conflict with YUSU official nights
Gyms (YUSU is sponsored by York Sport)
Deliveroo/JustEat/Ubereats (Our sponsorship agreement with Dominoes prevents this).
Sponsorship Agreements
So you’ve secured sponsorship - brilliant! In order for it to go ahead, you must use a Sponsorship Agreement Form, which is linked to the right.
This outlines what the company will do for you and what you will do for them in return, and is signed by you, the company, and YUSU. It’s invaluable if they’re ever difficult in keeping their side of the bargain.
Once both you and the company have filled out the form, send it to the YUSU Finance Office who will get the agreement signed off. Once the agreement has been accepted by all parties, you’ll then need to ask YUSU Finance to create an invoice for the company to pay you. Do not accept cash as sponsorship.
Questions?
Marketing Team - marketing@yusu.org
YUSU Finance Team - finance@yusu.org
Jasmine Pledger, Student Citizenship and Employability Development Coordinator - j.pledger@yusu.org