Going for gold – How to build corporate partnerships that compete
Do you know one of our favourite things about the Olympics? More than just a feat of athletic excellence and global cooperation, we love spotting all the different corporate partnerships that come together to make each event a reality. It might seem a world away from charity fundraising, but as the names of different partners flash across the screen, we can’t help but be reminded of the power and potential such initiatives can bring.
But the world of corporate giving can be a daunting one – and with 4.2 million companies nationwide, a lot of charities and non-profits simply don’t know where to start. That’s where we come in. Okay, so we might not be able to promise you an Olympic-sized partnership, but if your organisation is going for gold, then this post will help you build a corporate fundraising strategy that competes.
First, you need to build a pipeline of potential partners
Every athlete knows that success doesn’t happen overnight, and every good fundraiser knows that a winning corporate partnership takes time. Before you can even submit your bid, you need to map the landscape and build a pipeline of potential partners. So put some time aside to consider…
- Who you know already: Look at your giving history and organisational connections. Who’s on your books? Are there any supporters, team or board members with links to companies that might be a good fit? In a world marked by six degrees of separation, working your networks is a sure-fire route to success.
- Who you want to work with: Next you need to ask yourself who you would like to work with, and how you can get there. To do this properly, you need to be systematic and work through each of your target sectors in turn, noting – and prioritising – key players and alignments.
- The wild cards: Don’t restrict yourself to one sector or type of organisation. You will be surprised by just how much synergy you have with companies of all different sectors, shapes and sizes. There is no harm in thinking big, so go on, get outside the box and put a few wild cards on your radar!
Find your fit
No organisation will sign-up ‘just because’. To build a successful corporate partnership, you need to think in terms of brand alignment and shared values. In short, you are on a quest to find sectors and organisations with synergy. Sometimes the link is obvious, sometimes it takes a bit of creativity to get there. Here are a few of our favourites to help get the ideas flowing:
- UNICEF and Pampers
- WaterAid and Severn Trent
- Pets at Home and the Blue Cross
- Save the Children and Uber
- Weight Watchers and The Trussel Trust
- The Samaritans and Network Rail
- Innocent Smoothies and Age UK
- Brewdog, Dogs on the Streets and All Dogs Matter
- War Child and well, LOADS of gaming industry players!
On the surface, each and every one of these partnerships is different. But they all have one thing in common - a shared value and vision that makes so much sense it’s hard to say no.
Plan your pitch
When it comes to corporate partnerships don’t limit yourself to Charity of the Year or grant donations. From cause-related marketing to pro-bono support and employee fundraising, corporate giving can be wonderfully creative. Not sure quite what to ask for? Why not try…
- Cause-related marketing: A win-win for charities and corporates alike, is it time to take your partnership to the high street? There are so many beautiful ideas out there, and the Big Knit is one of our favourites. Can you imagine the raised eyebrows when someone suggested putting bobble-hats on Innocent Smoothies? But with 1.5 million ‘knits’ last year alone, this unique partnership has raised just under £3 million for Age UK. Proof that weirdly wonderful ideas can work!
- Pro-bono support: The money is great, but the pro-bono legal support offered through Allen & Ovary’s flagship charity partnerships is a HUGE amount of value added.
- Employee fundraisers: With the Access Group raising over £370,000 for the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) in 2020 and 2021, we know how valuable – and how much fun – team fundraising can be.
- Volunteering: Lots of organisations offer ‘volunteer days’ so why not put their skills to good use? Think digital marketing, strategic planning, graphic design and communications. What are your skill gaps, and can your corporate partners help fill them?
- Sponsorship and match-funding: Running an event? Sponsorship and match-funding opportunities are a win-win for everyone. You get the cash, and they get the profile. Perfect!
TOP TIP: Before you finalise your pitch, you need to think about what your organisation can give in return. You might not want to hear it, but corporate giving is rarely 100% altruistic. Positive profile, PR, naming rights, exclusive content and stories… Partnerships are a two-way process. Your job is to find a combination that works for both parties and to design a pitch that fits.
Making the ask
About to send your first email? We’ve seen some great cold approaches work out, but to really succeed, you need to warm up as many connections as you can. Work your networks. Get introductions, referrals, coffees, and event invites wherever you can. Our advice? Don’t always shoot for the CEO. When you are working with corporates you need to build connections at every level of business. Not only is making friends with the boss’ PA a great way to get stuff done, staff nominations and support could also help you get an ‘in’. Once you’ve found the person behind the brand, treat them as you would any individual or major donor. Build a relationship, and when the time is right, pitch an idea that captures the business minds, entrepreneurial vision, and heart of your partners.
Stewardship and engagement
As with all areas of fundraising, when it comes to corporates the key to success lies in your relationship management. Of course, it’s important to say thank you, share stories and impact. You could also work together to create new PR opportunities, offer event invites and project visits.
If you’re working in the field of employee fundraising or are looking to engage wider members of the corporate team, you might also want to try:
- Holding a breakfast or lunch-time event so people can find out more about your work.
- Organising a Q&A with a staff member and/or service user (if it’s appropriate!).
- Offering ‘Early Bird’ access and team discounts to your charity’s sporting events and activities.
- Recruiting a team of volunteer ‘Charity Champions’ to co-create your engagement calendar.
- Incentivising employee giving by offering departmental prizes, competition and match-funding.
Uptake will vary of course, but it’s important that you give your corporate partners (and the people in their team) options. At the end of the day, the more bespoke the partnership and personal the connections, the more likely you are to build a corporate partnership that goes the distance.
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