Teen Entrepreneurs with Epilepsy: HOW TO: Choose & Approach a Corporate Partner for Your Non-Profit

HOW TO: Choose & Approach a Corporate Partner for Your Non-Profit

via Mashable! by Laura Kimball on 5/27/11

Laura Kimball directs the communications and social media outreach at Jolkona, a non-profit that is cultivating the next generation of philanthropists. She also blogs at lamiki.com, and can always be found on Twitter @lamiki.
Corporations are looking for ways to bring giving into their business because it works. A 2008 Cone Corporate Citizenship study claimed 85% of Americans had a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a cause they care about. Nearly 90% of Americans said it is important that business, government and non-profits collaborate to solve pressing social issues. And 79% of Americans said they would likely switch from one brand to another if the other brand is associated with a good cause.
Businesses in turn want to give back for a variety of reasons, and your non-profit could be exactly what they’re looking for.
An effective partnership is critical in building momentum for funding and brand awareness, for both the non-profit and the corporation. But similar to dating, you need to find a corporate partner that is the perfect match for your organization. And we’re not talking about a one-night stand here — we’re talking “the one” you want to spend the rest of your fundraising life with.

Find the Perfect Corporate Partner

Have you ever laid your eyes on a company whose mission was perfectly aligned with yours, was incredibly successful, and had all this money it wanted to donate to support your cause?

Tragically, that kind of “true love” partner doesn’t exist without some investment on your end. In order to find your true love you need to start by building a list of 15 to 30 companies, large and small, that you would like to work with. Just like with dating, choose companies that have a similar vision of how to be innovative in the world as you do.

Once you have your “match” list, do your research. Check out each company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) statement. If they don’t have one, do your detective work and see what qualities the company values based on their corporate culture. Research the company’s non-profit history. Which causes and non-profits have they supported in the past?

Look into the philanthropic habits of their founder, CEO, and executive leadership team. See if you can find what causes they support outside of the company.

True Love

What does “true love” look like between a non-profit and a corporation? Take a look at Pampers, which is improving the lives of babies and their families by donating one tetanus vaccine through UNICEF for every package of diapers purchased. Or look at Penny Arcade, which leverages its community of gamers to give money, toys, and games to children at local hospitals through the charity Child’s Play.

Making the First Move

Now that you have a list of corporations who would make a perfect match for your non-profit, it’s time to ask them out on the first date. Even though you’ll be dating the entire company, you’ll want to start with anyone who can get you in the door. Think of your first point of contact as your matchmaker.

First Date Rule: Keep it causal. Share with your matchmaker what you’re working on and why his company would be a good fit to sponsor your campaign and partner with your non-profit. Woo them.

Second Date Rule: If your matchmaker is interested and sparks fly, ask him for an introduction to the decision makers at the company and set up a formal meeting. If your matchmaker is truly passionate about your idea, invite him to be a part of this meeting as an advocate for the partnership. Again, woo them. Advocates are key.

Bryan Pape is an entrepreneur and an advocate for clean water. While creating his company, MiiR Bottles, he learned that nearly one billion people don’t have access to clean water, and dedicated his entire company to helping alleviate that cause. For every bottle MiiR sells, they donate $1 to give one person clean water for one year through water partnerships at One Day’s Wages.

How to Make the Pitch

Third Date Rule: Making your actual pitch is the magical third date. When it comes to building a relationship with a corporate partner, don’t leave any doubts that you’re the right fit. This is where you’ll learn if it’s meant-to-be or not.

For your pitch, outline exactly what you’re looking for in your relationship. Briefly introduce your organization and your mission, then get right into the juicy bits about the campaign or cause marketing opportunity you need sponsorship for. Detail what you’re asking of the corporation, including funding, promotion, employee evangelizing, branding opportunities, joint media outreach, etc.

For example, take a look at what Microsoft has been doing with the Boys and Girls Club since 1998. In this partnership, Microsoft donates their money, software, and volunteer hours. If you are looking for a corporate partner to go beyond writing you a check, make sure you let them know that.

Finally, explain what you will bring to the table. Outline success metrics that align with the partner’s business goals. Speak their talk and show them how you will calculate the ROI of their philanthropic dollars and how that will make an impact on your campaign and your work.

The purpose of this meeting is to deviate from the traditional dating ritual. Stop playing games and put all your cards on the table so you can both decide if this partnership is a match made in heaven or not. It’s also important to listen and take counter offers into consideration. If the chemistry is off, it’s okay to walk away. Remember there are other corporate funding fish in the sea.