Sponsorship and Co-op Advertising

Sponsorship references when an outside group helps finance your groups' efforts. The sponsor pays a fee in return for identification as a sponsor of your event or team. An example is when a business sponsoring a youth baseball team, provides uniforms featuring their logo.

In this situation the team receives the uniforms, and the sponsoring business advertises their name and receives goodwill in the community.

Co-op advertising is a method of sponsorship utilized by fundraising groups to offset the costs of their fundraiser by raising money from a group of businesses in return for advertising their business.

Stadium Seat Cushions are an example of a product where co-op advertising is used often. Fundraiser coordinators solicit local area businesses to advertise on the seat cushion (see below.)

Some rules of thumb regarding Co-op advertising and Sponsorship are as follows:

1. Sponsors should be used to lower your cost of product acquisition. Make sure you raise more money than what it costs you to have the logos displayed.
2. Sponsors and advertisers should be from businesses that appeal to a wide variety of people. It is important that any messages been non-offensive and fit with the values of your community.
3. All arrangements between the fundraising group and sponsor/advertiser should be documented in writing. It should be a simple arrangement, outlining what each party is to receive and the financial consideration.
4. You should never pressure anyone into sponsoring. All participants should be ready, willing and able.
5. Collect all sponsorship money upfront.
6. Never give preferential sponsor treatment to those who may also be involved with the fundraiser.
7. All sponsors should be approved or denied by a committee.
8. Have your sponsor approve their artwork before the ad is run.
   
   

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