Immense pressure on schools’ budgets means headteachers and school business managers are looking for ever more creative ways to generate income.
Making more savings is not the answer for many because there are only so many savings to be made and you’ve already made them, right?
Options for schools to generate income are limited, often piecemeal, labour intensive and insecure. Maybe increasing revenue has been a topic in your management team brainstorms. My guess is that it didn’t take long before someone stuck a Post-it note with the word ‘sponsorship’ on your whiteboard. And if they did, what happened next?
Maybe you ran with it, found a great local businesses to partner with and thanks to mutual trust and watertight agreements, are benefiting from generous funding that eases at least some of your school money worries. If so, that’s great but if not, read on.
Or maybe you thought, “Nice idea but …” Fill in the gap with one of many reasons why you might have been put off: unsure where to start, it could go wrong, too much work for not enough return, parents, board of governors or others might not approve, and so on.
Sponsorship won’t single handedly fix your school’s finances but it can be a handy resource to lean on in, well, lean times.
Done well, it offers flexibility and can be potentially lucrative, it can result in a long-term partnership or a one-off cash boost. It requires thought to do it right but this need not be onerous.
We know this because we work with not-for-profit and public sector organisations, who are able to do great things thanks to positive sponsorship arrangements. We have worked with businesses too, keen to develop links with their communities, typically with a genuine desire to put something back into their local area – where their children go to school, where their employees live and their customers shop.
Still tempted? Then ask yourself these key questions.
Your audiences (see 3, above) represent potential customers of numerous businesses. Sponsorship gives businesses exposure to them without a hard sell and allows that business to associate themselves with your school, perhaps raising awareness of the company or by gently inviting people to look at the business in a different way.
You will need to quantify those benefits with solid activities, and be prepared to include some numbers:
You can probably think of others.
Decide on prices for packages by picking two or three ideas for a bronze level package or the whole list for platinum. Be prepared to be flexible; consider suggestions from potential sponsors or change the mix of ideas.
Consider investing in having your package professionally written and designed. Once you have a sponsor on board, you must be clear about what you are both committed to. Great web content is a must but many businesses like to have a pack of information or a leaflet to hold on to. This college has made a great start by including information on its website.
Do some research on potential sponsors. Think about what feels like a good fit. Ask around about a business’s reputation and check its website. Is it a company you would consider buying from?
Businesses new to the area, housing developers or telecoms companies working in the area and businesses that have sponsored other events locally are often worth approaching. If your town has a chamber of commerce, ask it to share your sponsorship opportunities with its members.
Be 100% clear about what you and your sponsor agree. If you have agree to include an advert or logo in a publication, be clear about how big it will be. Be prepared to manage expectations if you are working with more than one sponsor.
Successful fundraising campaigns often link donations with particular costs – £18 could protect 100 children from tuberculosis, says Unicef – because it makes supporters’ gifts feel meaningful. This can work for your school, too and even provide a hook to entice businesses related to your activities. Might a local car dealership sponsor your school trips or the running costs of your minibus? More generically, an estate agent could sponsor your sports team in exchange for you adding their logo to your sports kit.
Keep to your promises. If you have committed to 10 mentions in your social media, make sure you do this. If a business sponsors the purchase of dictionaries for each Year 7 pupil, make sure you buy them and hand them out. Be prepared to show what you have done.
I hope this article has helped you see that sponsorship is achievable and beneficial. Good luck and do get in touch if you need some help.
Julie