SPONSORSHIP GUIDE
MISSION STATEMENT Tulane’s purpose is to create, communicate and conserve knowledge in order to enrich the capacity of individuals, organizations and communities to think, to learn and to act and lead with integrity and wisdom. Tulane pursues this mission by cultivating an environment that focuses on learning and the generation of new knowledge; by expecting and rewarding teaching and research of extraordinarily high quality and impact; and by fostering communitybuilding initiatives as well as scientific, cultural and social understanding that integrate with and strengthen learning and research. This mission is pursued in the context of the unique qualities of our location in New Orleans and our continual aspiration to be a truly distinctive international university.
Welcome!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO ADVANCING TULANE UNIVERSITY. Whether you are faculty, staff, a student or an alumni volunteer, your unique vision, boundless energy, and unflagging enthusiasm are essential to Tulane’s success. You are acting as an ambassador for Tulane, giving your valuable time and effort to aiding our mission. The Tulane University Sponsorship Guide can assist you in putting together a well-crafted plan to help identify prospects, generate the financial support you need, and build long-lasting, valuable relationships with community partners. The university maintains a system for approving requests to donors. To ensure coordination university-wide, all plans for soliciting potential corporate and foundation donors on behalf of the university must first be reviewed by our office1. Together, we can leverage the enormous potential of Tulane’s corporate and foundation partners to strengthen the university and the community it serves.
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Please refer to the Students tab if you are representing a student organization.
Inside SPONSORSHIP . . .................. 1 PLAN .............................................. 3 PITCH .......................................... 11 DELIVER ..................................... 13 STUDENTS ............................... 17 ALUMNI ..................................... 19
Sponsorship
What is a Sponsorship? As a 501(c)3 non-profit university, there is a legal definition of what constitutes a sponsorship for tax-reporting and gift-recording purposes. For a sponsorship to qualify as a gift, ALL of the following must apply: • The contribution must be made by a person or corporation engaged in trade or business. • The sponsor should not expect nor receive a substantial return benefit other than name acknowledgement and/or promotional value. • The promotional value should be limited to: o sponsor’s location, telephone number, internet address, o value-neutral description of sponsor’s product or services, o sponsor’s brand/trade name or product/service listings. • There is no qualitative or comparative advertising (pricing, savings, value, etc.). • The sponsorship should not be contingent on event attendance, ratings, or public exposure.
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FUNDRAISING EVENTS Let’s say you want to invite guests to a plated dinner at the Audubon Tea Room or you have booked Trombone Shorty to play a special performance at Tipitina’s to raise money for Tulane. These events are not free and open to the public, and require your guests to purchase admission with the proceeds going toward a particular program, school or other Tulane entity. If this is the case, then you are holding a fundraising event. Dinners, performances, auctions, and raffles are all fundraising events if you expect to yield net proceeds to Tulane after subtracting the expenses of conducting the event from the revenues collected. Fundraising events fall under the Office of Constituency Programs. Please contact Advancement Events at 504.314.7332 if you intend to produce a fundraising event. You must submit a completed Event Approval Form, including a description of the planned event, the intended beneficiary, a list of prospective donors to be invited and/or solicited, a budget and a marketing plan. Advancement Events can help familiarize you with the Tulane Gift Acceptance Policy as it pertains to particular aspects of fundraising, including rules for properly advertising and recording the fair market value of benefits, what does and does not constitute a gift, and the donation of items/goods/services for the event.
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Plan
Make a Plan Building a solid sponsorship plan is the key to being successful in your efforts. Before you make any contact with a potential sponsor, whether it be a general inquiry or a solicitation, you’ll need to take time to develop your plan, package it into a pitch, and then deliver on your promise.
CREATE A BUDGET Before you start, first consider your goals and objectives. What do you hope to accomplish with this particular sponsorship opportunity? To defray costs? To raise money for something else? To recognize one or more existing donors for their generosity? Having a clear idea of what you want to accomplish will help you create an appropriate, actionable budget. Determine how much you need and how much the unit (school/dept/ program) is willing to pay should you not get the sponsorship dollars required to produce the event or program. See Sample Budget Worksheet on the following page.
DEVELOP A PROSPECTIVE SPONSOR LIST • Identify leads by starting with local and regional businesses with active operations in your area. • Pinpoint organizations whose missions align with your own. • Enlist your volunteer board or committee (if you have one) to develop warm leads. • Have your volunteers ask their friends for leads. • Don’t give up! Your enthusiasm should be contagious.
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SAMPLE BUDGET WORKSHEET Event Name Event Date LINE ITEM
VENDOR
COST
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
TOTAL Cost Recoveries
$0.00
$0.00
Contingency (5%)
$0.00
$0.00
TOTAL
$0.00
$0.00
Delivery & Mailing Postage - Federal Express - USPS Operating Supplies - Other Printing & Copying Vendors - Save the Date - Invitations - Signage - Program Other Professional/Consulting Rentals - Audio/Visual Rentals - Other Safety and Security Vendors Misc. Operating Expenses TOTAL Supplies and Expenses Entertainment Expenses - Food - Beverage - Floral/DĂŠcor - Gifts (Host/Hostess) - Rentals - Entertainment - Photographer - Valet Service - Certificate Frame Travel -- Domestic Transportation Domestic Travel Room/Meals/Other - Lodging - Taxi/Cab - Baggage - Meals Entertainment Cost - Other TOTAL Travel and Entertainment Facilities Services Security
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FIND THE STORY Be confident, and really tell your sponsors why they’re not going to want to miss out on this opportunity to partner with you. • Why Tulane? Begin your “pitch” with the bigger picture. • What do you do? Explain what your department/unit/group does, and how the program being sponsored will help accomplish those goals. • Focus on impacts and outcomes. How many people does the program reach? What change will it create? How do you define “success”? • Keep the “so what” in mind. What does the sponsor get out of this? Keep their mission at the forefront of the package, not just your own mission. • Use language your audience will appreciate, taking cues from the prospective sponsor’s own website. • What do they get? Where possible, build a comprehensive benefits package that will give your sponsor the brand recognition and exposure they value. Don’t sell yourself short! Remind them of the value of partnering with your unit or organization.
BRAINSTORM SOME BENEFITS A benefit is what the sponsor gets in return for their gift. Get creative and come up with a compelling offer. Try some of these ideas: Logo Recognition Businesses are interested in how many views their logo is going to receive. Each attendee counts as a viewer, and each logo placement increases the number of views. Depending on the sponsorship level, you’ll want to put the sponsor’s logo on: program slides, flyers, invitations, Save the Date cards, event signage, your website and any other collateral materials. External Publicity How are you going to get info about your event/workshop/program/ panel or whatever is being sponsored into the media? Contact Tulane’s Communications and Marketing professionals at 504.865.5210 to see if they may be able to help you generate publicity, and don’t forget to add the date, time, and location to the University Calendar (www2.tulane.edu/calendar/guidelines.cfm). 5
Social Media Recognizing your sponsors on your social media is free and scalable. Emphasize your reach through your social networks. VIP Experience If available, you can offer space for a sponsor to have a private meet-andgreet with your star faculty, host a booth or breakout session, or invite their employees for a private, pre- or post-program reception. Speakers Invite the sponsor to a private tour or speaking engagement or arrange for a faculty member to present at the sponsor’s offices. Engagement Depending on the program, can your sponsor’s employees participate in some way? For example, distribute literature at a table, judge a contest, host a workshop or demo, or some other activity. Tickets Give away tickets to your event, but remember that quid pro quo rules apply.
QUID PRO QUO Anytime a sponsor receives a tangible benefit they would normally have to pay for (e.g., tickets, a meal, a reserved table), then the fair-marketvalue of that benefit must be deducted from the total value of the gift for tax recording purposes. E.g., if a sponsor’s $2000 package includes $200 worth of tickets for their own use, then they can only claim it as an $1800 gift.
Keep in mind that some organizations may be prohibited from accepting certain benefits. Use the sponsorship package values worksheet on the next page to help put together your benefits menu.
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SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE VALUES This is a general value assessment. You can choose to increase the intangible value of each item based on expected audience engagement, guest wealth, and other criteria. Logo placement on any materials inside an envelope
$0.10 x views
Logo placement on any materials that do not require opening
$0.20 x views
and envelope (i.e., postcards or on the envelope itself) Logo placement on any ads in print publications
Cost of ad
Logo placement or ad on event brochure, program, or agenda
$200-$500
Logo on website
$0.30 x views
Mention in press release
$200-$500
Logo on printed event signage
$0.20 x views
Logo on sponsor PowerPoint Slide
$0.10 x views
Opportunity for company representative to speak at program
$.50 x views
Verbal recognition throughout the program/event
$0.25 x views
Opportunity to host a sponsorship table at the event/program
$1 x views
Opportunity to meet with star faculty
$500-$2000
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COMPOSE A COVER LETTER It is best practice to create a draft cover letter that can be easily updated and tailored to individual prospects as potential sponsors. Introduction Make it personal. If you’ve had an initial conversation with the organizational contact, thank that person before moving on to your sponsorship opportunity. Summary Include all the main details: purpose, title, date, time, location, and what it will support. Keep this simple, yet state the outcomes and objectives clearly. If this is an annual program, talk about its popularity and track record of success. The Need Briefly talk about the needs of your department/unit/organization and how this sponsorship will help. How does the reading program help the children it serves? How will the marching band benefit from the mini-bus? Why should that student group travel to that foreign country to do that project? Don’t forget to mention how this sponsorship is a partnership that will fulfill both your needs and theirs. How does that reading program, that mini-bus, that project abroad benefit your sponsor or further their values? Show you’ve done your research on your prospect’s mission and goals.
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EXAMPLE COVER LETTER
DATE Ms. Sue Q. Public Charles A. Public Foundation 1234 Main Street, Suite 100 Anywhere, Anyplace 12345 Dear Ms. Public, Tulane University shares the Charles A. Public Foundation’s commitment to supporting citizens working on the front lines daily in service to others. Our nation’s first responders embody this ideal, rushing to the aid of those in need each and every day. Tulane University School of Medicine requests $10,000 in support of the Norman E. McSwain Jr., M.D. Trauma Conference. The conference offers comprehensive team-based continuing education in the treatment of critically ill and injured patients. The lectures, panel discussions and other educational formats offer guidelines and technology for evaluating, diagnosing and managing patients. This year the conference will focus on rapid response to terror attacks, including mass shootings, vehicular assaults and use of improvised explosive devices. Guest speakers will include one of the emergency room doctors who responded to the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando last year. Medical professionals, especially those dealing with trauma and emergency services, must improve their practice and care of patients through continuing medical education. The McSwain Trauma Conference provides a resource for regional emergency medical personnel to receive educational opportunities at minimal cost. Funding will be used to cover travel costs for speakers and printed materials, meals and parking fees for participants. Please contact me at XXX-XXX-XXXX or email with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your consideration. Respectfully,
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PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER Now that you’ve brainstormed what you can offer, it’s time to package it all together! • Less is more: a simple cover letter tailored to your prospect, accompanied by a one-pager with a compelling offer, is usually sufficient. • Clearly define your expected outcomes as well as any and all deliverables. • Provide a menu with a variety of levels and benefits. • Personalize your request! Always make your offer to a person inside the organization, not “to whom it may concern.”
COORDINATE WITH CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION RELATIONS Once you’ve drafted your materials, our office can look them over, offer any final feedback on content if necessary, and provide clearance to approach the corporate and foundation partners you’ve identified as prospects for sponsorships.
WAIT! BEFORE YOU SEND ANYTHING OUT THE DOOR, CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION RELATIONS WILL NEED TO REVIEW YOUR:
• prospect list, • cover letter, and • benefits package.
Go to giving.tulane.edu/cfr to find the member of our team assigned to your area. If there is an existing relationship with the potential sponsor, we can solicit for you or facilitate an introduction. Our office may provide background on potential sponsors and their relationship to the university. We can also let you know if the organization has a formal process to follow and what steps that will entail2. 2
Please refer to the Students tab if you are representing a student organization.
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Pitch
Meeting in Person Most of the time, sponsors will not meet with you in person, and you will have to make your request via email, snail mail, or through their online portal. However, it is ALWAYS worth it to call and ask for a scheduled appointment in person or by phone to discuss the sponsorship package. Follow-up within a week of your initial contact. Ask if you can meet in person or by phone to go over the details. Here are some tips if you are able to secure an in-person or over-the-phone meeting: • Know Your Stuff Familiarize yourself with the sponsorship levels, benefits and program. You don’t want to muddle through a meeting, shuffling papers and repeatedly offering, “Let me get back to you on that.” • Rehearse Break down the offer into an elevator pitch. Practice it out loud. Keep your sponsor’s mission and needs in mind. • Don’t Oversell Make your case quickly and concisely, then allow for Q & A. Make it a conversation. • Money It’s OK to talk about money. You need to know if the company you’re meeting with is in the top or bottom range of your sponsorship levels. • Take Notes Copy your contact in our office on any emails.
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Closing the Deal If they offer support, congratulations! You did it! All your hard work has paid off. Talk to your contact person in the Corporate and Foundation Relations office to find out how to secure and process the funding.
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Deliver
Keep Your Promises
Be a good partner by following through on everything you promised in your sponsorship package – and then do even more. By planning ahead, you can ensure that all the pieces are in place to make your sponsor’s support unforgettable for all the right reasons! Confirm Attendance Reach out before the event/workshop/program/panel or whatever is being sponsored to find out if your sponsors will be sending representatives to attend and/or participate. If you are delivering opening remarks, be sure to acknowledge their support and participation. Get Logos for Signage Once you have secured the sponsorship, ask the sponsor for computer files of their current logo and get clearance to use it in signage and promotional materials. Please don’t pull random logos from the web! Go the Extra Mile Add a golf cart to pick up your sponsors when they arrive, create a VIP lounge for sponsors, make time for your star faculty to say hello to the company representative before the program,and/or put a staff member or a volunteer in charge of attending to your sponsors’ needs throughout the program.
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Point Person First, make sure your entire committee, faculty, and staff are on the same page. Brief everyone on who your sponsors are so that your sponsors feel welcomed by anyone they contact in your unit. Even though everyone should be on the same page, you need to assign one point-person for these sponsors to contact with questions, guidelines, procedures, logistics, etc. Be sure this person can communicate well and stay “on message.” Take Photos No cell phone shots! If Tulane Communications is unavailable to cover your event, contract a freelance professional to ensure you get quality images suitable for publication. Don’t forget to include this in your budget.
Follow-up
Good follow-up makes for long-lasting partnerships. Whether your program is held annually or if it’s a one-time occasion, the following tips will help ensure you stay on your sponsor’s radar. Get Feedback Take a moment afterwards to survey your sponsors. Did they think the logo placement was adequate? How did they like working with you? Is there anything that could be improved if they were to sponsor again next year? Have a candid conversation with your sponsor to open the door to considerations of future giving. Provide Reporting on Impact Afterwards, create a document that gives an overview of the successes, the outcomes and any other major highlights. Make sure this document gets in your sponsor’s hands quickly, while the sponsored program is still fresh in their mind. Where possible, the document should include photos of your sponsor’s logo. Pictures really are worth a thousand words! Keep in Touch If your program received media coverage, share it with your sponsors. Maintain contact with your sponsors throughout the year to build a stronger relationship. 14
SAMPLE IMPACT REPORT
FOR THE CHILDREN LITERACY & TUTORING PROGRAM
During the spring semester, For The Children continues to work with the students at Sophie B. Wright Charter School and Lawrence D. Crocker College Prep. Our volunteer base consists of 200 Tulane service learning students, 22 community volunteers, and 17 Federal work-study students. Each week this work force provides an average of 600 hours of individual and in-class assistance between our two schools. At Sophie B. Wright volunteers are helping prepare students for upcoming state testing, as well as, preparing high school students for the ACT. Over the past several years, For the Children at Sophie B. Wright, has seen an increase of Latin American students and bilingual service learners which has allowed us to work closely with English as a Second Language students helping build both their English vocabulary and assist them keep up with their regular class work. Our second semester at Crocker has been a huge success! When we returned after the holiday break it was very evident how much the students enjoy the program. We couldn’t walk down the hall without children stopping to ask where their buddy was or when they were coming back. We are beyond happy to be working with such a wonderful school! Our partnership with the school, teachers and children has developed beyond our expectations. As always, we would like to thank foundations whose generous support makes our work possible: the Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Family Foundation, the Wisner Trust, and the Kinder-Morgan Foundation.
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Students
Sponsorships and Students Sponsorships are a great way for Recognized Student Organizations to raise money. It helps cover the costs of the program, while at the same time giving corporate and foundation partners the brand exposure they desire. Why wouldn’t a local tech startup want to offer some money for your hack-a-thon? Will that bookstore help cover the cost of bringing that awardwinning writer to campus? Or will the local oil & gas giant provide some spare change for your brilliant insights into bubble columns?
YOUR ROLE As students, you will be soliciting funding as an individual club or organization, not as an official representative of Tulane University. Make sure this distinction is clear in your communication with the potential funder. While our office is unable to provide services directly to student clubs and organizations, the information in this handbook can help you become a more effective fundraiser on your own. Work with your Recognized Student Organization Advisor. Your advisor should be a valuable resource in the planning process, and may be able to help make introductions. Ask for Help Start with Student Affairs to know what is and is not possible. Make sure they are aware of what you want to do, and they can help point you in the right direction and keep you from spinning your wheels. While help is available, keep in mind that no one is going to do the work for you—be prepared to put in the time required to land quality sponsorships. 17
Make a Plan You’ll need a clear idea of what you want to accomplish. Having a keen understanding of the Who, What, Where, When, How and Why will ensure you get the assistance you need to make it happen. The PLAN tab in this book is a good place to start. Know the Rules Understand the policies related to events, food/beverage, and your event location. Refer to the Recognized Student Organization Handbook for details on registering and hosting events. Be sure that your event details and location are confirmed before you begin publicity for your fundraising event. Other Sources of Funding Another way to raise money to support your project or organization is WaveStarter, Tulane’s crowdfunding platform. Recognized Student Organizations can apply to raise money on WaveStarter for projects and initiatives that support the vision, mission, and core values of the university. Learn more about crowdfunding, guidelines for project eligibility, and how to apply at wavestarter.tulane.edu. 18
Alumni
Sponsorships and Alumni Alumni volunteers make Tulane events and programs happen. The university literally could not do this without you. But we also don’t expect you to do all of the heavy lifting by yourself. This handbook is intended to familiarize you with the policies and process at Tulane for procuring corporate and foundation sponsorships—for everything from black tie galas and business model competitions to poetry readings and international patent law conferences. So you’re organizing something for the school, department or program that holds a special place in your heart. Maybe you sit on an advisory board for a dean or your child has asked for your help finding sponsors for the quidditch team. Maybe you’d like your class reunion year to throw a gala honoring a retiring professor who nudged you in the right direction all those years ago or perhaps you have an idea to grow some small competition or workshop into something bigger, bolder, and more audacious. Sponsorships are a great way to raise money to cover costs, while at the same time giving corporate and foundation partners the brand exposure they desire. Requests should be made by first accessing the proper channels at Tulane.
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A strategy may already be in place for any potential donor, and no one likes getting inundated with unsolicited requests. A variety of policies and protocols are in place to keep everyone on the same page and prevent potential missteps in reaching out to donors. Your staff member contact will coordinate with the Corporate and Foundation Relations office to support your efforts.
YOUR ROLE Here are some of the ways you can help: Create a Prospect List Your staff point person should be able to help pair who-you-know with what-someone-needs. Your staff point person is the same staff member you work with in your volunteer capacity—the faculty member, Alumni Relations professional, or other staff member who has asked for your help. If you have a well-placed contact at a business or foundation and that contact can help acquire a sponsorship, then please share that information with your staff point person so they can coordinate with our office. Be Specific When pursuing leads, Tulane will need to know more than just the name of the organization you consider a good candidate as a sponsor. Provide your staff point person with your contact’s correct name and title, your relationship to the person at the organization, and any other direct contact info, if available. Craft the Plan Work with your committee and staff point person to shape the story, brainstorm some benefits, and compose the cover letter. See the PLAN tab for more detail. Develop the Pitch Your insights can help shape the “ask.” Determine with your staff contact whether you, they, or someone in another position is the best person to make the sponsorship request. Offer to follow-up with your contacts after submission of the proposal to keep the process moving forward. Get Feedback If you have the chance to get candid information from your contacts about the sponsorship experience, then please share what you learn with your staff point person so it can be recorded for future reference. 20
CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION RELATIONS 1555 POYDRAS STREET, SUITE 1000 NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112 504.314.7283 · giving.tulane.edu/cfr