Nonprofit Sponsor Management excellence is a journey that travels a two-way street. If Nonprofit leaders view it as a one-way street, they may be missing the mark. On that one-way street, the Nonprofit thinks it is the only partner benefiting from the relationship.
To be sure, Nonprofits seek out Sponsorships to raise money, receive product or in-kind donations, and recruit volunteers. Another benefit is the association with a strong Sponsor brand that can raise the Nonprofit’s brand recognition in the market.
Yet, it is a two-way street. While there may be a perception that some Sponsors are 100% altruistic, it’s rarely the case. Realistic actions to achieve Nonprofit Sponsor Management excellence recognize that Sponsors carefully consider the benefits accruing to their organizations and brands. They also expect benefits from the relationship.
The benefits received by Sponsorship of a Nonprofit’s activities, events and programs could include:
The Sponsor gains positive market recognition (and more sales) by association with a strong Nonprofit brand
Practical Moves to Achieve Nonprofit Sponsor Management Excellence
Stakeholder Database/CRM
A Stakeholder database coupled with a Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) provides the ability to track all information about a Nonprofit’s sponsors. The CRM system should include a blast email function that would allow campaigns to be targeted at the Sponsor’s employees to solicit donations and recruit volunteers.
Surveys and Feedback System
A Surveys and Feedback System allows consistent measurement of Sponsor satisfaction to improve the relationship. Sponsors also want to know the feedback from activities, events and programs to know the impact of their sponsorship on the Nonprofit.
Digital Content Management System
A robust, easy-to-use digital content management system (CMS) allows the Nonprofit greater flexibility in posting Sponsor ads on its website, in its mobile application, inside the Stakeholders database, on event pages, etc.
Volunteer Management
A powerful Volunteer Management system module helps to engage and organize Volunteers who work for a Sponsor. The Volunteers report back to the Sponsor their opinions about the Nonprofit’s ability to effectively leverage their efforts as volunteers. This reflects well on the Nonprofit, enhancing its image as a good partner for the Sponsor and is a key component in achieving Nonprofit Sponsor Management excellence.
