How to Write a Successful Letter Asking for Corporate Sponsorship of a Special Event

I've worked for non-profits as a professional fundraiser for more than 15 years, and have been very successful at raising money. One of the things I learned to do early on in my career, was to write a successful letter requesting company sponsorship of a special event. Putting on a special event is expensive, and no non-profit can do it without corporate sponsorship. Corporations however only respond positively to causes they believe in and, as mercenary as it sounds, if they're going to get something in return. Here therefore is how to write a successful letter asking for corporate sponsorship.

1. Target companies with similar interests. Don't just blindly mail letters to any corporation you can find on the internet. You need to do some research first and find 20-30 companies that have given money in the past to non-profits similar to yours. Some of them will also have information on their websites about the types of non-profits they will fund. Take note of this and send your letter out accordingly.

2. Decide what the company will get in return. As I said, this sounds mercenary, but very few companies give money for nothing. If you're expecting a company to give you money, you need to figure out what's in it for them. Do they get a free advertisement in your brochure? Do they get special seating at your special event? Will their name appear as sponsors in press releases, brochures, and flyers? Figure out first of all what the benefits are to the company before you start sending out letters.