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For nonprofits, one thing is certain: securing sponsorships with allies in the for-profit world is one of the most important steps you can take on the path to reaching your fundraising goals.
Without the contributions of key sponsors, your nonprofit risks being unable to raise the money it needs to achieve its mission. Not only that, but if you miss out on tapping into a sponsor’s audience of potential givers, you’re even less likely to find fundraising success.
Luckily, you have one effective tool up your sleeve: sponsorship letters. Sponsorship letters are one of the best ways to start a conversation between your nonprofit organization and a potential sponsor about forming a mutually beneficial partnership.
Not only do these letters outline why the potential sponsor would want to support your cause, but they also communicate how the sponsor can benefit from this partnership and how you see the fundraising relationship playing out.
Is your nonprofit ready to secure a sponsor for your next campaign? Check out these sponsorship request letter samples to get inspired:
- Sponsorship Letter for Events
- Corporate Sponsorship Letter
- Sponsorship Letter for Sports
- Sponsorship Letter for Schools
- Church Sponsorship Letter
- Food Donation Request Letter
- In Kind Sponsorship Letter
- Auction Item Sponsorship Letter
- Sponsorship Letter for Requesting Volunteers
- Sponsorship Acknowledgement Letter
You can also download these sponsorship letter templates to add to your fundraising arsenal. Remember: just like our fundraising letter templates, these can easily be used as a template for an emailed sponsorship request, too.
1. Sponsorship Letter for Events
For many corporate sponsors, events hosted by your nonprofit offer a great opportunity to get the word out about their business and reach potential new customers.
As you plan your next fundraising campaign, consider enlisting a business to sponsor one of your fundraising or stewardship events.
This could entail having them provide staff to help carry out the event, pay for the event venue, or offset the cost of catering. In your sponsorship request letter, offer them a few ways they can show their support of your cause at your next event. Be sure you include details about how they’ll benefit from their sponsorship! Consider offering perks like their logo on event signage, shoutouts during event programming, and complimentary tickets for their staff.
Check out this event sponsorship proposal template to inspire your team:
Date
Name
Organization
Street
City, State ZIP
Dear Company Name,
At [Nonprofit Name], we’ve served [demographic] in the [Community Name] area for over [number] years. This [season or time period], we’re aiming to raise [amount] to fund [project].
On [date] we are planning to host a [type] fundraising event. At this event, we would [event activity] and raise money by [fundraising method].
However, we think our efforts would go even farther with [Company Name] as our official corporate sponsor.
In this role, your business would provide [service or donation amount], and in turn we would promote your company as the event’s official sponsor.
Alternatively, your team could provide [service or donation amount] in your role as our sponsor.
With [Company Name] by our side at this upcoming event, we’re sure to achieve this season’s fundraising goal and serve [Community Name] well.
If your company is interested in being our official event sponsor, please reach out to us at [contact information]. We can’t wait to hear back!
Sincerely, [or With warm regards,]
Signature of a leader in the organization
Typed name of organizational leader
Remember: depending on your nonprofit’s needs, not all event sponsorships will be appropriate.
For example: an animal advocacy group might think twice about soliciting sponsorships from their local meat-packing plant, or a nature conservancy might reconsider partnering with a large development company.
Another tip? Enlisting a corporate sponsor for a peer-to-peer fundraising event is a great way to tap into the company’s audience of potential donors before the event begins. This way, you can maximize the benefit of your partnership in the time leading up to your anchor event.
2. Corporate Sponsorship Letter
When we talk about nonprofit sponsorships, the first thing that typically comes to mind is a traditional corporate sponsorship in which a business signs on as a nonprofit’s sponsor for a set period of time.
One of the best ways to partner with a corporate sponsor long term is to ask them to promote your cause to employees engaging in their matching gifts program.
The sponsor could include a reference to your cause on their corporate philanthropy page, or they could agree to match gifts to your organization at a higher ratio than gifts to other causes. In turn, your nonprofit would include their business on your website as a valued sponsor.
Consider this corporate sponsorship letter sample that emphasizes a matching gifts partnership:
Date
Name
Organization
Street
City, State ZIP
Dear Company Name,
At [Nonprofit Name], we value each and every donation we receive from our supporters.
With this in mind, it’s our goal to show donors how they can make the most of their contributions by steering them toward matching gifts.
[Company Name] has a robust corporate philanthropy program in place, including a matching gifts program for your employees.
Since [Nonprofit Name] and [Company Name] share so many community members, we’d like to enter into a partnership with your organization.
We would be particularly interested in being a featured nonprofit on your matching gifts program web page. In turn, we would highlight your business as a valuable sponsor on our web page, social media channels, and marketing materials.
Through this partnership, we hope to help [Company Name] make the most of your corporate philanthropy budget while ensuring your employees maximize the impact of their gifts to our cause.
If this excites your team, we’d love to continue this conversation. Please reach out to us at [contact information]. We’re excited to hear from you!
Sincerely, [or With warm regards,]
Signature of a leader in the organization
Typed name of organizational leader
Many corporations have philanthropy programs in place that allocate a certain percentage of their overall budget to making charitable contributions, including matching employee gifts.
This means that these businesses already have the money set aside to sponsor your cause, but they’re just waiting for an organization like yours to initiate the partnership.
Don’t leave that funding on the table! By proactively sending out letters like these, your team automatically boosts your chances of securing a corporate sponsorship and tapping into their philanthropic giving budget.
3. Sponsorship Letter for Sports
When most people think of nonprofit organizations, traditional philanthropies and charities tend to come to mind. However, there are many other organizations in your community that have pressing fundraising needs, including local sports teams.
Whether you’re raising money for an adult sports team at the rec center or a K-12 school’s league, nearly all kinds of sports organizations need to raise money at some point to help fund their organization.
Establishing partnerships with companies who are inspired by your team is a smart way to gain lasting funding while showing love back to a local business.
Try this sponsorship request letter sample the next time your team extends an invitation for a partnership.
Date
Name
Organization
Street
City, State ZIP
Dear Company Name,
In [Community Name], there’s nothing more important than fostering our local sports teams.
Teams like [Team Name] provide students between the ages of [age] and [age] a safe place to get physically active and make connections with their peers.
However, we wouldn’t be able to keep serving our team of [number] young people without important partners like you.
Would [Company Name] be interested in serving as our official team sponsor?
In return, [Team Name] would feature your company as our sponsor at [matches/meets].
This would help your organization gain exposure among [Team Name] parents and in the broader [Community Name] area.
[Team Name] would be happy to start a partnership at any level! However, contributions of [amount] would help us fund [sports-focused goal].
If [Company Name] is excited by this proposal, please reach out to us at [contact information].
Sincerely, [or With warm regards,]
Signature of a leader in the organization
Typed name of organizational leader
Securing a sponsor for your sports team is one of the best ways to sustainably fundraise for your organization.
Your team can offer potential sponsors a dedicated banner at your games, a special appreciation message in your opening announcements, or even a spotlight on your social media profiles.
Since sports teams are fixtures of their community, your sponsor will appreciate that they’ll be given a platform to get the word out about their business for years to come. This means that once your team has an official sponsor, they’re unlikely to leave the partnership.
4. Sponsorship Letter for Schools
Schools are another kind of nonprofit organization that people don’t typically think of when the conversation turns to fundraising. And yet, schools are among the most ubiquitous nonprofit organizations out there simply because there’s a school in every community.
Luckily, partnering with a business to be your school’s fundraising sponsor can be really simple with the right sponsorship letter strategy. To get started, you’ll need to clearly show your potential sponsor why your school is worth supporting and how a school sponsorship can benefit their business.
Since a large portion of your community has ties to your school (either as parents, students, or alumni), a business would get a lot of advertising value from your partnership.
Make your proposal using a school sponsorship letter like the one below that clearly shows your potential sponsor why this partnership is right for their business:
Date
Name
Organization
Street
City, State ZIP
Dear Company Name,
[School Name] has been a part of the [Community Name] community for over [number] of years.
In this time, we’ve graduated [number] of students who have gone on to become [profession], [profession], and even [profession].
But we wouldn’t have been able to support those students on their educational journeys without sponsors like [Company Name].
Will [Company Name] consider becoming a featured partner of [School Name]?
As a show of gratitude, we would display a banner with your company’s name on it at our weekly football and soccer games in [stadium name].
A sponsorship of just [amount] per [time period] can make a huge difference in our [mascot animal/character] community.
Is [Company Name] ready to become a sponsored partner of [School Name]?
We look forward to hearing back from your team at [contact information].
Sincerely, [or With warm regards,]
Signature of a leader in the organization
Typed name of organizational leader
Just like a sports team, your school can offer your sponsor advertising space in high-traffic areas of your campus.
Or you might list them as your top club sponsor in your school’s yearbook or newspaper as a way to raise their profile. Whatever you decide, emphasize the fact that your sponsor will grow awareness among multiple generations of your community, both parent and student alike.
Since most schools don’t have a big budget for sponsorships, you’ll need to ensure your potential sponsor understands the intrinsic value of your sponsorship so that they consider supporting your school a worthy investment.
5. Church Sponsorship Letter
Fundraising for your church can sometimes be a challenge. Even though your congregation tithes every Sunday, those contributions aren’t always enough to help support the operational costs of your church and fund projects like mission trips. That’s where looking for a sponsor to help address your funding needs can come in handy!
After all, I have no doubt your church leadership can think of a few local business leaders who attribute their success to their faith. Some of them might even attend your church! And just like everyone else, these leaders look for ways to give back to their community … including their faith communities.
Faith-driven companies may love to have the opportunity to support a church and assist in growing your congregation, but if they’re not asked, they may not know there’s a need. Try sending out sponsorship request letters like the template below to inspire potential partners:
Date
Name
Organization
Street
City, State ZIP
Dear Company Name,
Every year, [Church Name] achieves [mission goal] with the help of our [number] congregants and valued sponsors like you.
Our church community needs to meet certain funding goals to be able to [achieve mission goal] and support our mission of [mission statement].
Will your company consider partnering with [Church Name] as our sponsor?
[Faith denomination] values are important to [Company Name], so it seems like a perfect fit for our two organizations to come together.
To show our appreciation of your sponsorship, our congregation would commit to including your company in our [weekly/monthly] email newsletters.
Is [Company Name] ready to help support [mission] by sponsoring our congregation?
Please reach out to us at [contact information] to talk more about how we can work together to make a difference in our community.
Sincerely, [or With warm regards,]
Signature of a leader in the organization
Typed name of organizational leader
Many prospective church sponsors will be inspired to show their support without receiving any kind of “reward” in return. In your sponsorship letter, be sure to call on their sense of faith to help make the case that they should become your church’s sponsor.
However, if you’re asking for a business to sponsor an event, there are always ways you can thank your them for their support, whether that’s by including a link to their website or publicly thanking them on social media.
You can also ask a sponsor to contribute a short video or statement showing why they chose to sponsor the event. This should be filmed as an inspirational video that gives your congregation even more reasons why they should get involved, instead of a promotional ad for the company. The video will introduce the person and the name of their company, but the entire focus should be on their faith and why they chose to give to the campaign.
6. Food Donation Request Letter
Whether your nonprofit is a family shelter, a faith-based charity, or even a school, sometimes you need to raise donations of items instead of raising money. A common example of this is accepting food donations.
Many nonprofit organizations call on their supporters to provide donations of shelf-stable food like soup, cereal, peanut butter, and more. This food might be added to your nonprofit’s community pantry or be donated to another organization that has a pressing need for these staples.
However, your nonprofit doesn’t need to only rely on typical donors to provide these much-needed food supplies: you can also reach out to a sponsor to make an in-kind donation of food items.
Check out this sponsorship letter template that asks for a food donation:
Date
Name
Organization
Street
City, State ZIP
Dear Company Name,
Has [Company Name] ever wanted to show their support for [Nonprofit Name’s] mission, but you weren’t sure how?
[Nonprofit Name] is in desperate need of food donations, specifically [food type], [food type], and [food type].
Since your business has long been a supporter of the [Community Name] area, you’d be the perfect sponsor to help [Nonprofit Name] meet our food supply needs.
Even better, by contributing [amount] of [food items], you’ll help feed [number] of [Community Name] families for [time period].
Are you ready to become an official [Nonprofit Name] food sponsor?
Contact us at [contact information] to learn more about our potential partnership.
Sincerely, [or With warm regards,]
Signature of a leader in the organization
Typed name of organizational leader
Reach out to local businesses like supermarkets and restaurants to provide a sponsored gift of food to your nonprofit.
Alternatively, you might send your letter to a company outside of the food service industry. They might purchase foodstuffs for your cause, or they can hold a food donation drive at their headquarters to gather supplies.
Offering an invitation for a food sponsorship can be a great way to garner support from a sponsor who isn’t ready to make a large monetary contribution. Not every business has a budget for philanthropy, but food donations can be a great way to show support without breaking the bank.
7. In-Kind Sponsorship Letter
In the previous section, we touched on in-kind gifts in the context of food donations. However, your nonprofit can propose a sponsorship in which the partner provides in-kind contributions of all sorts of goods.
Sponsored partnerships of in-kind gifts are a great way to make sponsorship more accessible for smaller businesses and more convenient for businesses of all sizes. You may even be able to find a partner who already produces the goods you need so you can cut out the middleman.
Before you send your sponsorship request letter, determine what kind of goods or supplies your nonprofit needs to achieve its goals. Maybe you need someone to contribute manpower for a building project. Or, you might need school supplies for a summer camp.
Read our in-kind sponsorship request letter template to get inspired:
Date
Name
Organization
Street
City, State ZIP
Dear Company Name,
At [Nonprofit Name], it takes a lot of support from partners like you to achieve our mission.
However, did you know you can show your support to our cause without making a monetary gift?
Please consider donating an in-kind contribution of [service/good]!
To help us reach our goal of [goal] this [time period], we’ll need to collect [amount] of [service/good] to help support our latest campaign.
[Company Name] can help achieve [specific goal] by becoming an official in-kind sponsor of our cause.
In doing so, you’ll help [number] of community members in [Community Name]. Even better, we’ll help spread the word about your business to our supporters.
If [Company Name] is excited to become an in-kind sponsor of [Nonprofit Name’s] work, please reach out at [contact information].
Sincerely, [or With warm regards,]
Signature of a leader in the organization
Typed name of organizational leader
Since most nonprofit organizations are focused on raising actual money, your team might forget about seeking in-kind sponsorships.
These contributions can be really valuable for all sorts of organizations. Because the sponsor is supplying resources you need, you can redirect money you’d spend on those supplies to other projects.
In-kind sponsorships can also make it easier for nonprofits to propose a sponsorship down the line in which your partner provides direct monetary contributions. You’ll already have an established relationship, which means they’ll be more likely to say yes!
8. Auction Item Sponsorship Letter
Does your nonprofit organization often host auctions? Whether in person or online, auction fundraising events are one of the best ways to engage your supporters and raise a good bit of money.
Successful fundraisers know that the magic of a successful auction event lies in the items procured for it.Consider proposing a sponsorship in which a partner provides items for the event. Instead of going around finding great auction items from a variety of sources, a carefully–chosen sponsor can do this for you!
Many local businesses or even larger companies are likely willing to sponsor your auction, especially since it might bring them more business in the future. If the donor likes the product/item they won, then they’ll be more likely to purchase again.
The items you receive will depend on the capabilities of the sponsor, so make sure to carefully consider who to reach out to. Read our auction item sponsorship letter template below:
Date
Name
Organization
Street
City, State ZIP
Dear Company Name,
Here at [Nonprofit Name], we aim to serve [audience] and achieve our mission. So far, we’ve raised [total fundraising amount raised] to help [cause]. However, our work is not done.
Currently, [audience] needs our help more than ever because of [current need]. In order to garner some much-needed support, we at [Nonprofit Name] are hosting an auction for our supporters.
To further our efforts, we’d like to invite [Company Name] to be our official corporate sponsor.
Would you consider sponsoring our event or donating an item or items for our supporters to bid on? In return for your generous support, we’ll work with you to identify the best ways to introduce your company to our auction attendees and spotlight your amazing partnership.
If your company would like to be our official auction sponsor, please contact us at [contact information]. We’re excited for this potential partnership!
Sincerely, [or With warm regards,]
Signature of a leader in the organization
Typed name of organizational leader
A sponsorship like this can benefit both parties. Your sponsor gets to highlight their support of your nonprofit, your auction attendees get to bid on fun and exciting items, and you can make your auction as successful as possible.
9. Sponsorship Letter for Requesting Volunteers
Whether you’re a nonprofit organization, a school, or a church, volunteer support is one of the best ways to serve your community. With the help of some of your most passionate supporters, you can get critical tasks done and directly impact those you serve.
Consider proposing a sponsorship where the partner incentivizes its employees to act as volunteers to your organization. Some companies even have a dedicated volunteer grant program where the employer also donates a set amount when employees meet certain volunteer hours.
Here is a sponsorship letter template for requesting volunteers:
Date
Name
Organization
Street
City, State ZIP
Dear Company Name,Each year, [Nonprofit Name] tracks more than [dollar amount] in volunteer impact to help [cause]. Our volunteer events are some of the best ways we can get closer to achieving [mission].
This [season], we are hosting our annual [name of event] on [location and date]. Last year we were able to put in a combined [number of hours]— of course with the help of our passionate volunteers.
We know that [Company Name] values corporate philanthropy and helping out our shared community. We’d like to propose a partnership with your organization where you act as our official sponsor and encourage your employees to volunteer their time at the event.
In recognition of [Company Name]’s support, we will use your branding throughout our event and highlight your company whenever we can.
If your company is interested in becoming an official sponsor for this volunteer event, please reach out to us at [contact information]. We can’t wait to hear back!
Sincerely, [or With warm regards,]
Signature of a leader in the organization
Typed name of organizational leader
Seeking out volunteers from a sponsor is also a great way to engage with prospective future supporters.
Perhaps they’ll volunteer for your cause and really connect with your mission.
Make sure to follow up after the volunteer event with a well thought out thank you, and a summary of their hard work!
10. Sponsorship Acknowledgement Letter
Once your successful event ends, it’s now time for one of the most important letters of them all. Acknowledging your sponsors and thanking them for their generous support is necessary to keep your positive relationship and leave room for future engagement down the line.
When thanking your sponsors, make sure to summarize not only how they helped your event, but how that help impacted your cause. After all, without their help, you wouldn’t have accomplished what you did.
Clearly defining that impact with concrete numbers and examples is a great way to show sponsors that they genuinely made a difference, and connects them deeper to your mission.
Check out this sponsorship acknowledgement letter template:
Date
Name
Organization
Street
City, State ZIP
Dear Company Name,We did it! Thanks to your help and this special sponsorship, we were able to reach our goals and raise [amount] for this project.
But we couldn’t have done it without you. All of us at [Nonprofit Name] can’t begin to tell you what your partnership has done, and neither can the community that you helped.
Because of your company’s efforts, [community’s name] can now [list out how exactly the event helped them]. Our organization also now has the resources to bring about even more change, like [list out any next steps].
We’d love to continue this relationship with your company. We will be sure to publicly acknowledge the sponsorship to the rest of our supporters— after all, we want them to know who helped us get where we are.
If your company wants to contact us further for other opportunities or just to chat in general, please contact us at [contact information]. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely, [or With warm regards,]
Signature of a leader in the organization
Typed name of organizational leader
Thanking your sponsors is not just a chance to remind them of the impact they’ve had; it also sets them up for future engagement down the line.
Who knows? Maybe they’ll want to sponsor another event or offer support in other ways!
Final Thoughts
Whether your nonprofit has a lot of experience working with sponsors or is new to these special relationships, proposing a sponsorship to a potential partner can seem daunting.
With these sponsorship request letter templates, your nonprofit is ready to start making connections with the sponsors you need to reach your goals! Download these sponsorship letter templates so you can keep them on hand. You never know when the perfect sponsorship opportunity will pop up!
Additional Resources
- 9 Fundraising Letter Templates. Looking to raise more money for your nonprofit? Sending fundraising solicitation letters is a good way to start. Try out our top fundraising letter templates for all kinds of causes to get inspired.
- Big Book of Hybrid and Virtual Event Ideas. Want to host more successful hybrid and virtual fundraisers? Download the eBook now!
- How Nonprofits Can Secure Corporate Sponsorships. If your nonprofit hasn’t pursued corporate sponsorship, you’re leaving money on the table. Use these tips to get started.
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