It takes the right amount of attitude and attitude to get things done. This is also applicable in trying to attain financial backing from donors. A number of essential skills are required, and one of these is the ability to ‘sell yourself’ to land a deal.
One way of ‘selling yourself’ or your idea is through writing. Before any face-to-face meeting is established in any deal-making, there is always the preliminary of formal and matter-of-fact introduction and purpose that needs to be done. Writing a successful letter is a very good way of getting noticed.
Getting financial backup or sponsorship by the ‘big time’ businesses is something that should not be unplanned. The skills needed in creating a winning sponsorship letter are not at all difficult, but needs an amount of thinking to be effective. Below are what to consider when writing a sponsorship letter, and will help create a positive response from the organization you have chosen.
Consider this.
You should have a variety of candidate sponsors in mind that you want backing up your event; but also consider the interest each sponsor has. Similar interests among all sponsors should be targeted. Carelessly choosing any organization to sponsor your event will most likely generate bad results.
Research is essential in choosing sponsors. Taking note of the cultures of sponsors in relevance to your business or event is important and proves helpful when addressing key issues when writing your letter.
Another important point to consider is what the company will get in return if they decide to sponsor. You should understand that sponsorship is basically give-and-take, and the appeal of gain for corporations is a key in getting them as sponsors. Money is not just thrown away by big companies so it is ideal to consider what form of exposure they will get.
Your letter’s format
In putting together your sponsorship letter, it is best to be direct to the point. No one wants to read a letter and have to guess the reason for reading it. A short pleasantry followed by the ‘asking’ part will give immediately point out what you want and eliminate any wading that will merely board the organization.
Below is a breakdown on how your letter should more or less be arranged.
First Paragraph – This part should be an introduction of your event or business and the amount of money you want donated. It is essential to keep this brief and not too much word of flattery or embellishment.
Second Paragraph – This part should be a more detailed account on the benefits of your event that you provide, such as non-profit programs and the like.
Third Paragraph – This area in your letter showcases a personals story form one of customers or clients, letting the potential sponsor see the impact you make on those who patronize your business and the kind of good it brings them.
Fourth Paragraph – In this paragraph you should state the levels of sponsorship and basically discuss what the corporation will get in turn if they decide to sponsor your event based on different financial amounts.
Fifth Paragraph – Don’t beg, but be clear on stating your need for assistance. Re-state your reason for writing, the amount you prefer to be given and how beneficial it would be to them, you and your customers.
Last Paragraph – As with most letters of request, always include a ‘thank you’ part in the last paragraph. Thank them for taking the time to evaluate and considering the letter. Also provide in this area the means for contacting you, and your intention of staying in touch by including a follow-up call.
It is plain to see that small business organizations outnumber that of big-time corporations. The span of small business ventures are is very wide and most often have few means of marketing due to financial constraints.
Whether the business is that of a pet shop, a small grocer, or a bookstore, there is still advertising involved. Believe it or not, the tool that can be included in such advertising is corporate sponsorship. It doesn’t necessarily mean that this kind of sponsorship is only made for big businesses – if that were the case, then sponsoring wouldn’t be overall effective.
It is essential to understand that capital is not the base consideration for exposure. There are many attainable opportunities in the market for small business ventures, and corporate sponsorship can prove to be a profitable investment for such.
Small business can benefit from corporate sponsorship; and below are just some of the gains that can be acquired.
What small businesses can benefit
Business visibility
As with all businesses, being known is the forefront of advertising’s use. If a business is highly visible is a steep climb, but finding means for positive visibility is even more difficult. Small businesses, due to its size, tend to become wallflowers as opposed to those big businesses and their flashy lights. With corporate sponsorship, positive visibility is easier achieved, giving a small business the opportunity to put them in the right kind of sight.
This is only possible when the right match of between a sponsor and a business is made. A small business should align itself with a sponsor that has similar culture and ethics. If the partnership is mismatched, however, the small business can suffer greatly. So it is very important as well to consider the market trends when looking out for the right kind of corporate sponsor.
Cost-efficient advertising
Advertising is usually a big bite out of spending that is made in business big and small. It is a downside but more so for small enterprises since their funds are not that vast. Corporate sponsorship is then the tool to help in alleviating such costly means of exposure.
Businesses that are small have a chance to be exposed little by little through corporate sponsorship. It is through this sponsoring that a business is given more options on advertising cost. An example of a good and inexpensive way of exposure is through conventions.
Corporations often sponsor conventions that give small business the opportunity to showcase their products and/or services. Bake fairs, often sponsored by big-named food brands, allows people to sell their baked goods and give them the publicity they need to be known.
High status attainment
Partnering with a big time company, however small a business is will eventually attain itself a VIP status. Aligning with an organization that attracts or has many patrons will catapult a small business into the big-time scene as well.
This analogy is akin to the thought that sticking with big names will allow others to remember you. This is most often true, and a business that affiliates itself with a productive sponsorship will experience such an effect.
Increase in profit
With popularity comes the gain that every business aims for. The more people know about a certain product or service, the more sales that business will generate. This is the reason why brand exposure is necessary – so that sales will be high.
Being sponsored by a corporation allows a small business has access and visibility to a vast number of potential consumers and clients, which will in turn increase profits. One thing to keep in mind also is that sponsorship will not only be the bases for sales increase, but also the quality of the product and/or service that is acquired by buyers.
Image improvement
In addition to having more exposure to the public and becoming more visible in the market, small business that are corporately sponsored also enhances their image. When a business is backed up by the right kind of sponsor, it only signifies that the product or service being sold is something to take a look at and is worthy of notice.
It is no great shock when one gets into another country through illegal means. Illegal aliens have been present ever since, and it has always been an aspect for immigration centres world-wide to keep a keen look-out for such.
There is always a desire or need for someone to live in a foreign land – be it a business or personal reason. A number of ways have been offered in allowing this, from working visas, student visas, to tourist visas. One way that is also been practiced over the years is through immigration sponsorship.
Immigration sponsorship is when one person who resides in the desired foreign land backs up the immigrant candidate. This is usually done within families, like a son or daughter petition or through marriage. Whichever way, this type of sponsorship is not something that lightly taken, but considered to be a heavy responsibility.
Immigration application
Immigration fraud entitles one to severe penalties and should not be attempted at all. Once there is proof of fraud, this eradicates any chance for the person involved to ever become an immigrant.
Since a number of people have the desire to live in the United States, the immigration process stated is based on the form I-129F, the immigration sponsorship form. This form is used when someone in the US wants to sponsor their fiancé who is foreign-born to migrate to America.
The following parts of the I-129F are discussed below.
Information on sponsor’s biography – This part has questions that should be answered correctly, since it deals with basic but important information such as name, birth date, place of birth, address of the sponsor. It also asks whether the sponsor acquired his/her US citizenship through naturalisation or birth, and inquires about any prior relationships that resulted in marriage and divorce or annulment. This inquiry is very important so that any anomalies may be settled and any suspicion on ‘convenient-marriage-for-citizenship’ may be put to rest.
Information of fiancé or sponsee – This part of the form is addressed to the sponsee, and potential immigrant. The questions asked is similar to that of the sponsor’s, only with added questions. These added questions include any prior US travels that the sponsee may have taken; and whether or not he/she is currently staying in America.
By sponsoring the fiancé, it is the sponsor’s responsibility to make sure all fields that require information on the immigration form be correctly filled.
Existing children – Another part of the I-129F is the inquiry on whether or not there are existing children for either party. The children may be between the sponsor and sponsee, or from a previous relationship by either party. Any minor child between sponsor and sponsee usually allows that child the chance to accompany the sponsee when moving to America.
Crucial information
Crucial information that is always carefully looked over is whether the sponsor or sponsee are really a couple and that they have met prior to sponsorship. It is of the utmost importance that the two parties have met because this can be a major ground for immigration dismissal.
It may seem that the reigns on immigration sponsorship are too tight, but they are strict for good reason. Immigration frauds through marriage have happened one too many times. These guidelines make sure that these illegal processes are not tolerated in any way.
Sports sponsorship can be observed and dated back to Rome and Ancient Greece where prominent society members supported the arts festival as well as the sports played. By support, it didn’t mean the proper sponsorship or patronage that was considered as a marketing tool. It rather meant continuation of such festivals and athletic events for entertainment.
Today, however, sponsorship through sports has become one of the most popular kinds of sponsorship due to the amount of exposure it can get for both sponsor and sponsee. Sponsoring an athlete or sport means that the sponsor is exchanging products or money for the right to link and associate the company name with the sporting event or athlete.
Why do organizations sponsor sports?
Aside from the popularity tag sports sponsorship gives, a number of other benefits also appeal to the company’s interest. Some of the most common benefits are given below:
Added value to brand
Companies that sponsor sports want their product or range of products to have added value when attached to a sports event or group. By value, this points to product quality, price and/or content. Companies use sports as a leverage to stand out among other competitors, and in turn create for themselves a top position where consumers can remember the name, and possibly have permanent brand recognition.
So what exactly do sports have that other types of sponsorships don’t necessarily offer? To view in terms of goals – sporting events have always had one definite output, and that is there is always a winner in the end. There is always competition; a test of which team or athlete will overcome the other, proving who is superior.
Gold medals, trophies, world records, global awareness are involved in sports and are the symbol of status of teams or athletes in a particular sport. Winners become popular enough to become household names, and this is what appeals to corporations who want to give out sponsorships. They want their name attached to that household name – which will in turn become a household name.
Major corporations such as Gatorade have applied this kind of sponsorship and come out as one of the most popular brands for beverage products. They attach themselves with major sporting events and give relevance by pointing out the benefit of the product to the athlete. This then sticks to the minds of consumers and sports enthusiast about which sports drink is the one to stick to.
Sports sponsorship does not only apply to major companies, but also to small businesses as well. The general idea of brand awareness is still applied and the only difference is the level or scale it covers.
All in all, organizations support sporting events with specific objectives, each of which is addressed below:
• Brand Awareness – this objective seeks to let consumers become aware of the product name.
• Brand Image – this objective attempts to create a specific style and/or personality that distinguishes a brand from its other competitors, and in turn may give premium pricing
• Consumer relations – corporations support sporting events to directly involve themselves with consumers and potential clients, proving that their company is capable of providing proper services and/or products
• Community relations – A more altruistic approach is for this objective wherein the company is concerned about the welfare of a community; and so supporting a sports event can make themselves know to the community
• Employee relations – this objective for a corporation is to promote employee loyalty that will in the long term be very beneficial to the business
Sponsorship can be applied in many avenues, from businesses big and small to helping out a community and even through supporting an animal. Animal sponsorship is not at all new these days, but is slowly gaining more notice that before. With all the talk and concern about our environment, it is no surprise that animal preservation is part of it.
Animal sponsorship can either be for those of domesticated or wild animals. All in all, the same concept on sponsorship is applied and that is helping the living conditions of the sponsee. Domesticated animals include pets, while those of the wild are most often found in zoos or wildlife sanctuaries.
The process in animal sponsorship is basically that same to that of child sponsorship. The only difference is that the sponsee cannot be monitored through the usual programs that are applied to human communities.
Sponsoring an animal still includes three parties – sponsor, organization, sponsee. The sponsor donates funds to the organization responsible for helping out animals, and in turn uses the funds for the well-being of the sponsee, which is either through medical or survival needs.
Benefits does not only apply to the animal
As with every partnership, the benefits of sponsorship have an impact on the sponsor and the involved organization as well. For the sponsors, the reward for saving a life is usually enough, and most often is the motivation in helping the animal in the first place.
In more of a broken-down reason, sponsors either sponsor pets or wild animals that they feel need help but which the sponsor cannot directly give. For pet sponsoring, a donor usually does this when he/she doesn’t have the time or means to take care of a pet. The desire is there but the resources for care are limited. Animal sponsorship is their alternative for situations such as these.
Wildlife preservation also works this way. Only specialists can take care of untamed animals, and help can only be provided by an outside through financial support. This way the organization that takes the sponsorship is equipped to hand out the ‘taking care’ part to those who are experts at it.
With most sponsorship, sponsors are usually recognized through giving out certificates that take not of the help they have given. Other organizations also have newsletters that inform the sponsor on any updates on the sponsee.
Moving on towards the organization, the benefits they acquire through animal sponsorship are also immense. The most important and aspired benefit is to build rapport with the public and spreading their ‘message’ to everyone.
When a sponsor advocates through a chosen organization, that organization gains exposure and will help in advertising itself to other potential donors that may be interested in promoting their cause. With more funds, there is bigger means for helping the animals and the quality is better ensured as with little funding.
Animal sponsorship also creates doors of opportunity for such institutions to ‘step up’ their game and provide a more intricate system in helping improve the quality of life for the animals involved. Using the funds for better equipment, tracking and medical care would become less important so the quality becomes more on the focus.
The potential for bigger funding is also made possible and ultimately results in a three-way return of investment for all parties.
Sponsorship, by nature, is a business affair; and as with anything that is in the arena of deals, partnerships and mergers, a legal agreement is always in the works. This is most especially practiced in sponsorship, since its form of business is through partnering with an individual or organization as a tactic for market exposure.
Protection is the key word when drawings up contracts are presented between sponsor and sponsee. This is to prevent any anomalies or set backs that may occur in the event that one party doesn’t reach the agreed upon aims.
To help in creating a legal agreement, below are guidelines and key points to consider when formulating a letter of agreement or contract between a sponsor and sponsee.
A guideline in agreement
It is important to always take a sufficient amount of time and very careful consideration when drafting a contract. This applies to all business ventures other than sponsorship a huge number of companies thrive in having partnerships. In any relationship, it is most important to think through such considerations in order to have something to ‘fall back’ on.
In sponsorship, a letter of agreement will usually be enough to seal the deal between sponsor and sponsee, but this will highly depend upon the value of sponsorship and the size of the company that is involved. If the value is very high, like that of major athletes and big time corporations, a contract is the choice most would go for.
In creating an agreement or contract, it is important to take into account the following points:
• It is best to always get a commitment in writing. A handshake or word-of-mouth agreement will never suffice.
• Write down everything that is discussed and agreed upon during sponsor-sponsee meetings
• It is good to take advice on that commitment that a sponsor or sponsee is getting into. There are consultants that specialize in these kinds of partnerships.
• An organization or individual should never commit to anything it/she/he cannot be sure to deliver. In short, promises that can’t be kept should not be made
• An agreement should be simple and direct in writing. It is best to avoid too much legal terms, although at times this cannot be done without.
The crucial point to understand when it comes to legal agreements is to have a very clear statement of what the sponsor and the sponsee has agreed to. Usually a lawyer will always point out any necessary areas in which have to clarified and put into more detail.
In order to get a view on what should be clearly stated and defined in any legal agreement or contract, the following list bellows breaks down what usually is considered between sponsor and sponsee partnerships:
• The nature of both sponsor and sponsee – whether the former is capable and relevant enough to support a person or organization; and whether the latter can live up to the needs of the sponsor in return
• Cash and benefits – this should be clearly defined as to what each party will be getting out of the partnership
• The actions involved for both sponsor and sponsee – this area should list down the roles of each party within the partnership.
• The length or contract term – The agreement or contract should also state how long such partnership between a sponsor and sponsee should last, and the terms of which a contract can be stopped or turn invalid
• Early exit – this part of the agreement is more of a ‘back up’ plan for each party, wherein if either fails to comply with its responsibilities and obligations, then there is a chance for the other party to exit gracefully.
With every successful, big time company, comes the responsibility of involving itself with community welfare and support. Whether it is through the advocacy of the environment or to the society, this responsibility showcases the company’s ability to connect and partner itself with its customers and patrons. Caltex is no exception to this.
The Caltex brand, under the Chevron Corporation, is a leader in commercial and global market of automotive diesel fuels, kerosene, industrial and marine diesel fuels, and fuel oils. Their operations cover regions of Asia-Pacific, Africa-Pakistan, Latin America, North America, and Europe – which is basically world-wide.
In ‘connecting’ with the public, Caltex has vision in promoting assistance to those who are less fortunate. Partnerships made with the company are dedicated to help those who are in need; and to assist the disadvantaged improve their lives by through helping them reach their full potential and achieve their goals.
As with all community involvement of corporations, Caltex also takes part in offering and dealing with sponsorships. Aside from its society reach-out reason, the company takes sponsorship as one of its key marketing ways in communicating with its various customers and patrons. It is through sponsoring that the company is able to associate itself with partners that have the same, if not similar, values and characteristics.
A deeper look
Caltex views sponsorship as a way of business since it involves the trading of products, services and/or money for commercial value, brand recognition, and company exposure. The company deems this marketing tool as one of its most effective ways to reach out and build valuable partnerships with various target consumers and clients.
Usually, the type of sponsorship Caltex gives out is for those who reflect the brand’s value, which is all about renewing one’s drive momentum. This is in relation with their tagline ‘What drives you’; and seeks for sponsorship proposals that exude such kind of excellence and motivation.
In typical fashion, sponsorships in the past have been associated with sports that involve speed, focus, and concentration – all of which are key elements in winning. Some sponsorship that Caltex has done in the past include: Caltex Masters Golf Tournament in Singapore, Caltex Voet Van Africa Marathon, Caltex V8 Car Championships in New Zealand, and Caltex Delo Customer Car Show in the Philippines.
Sponsorship guidelines
In choosing viable events to sponsor, Caltex uses various criteria to evaluate proposals that are submitted to them. In a minimum sense, the proposal that the company seeks out are which have the following:
• A reflection of Caltex’s brand image – these include the best in Performance, People, Partnership
• The event should be able to maximize the presence and exposure of Caltex. This can be achieved through on-site branding, use of internet, and media coverage
• Media presence should be involved which means that the event is able to generate free publicity because it presents itself as a unique, popular, innovative event.
• The type of sponsorship requested is sole sponsorship, or any type which signifies the highest level of sponsorship
• The organization giving out the proposal has a good track record in terms of viewer-ship and attendance; and has a large base of loyal followers
• There is a ‘standing out’ effect in the event which topples over competitors and has Caltex as the dominant brand of the bunch.
Charities, non-profit organizations, and independent organizations are always in need of funding. Donations given to such institutions are often a large source of their income for operations and causes. There are generally two ways to receive donations – one is through philanthropic means; the other through business partnership or sponsorship.
One versus the other
Philanthropy is generally seen as the first means of giving when it comes to charitable foundations; sponsorship on the other hand, usually comes as an alternative. Although giving is generally thought as the much preferred method of funding; it may come as a surprise to know that sponsorship for non-profit institutions is a more rewarding and productive means of support for both parties.
Corporations typically have two main business reasons for sponsorship; and these are tax savings and public relations. Although any form of help or support generates an overall positive effect, it is mainly through these two reasons why sponsorship is pushed on by businesses.
In terms of satisfying both parties – sponsors get the chance to associate themselves with a charitable institutions and create a chance for them to acquire tax breaks, and at the same time expose their company name to the public. Sponsees, in this case the non-profit organization, are able to increase the level of support given by their current sponsors; and at the same time open new ways in gaining capital.
With philanthropy, the means of exposure and recognition is fairly low in percentage. Usually recognition is through annual reports that generate a little fanfare. Sponsorship, however, gives itself an amount of exposure that highlights a new partnership for the public to see. Through this publicity, the aim for awareness is reached by both sponsor and sponsee.
Some examples where sponsorship thrives in donations and public awareness are the following: A bookstore may donate books to an orphanage and at the same time let the public know about the store to gain customers. A clothing company sponsors specially designed t-shirts for volunteers to wear when there is a charitable event; and through wearing the t-shirt, the company not only helps in donating, but also makes the public aware of their brand.
Sponsorship for charities is basically seen as a win-win partnership. One helps the other through different gains and results. It is also through sponsoring, that charitable institutions have a lighter load on figuring out the means for which to get resources. For example, when an event is sponsored by a corporation, the charity wouldn’t have to worry how to provide the food and drinks needed since it would be covered by the sponsor’s funding.
By supporting through the use of sponsoring, a business uses their budget for advertising and marketing, leaving their funds for philanthropy (if there is ever) alone and untouched. Through using such a budget, the business is able to use the costs as tax-deductibles from their expenses. This way, sponsorship helps in letting the business be cost-efficient.
It should not be seen, however, that philanthropy is a less useful means for support. Donations and funding of this nature is often praised and well-advocated by the public. It is only shown that sponsorship has a more business-side in handling contributions and help to other organizations - where they see it fit to practice a give-and-take method; and see it best to have profit-producing ventures.
Just as sponsorship is basely defined as a marketing tool for organizational or individual support; so is ‘child sponsorship’ denoted as a means to aid a young individual, usually through financial and/or educational sustenance.
The children who need assistance are usually from ‘developing countries’ which, as most often is, lack the proper resources to sustain proper living. Some of the top countries that benefit from child sponsorship include Africa, India, Afghanistan, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
It is not, however, only the developing countries that receive child sponsorship, but also those of develop ones. Even powerhouses such as the United States have children support organizations that help out the young through means of donation. This denotes the diversity and span in which sponsoring children and young adults are applied.
Saving Lives
There are basically two ways in sponsoring the young – either through individual or organizational means. As individuals, this is directly giving out help to those who are in need of it. As organizations, there are specific institutions that act as the ‘bridge’ for sponsors and child sponsees, where they find the best possible candidates for support and most efficiently utilize the ‘help’ donated by sponsors.
But how does this sponsorship save lives? The number of ways in which this kind of support assists in the improvement of living and prevents loss of life is beyond counting. In developing countries, areas that have been witness of war, economic ruin, political turmoil, natural disasters, and oppression (most often girls and women) – the donations that are given address these issues and focused on the improvement of a child’s life.
In more specific ways, individuals and organizations work with the family of the child and other community members to develop the ability of that community to ‘take care’ of itself. The child that is given assistance benefits from programs that enable him/her to attend and succeed at school, provide needed medical care and orientation in hygienic living.
Child sponsorship not only helps the children, but their family as well. Families are given the knowledge on how to improve their lives by economic programs that provide parent trainings which teach them how to properly support themselves and their children. These programs are most often through proper child sponsorship organizations. Some organizations that practice these applications of programs are Save the Children, UNICEF, and Food for the Hungry.
The Sponsor’s Role as Hero
Of course when one helps another, it is always a two-way effect. The one helped and the helper, although in different manners, are affected. Sponsors have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children by giving out support.
A very important point to understand that the assistance given, whether financial or otherwise, is not only a physical act on economical or community improvement. In its core, child sponsorship is giving hope to those who need it. It is letting the community and the children involved know that they have a chance in living a good life. This point is essentially the most important gift that sponsors (most often unconsciously) give.
As the chain reaction of giving leads to saving lives, sponsors become heroes in the sense that they have helped. Their assistance, however meagre, provided the chance for life improvement by allowing the children and communities involved the access to opportunities they’ve never had.
One integral part of creating the right kind of exposure for your business is through the use of media. Through radio, television and the like – product and/or brand circulation becomes widespread and typically popular.
This use of media as a medium for brand dissemination is called media sponsorship. The challenge of setting up and publicizing an event are what marketers always face. With limited budgets, the reality of buying airtime exhausts the resources of an organization, most especially to those of which have small businesses.
It is through media sponsorship that an organization gains the opportunity to get their event aired through media forms. This kind of support allows for stretching a marketing budget, print placement and more commercial airing coverage. Most often, media sponsorship is applied through the following – radio, print, television, and outdoor advertising.
How to land a media sponsorship
In order to get a media sponsorship, several measures have to be considered before reaping the benefits of exposure through media. First, there is a need to find out who are the eligible media partners one can work with. When choosing a partner, it is essential to look for an outlet that has a similar target audience as the business.
If the business is locally established, the best candidates for media sponsorship would be through local radio and television stations. Finding a common ground with sponsor prospects is beneficial in that it would align with a company’s vision and business interest.
It also serves to be cautious with the type of media sponsorship an event may have. Questions to ask in evaluating a sponsor are typically the same with that of corporate sponsorship. These questions may include the type of exposure that will be given; whether or not the publicity will result with a positive or negative feedback; and the like.
As with every lookout for sponsorship, a proposal is needed to be developed and passed to a potential media sponsor. It is with the sponsorship proposal that a donor will look and decide whether or not a business and/or its event is ‘worthy’ of a sponsorship.
Lining a business or event up with a media sponsor is considered as a powerful way to attract attendees, volunteers, and/or donations. In order to stand out, the time it takes to build a good proposal may be extensive, but in the long run, will also prove to be most beneficial.
It is also important to tickle a media sponsor’s fancy in order for them to sponsor an event. The reason for such is that media is everywhere, and every opportunity that can involve the media’s participation, will almost always be sponsored.
Media sponsorship’s goal
One has to also note that media will use sponsorship as their own gain. One reason is because participation in event leads others to see the media as fully-informed, and earns a good image reputation in the community.
Another note is that the media considers any publicity as good publicity. Since they are the leaders in television and radio - the opportunity to spread products of the media is made possible.
As with advantages to the sponsee, media sponsorship helps save money for the sponsee since advertising will be taken care of through radio, television and/or print. This will also give the sponsee more credibility since it is sponsored with a ‘public’ organization in which people will come to associate one with the other.
Let’s say you’re a budding athlete, with top ranking and stats as a tennis player. You have what it takes to become a world-class sports player in your field but have limited amount in terms of funds. The answer, as most would suggest, is to get a corporate sponsorship.
As sports are one of the major kinds of areas that corporations use as a market for brand exposure, you’d think that sponsorship would be a cinch. The case is that its not. Obtaining a corporate sponsorship is not as easy as 1, 2, and 3. Reaching your dreams as a world-class tennis player, aside from the skill and talent, also needs a little tinkering in ‘selling yourself’.
Get noticed
How exactly can you put your skills and talents ‘out there’ in the market for potential sponsors? Below are the ways:
The right kind of resume
As with every type of job, building a resume is an important part in getting employers to notice you. This is the same with corporate sponsors and the type of athlete they are looking for. The amount of hard work, training, way of playing will be the pinnacle points that sponsors will look for. The ‘package’ in which you come in is very important and the only way to be considered is that if your ‘accomplishments’ are worthy of review and consideration.
Depend on yourself to do your ‘advertising’
Nothing comes easy, and this includes wanting a sponsorship. You have to earn what you want, and having to be your own agent is a crucial step. Depending on someone else to do your ‘contacting’ will not result in the way you want to be exposed and seen.
Get in touch with companies; write sponsorship letters; invite them to see you play – those are what you should do to get their attention. When a company sees the dedication and amount of perseverance one takes in wanting a sponsorship, it won’t be long before they offer it you themselves.
It is in this area that you will learn how to face rejection and deal with issues that address your ability as an athlete. Don’t forget to always be positive in all dealings. Starting out is always the hard part, and once this obstacle is overcome, everything else will be a breeze at doing.
Act as your ambassador
Let’s say you’ve landed a small sponsorship and received a small amount of support. This is good as that sponsorship often starts small. It is important to remember that ‘keeping an A is harder than earning an A’ – which also applies to sponsorship.
Always keep in touch with your sponsor, letting them in on updates regarding your training and athletic status is very good. Through this practice, doors of bigger sponsorship opportunities will open because the closer you bring yourself to your sponsors, the bigger the chance for more lucrative support.
Always challenge yourself
It is not only through contact and appeal that makes sponsor continue and offer support and backup. It is also through your performance as an athlete that ultimately will bring in the ‘big bucks’. Always upping your game to become better and eventually number one is an important aspect in all sponsorships.
The need to be on top, and the need to be ambitious gears one into availing all the support since sponsoring someone with that kind of attitude, talent and skills is a perfect equation of give-and-take between sponsors and sponsees.
You own a business and a chance of getting sponsored falls into your lap. You think it’s an opportunity of a life-time, it’s not everyday some other organization wants to sponsor your venture. Of course, as with all chances such as this, the excitement of landing a seemingly good deal takes over.
But before you actually take on the offer of sponsorship, there is a need for proper evaluation on your part. Through this practice, you are taking a look at the aspects of the offer and the arrangement of agreement that is prepared for your business. Do not be drawn immediately by the publicity your business will receive, for all sponsorships include an amount of exposure.
It is best to choose carefully when being offered a sponsorship. Elements of relevance and compatibility are very important for your business’s image and market longevity. To give the proper evaluation, below are questions to ask.
Questions that need to be asked
Will this add more customers/clients/buyers?
Adding customers means increasing sales. The name that sponsors you has no bearing whatsoever if the result it yields neither brings or adds customers to your doorstep. It would be a total waste of time, money and effort on both parties if this happens.
Considering the target market that the sponsor also targets should be an insight into the type of customers should also be compatible with your business. If this is mismatched, it’s better to pass on the offer.
Am I the only business being sponsored by this company?
Big time organizations sponsor many events that house different businesses. Having your business sponsored by such companies mean that you will be showcased with other sponsored businesses. By this, association with the other businesses is created. Decide whether or not you want your business to be attached to other sponsees; and see if this will prove to be beneficial or otherwise.
What kind and how much publicity will I get?
Good and great exposure to the public is what all want to obtain. This is also the ‘sales pitch’ of sponsor offers – a big amount of publicity. As will all sales pitches, it is important to research if this is true and the investment you decide to make will reap benefits. Simply put, getting your money’s worth and equal levels of give-and-take between sponsor and sponsee are what you’re aiming at.
What is in the ‘fine print’ of the offer?
Don’t go on jumping in with just a handshake and word of promise. A detailed and lengthy contract is the best way to protect your business when the need arises. It is better to prevent something bad happening than finding a way to resolve it.
With contracts and written arrangements, be sure to look over every aspect and fine print. It is usually in the detail that loopholes may be fixed and that anomalies eliminated for both parties. The target is a win-win situation, and through contract evaluation this is possible. Balance is what should be attained.
What other companies have similar arrangements as this?
Before signing on with the offer of sponsorship, added research on organizations with the same interests is a good practice. This gives your business an opportunity to compare the offers and see whether you are doing what is best for your venture.
In the fast changing times, where one day you’re ahead of your business, and the next you’re struggling to make ends meet, the key to knowing how to stay on top of things is of the utmost importance. You’ve heard of partnerships, mergers, business benefactors and the like, but do you really know what they are, and which will be a good add-on to your business?
Having know-how on things will always be to your advantage. Getting on top will require ample amount of information and use of tools that are essential to product/service circulation. One marketing tool that has been around for a long time, but only recognized just recently over the years is corporate sponsorship.
A Tool for Endorsement
Endorsements are a type of support that is considered to be a very powerful way to get ahead of the business world, and one of the best way to utilize this support is through corporate sponsorship. This form of sponsorship is a two-way relationship between two business institutions where the schema has one who gives money (financial backing), and the other advertises the name.
Whether in a large or small-scale dealing, corporate sponsorship helps business names and their particular product or service to be exposed. Good examples are the advertising of sports labels through endorsing athletes to use the label’s products.
Brands such Nike, Adidas, and Fila partner with either a star athlete or team, giving them products to use which will in turn expose the brand name to the public when commercials are aired or when there are games broadcasted on television and the internet.
The role of corporate sponsorships in events
Typically, most corporate sponsorships are tied to a specific event. These events are diverse and may include trade shows, marathons, basketball games, academic competitions, tournaments, etc.; and all of which offer big opportunities for corporate sponsoring.
Corporate sponsoring does not only include financial or product backing on the sponsee, but entails a few other things that should be considered. One is the relevance of the sponsor and sponsee – whether or not a potential partnership is good for both parties.
A potential sponsor should have a corporate culture that is like that of the event. Mismatching events with sponsors will only confuse the public and often not a good image result between either of the two parties. For example, you can’t have an Animal Welfare organization support an event that promotes the use of fur. To do that would be contradicting, financially wasteful, and overall a ‘suicide’ on both the organization and the event.
Going for corporate sponsorship
Most business organizations consider and apply corporate sponsorship due to sole fact that it exposes their business name and purpose. This exposure is considered to be far reaching compared to other forms of advertising and the percentage of cost is usually smaller to those of other tool use.
When a sponsor and sponsee are the right match and deal under the right circumstances, the overall result will always benefit both parties. Both will be given good exposure, and the name that is advertised will be broadcast far and wide in every aspect.
Having corporate sponsorship also emphasizes that a certain individual or organization is serious in its dealings and is committed to its chosen field. The fact that a business went for sponsorship makes it know that it wants to excel and be known to the public so that it can propagate in the best way possible.
There isn’t a great issue over which fairs better between sponsorship and advertising. Both are marketing tools that strategically apply to different situation. There are however usual times when a business is faced with choosing between both tools. These times usually are a point of exposure as to which tool can give more and help increase a brand’s visibility. This arena is where sponsorship takes over.
What sponsorship accomplishes better than advertising is in the establishment of qualitative attributes. These attributes include brand image towards consumers, generating awareness, and consumer’s choice of such brand. On these attributes, sponsorship has more lead on enhancing them, which advertising falls short of.
Sponsorship’s winning features
With sponsorship, as compared to advertising, the following feature it builds includes the following:
• credibility – refers to the integrity that sponsorship builds
• exclusivity – the form of differentiation that sets clients into high status
• image enhancement
• relevance to lifestyle
• prestige that it offers
There are other points that make sponsorship a winner; and these are also quantitative benefits that are not available through advertising. The first of which is having a live audience for product and brand circulation. Sponsorship provides opportunities for on-site sales and sampling, customer feedback, surveying, sales-force interaction and product testing – all of which involve the participation of an audience. Through live product presentations, the exposure is greater and the promotion of brand and product names is at a rapid pace.
When we compare sponsorship and advertising, one mode to look into is how interaction is done. With advertising, interaction is one-way and generally a monologue. On the other hand, sponsorship is more like a dialogue where the opportunity of a company to have live exchange with its target customers is highly practiced.
As with interaction, product sampling is another plus to sponsorship. Events that are sponsored allow people to have on site trials on products. This way, awareness of a certain brand name or service is heightened. Examples on-site trials include food sampling, test driving, official clothes worn in the event, etc.
With sponsorship, an organization’s name becomes associated into a sponsored event’s actions unlike that of advertising. This means that sponsorship is able to surpass the medium of media and place itself in the environment where everyone can see it, For example, when sponsorship is incorporated in movies; the audience has no escape in seeing the brand or logo being promoted because it is part of the film. They can’t just eliminate a scene like changing a channel on TV; they have to sit through the film and take in everything that comes with it.
Lastly, sponsorship provides entertainment to its client. How? This is done through the events that are sponsored. When the word ‘event’ comes to mind, it is always a happening that does not come everyday. It is a break from the everyday routine that clients have. With advertising, nothing is disrupted from normal life. Everyone is accustomed to see bill boards, ad placements and commercials.
With sponsored events, the setting is different and the aim is to provide an avenue for people to interact with the business through a social activity. Events also make great places to have informal sales and networking; and with the chosen venue, which is most often a hospitable one, the event becomes desirable and unique to lounge in.
When the term ‘sponsorship’ is used, what comes to mind is typically a business relationship and representation between a sponsor and a chosen event or business. This is a common conception associated with business and marketing terms since it’s used as a popular promotional tool.
Sponsorship, however, should be understood as a widespread concept; where the root meaning of ‘support’ and ‘help’ is the core of it. This type of sponsorship is found in discrete and protective programs - one of which includes the support of recovering alcoholics.
Yes, even victims of destructive addictions need sponsors. This form of support is not the same as with marketing where ‘exposure’ is the goal. The aim for sponsoring alcoholics is to provide the necessary means for recovery and a return to normal life.
AA – Alcoholics Anonymous
A widespread organization, where the term sponsor and sponsorship is practiced, is Alcoholics Anonymous or simply AA. AA is a meeting society that is informal in nature, with the goal of helping alcoholics achieve sobriety. A twelve-step program devised early on is used as the guidelines for which recovering alcoholics follow.
Historically, AA began with practicing sponsorship. This sponsorship entailed an alcoholic sharing his experience, hope and strength with a fellow alcoholic. This was overtime formalized and developed as a great tool in achieving permanent sobriety among alcoholics.
Each member of AA is eligible in becoming a sponsor. As a sponsor, they are given an opportunity to help other new members who wish to ‘sober up’. This type of sponsorship is in no way financially-based; rather it is regarded as a type of personal support-system in recovery.
Sponsors are regarded as a teacher, friend, tutor, older brother or sister, and experienced guide to the sponsees. Basically, a sponsor in the AA program is someone who has also gone through the twelve-step recovery guide. This way, a sponsee is able to relate with his/her sponsor by leading them through a mutual sharing of experiences and stories.
What to look for in a sponsor
For a recovering alcoholic, matching up with a sponsor is like choosing a best friend. Sponsees are given free reign on deciding who their sponsor should be, and this is often a good process for them. Looking for the best sponsor, however, is not as easy as it seems. The qualifications may differ from each available sponsor, leaving sponsees sometimes confused.
A solution to choosing sponsors is through temporary sponsors. This member type provides an easier transition for a sponsee before he/she finds the right sponsor – this is done by providing the necessary information every recovering alcoholic should know. Temporary sponsors also serve as a temporary guide in answering any clarifications or questions a sponsee may have regarding his or her situation and progress as an AA member.
As a suggestive guide, the factors to look for when deciding on a sponsor are the following:
• The potential sponsor should be able to relate with the sponsee
• He/she has had more time in recovery than the sponsee
• He/she is available for personal meetings, phone conversations and group discussions
• Lives by the guidelines of the twelve-step program
• Can be a friend and also a firm guide to the sponsee
• Can emphasize the spiritual aspects of the program
• He/she can ‘walk the talk’ in all affairs
Commercialism is everywhere. We see it in the streets we walk on, the malls we shop in, the music we listen to, and even the movies we watch. Companies have taken every opportunity and chance to stick their name everywhere for people to notice.
Sponsorship is no stranger when it comes to sticking brands and company names for the right kind of exposure. As a tool for marketing, this has been most profitable and cost-effective, leading other businesses to follow suit.
It’s only normal for sponsorship to reach the arts industry, particularly the movie industry. With all the hype of technological advancements in movie production such as CGI effects and animation, its no wonder corporations have taken a slice to expose their name.
Over the last decade, movie patrons have been seeing corporate brand names in the films they watch. One very good example is Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson’s futuristic take on ‘The Island’. This movie, although not garnered as a box-office wonder, had numerous corporate logos in every scene – with Microsoft as the leading sponsor.
With all that, the question then raised is whether corporate sponsorship is a blessing or curse for the movie industry.
Positive and negative aspects
Corporate sponsorship helps the funding of big-budgeted movies, and the financial constraints are lessened when producing the film. This gives more time for the production team to focus on the quality of the movie, and in turn decrease the ‘headache’ of budgeting the expenses the production has.
With better focus on developing the movie – its story line, scenery, and character profiles – the outcome of the film has a bigger chance of getting positive critique. It will allow movie goers to evaluate the movie as something the production team really took time to do, and did not compromise in making.
With corporate sponsorship and the amount of funding it gives as support, film productions have a bigger opportunity to create the exact type of ‘feel’ they want their movies to be without having to worry on the amount of money that needs to be considered. Sponsorship takes the mind off on ‘getting money’ and presents realism in the movie by allowing the production to uses brands that people have seen and also used.
More money means better funding and better choices. With sponsorship, production crews can get the best of what money can afford them – from equipment to actors to sets. All these result into a feature that is marketable and the gains are most often profitable.
The downside of all this, however, is the detachment a movie may present to its viewers. A movie’s aim is to present a film that can let others relate to it or understand whatever issues are presented. With corporate sponsorship, viewers may feel that they are just watching a very long commercial. The brand exposure that may be pasted in every scene can be distracting and lose whatever essence the film wants to convey.
The type of movie that uses corporate sponsorship is those with graphic animations. A large amount of money is required to develop such productions. The outcome of the film may turn out to be just a display of animation and graphics, leaving out the real plot of the story, making the film less appealing and fake. It would then feel that instead of supporting a film, sponsorship actually demeans it.
Sponsorship that gears towards the improvement of children’s lives has been one of the forefronts to improve the living of those situated in poverty-stricken, third-world countries. The number of charities that advocate children has been growing year by year, encouraging others to lend a hand in child sponsorship, and in turn save lives.
The ability for sponsors or donors to lend a hand to children who are in need has been considered to be a fountain of good, spurting out health, hope, confidence, and friendship between the two parties. Usually in financial form, this amount however small, creates a huge impact on the life of a child and his/her community.
The dispute over child sponsorship
With all the positive feedback garnered by child sponsorship, there is still an amount of criticism attached to it. The discussion on whether this form of support is the best way to improve children’s lives has been prompted over time. One point that is widely considered as a pinnacle of such dispute is the lack of general policies for charities and organizations that give out such help.
The lack of standardization among these institutions has raised questions about proper dissemination of financial support among the sponsees; and has also come across talks on corruption. The arguments involved in sponsoring children don’t only focus on the ‘money’ but also the welfare and form of impact that is put upon the child.
Below is a peek into some common ‘pro’ and ‘con’ statements raised when dealing with child sponsorship.
The good and the bad
A brief look into the process of child sponsorship usually involves three entities – a willing sponsor, a charity chosen by the sponsor/donor, a sponsee or a candidate in need of sponsorship. The sponsor/donor gives a regular donation, whether financial or otherwise, to help the sponsee. This donation is bridged by the chosen charity and is utilized based on the charity’s vision and mission practice.
As a form of sponsor/sponsee relationship, communication between the two is commonly through reports given by the charity, and the occasional letters and cards that a child may write for the sponsor. This process more or less covers how charity involvement helps in child sponsorship.
Pros
One of the ‘good’ that this form of support gives is that a great way to spend money is on helping others improve their living conditions and create a better quality of life for them.
Next is that the help that is bestowed on the sponsees creates a wonderful impact upon them. This impact is usually in the form of security, opportunity and hope; and that this way of experience for the children is manifested through programs that are educational, hygienic, medical, and/or spiritual in nature.
Depending on the scheme of a charitable institution, there is focus among the chosen sponsees of the charity. The ripple effect that happens when child sponsorship is done also creates a better community where the sponsee lives. Charities have a way of including the environment to create an overall improvement in the lives of the sponsees.
Improvement also spans through cultural sharing, wherein the relationship formed by sponsor-charity, charity-sponsee, and sponsor-sponsee allows an avenue for all parties to be culturally aware resulting in understanding and tolerance between each other.
The observed progress of sponsored children is also a motive for organizations that do such to be given more exposure and in turn help make others aware of the help they can give. This way, more funding is possible and in turn more children are given better lives.
Cons
In correspondence to the pro points given, there is also a concern for it. First, critics believe that sponsoring a child is too costly. By costly, they mean that the a big percentage of donations are not used on children’s programs but rather on the administration’s system of progress tracking such as translation reports, salaries for non-volunteers, etc. In addition, the issue on harbouring money for the charity’s personal use also raises a red flag.
Sponsorship is also deemed as a tool for dependency, where the family and the child will be too reliant on their sponsor. Relying too much may result in lesser efforts on the sponsee’s part on escaping poverty, and leave it instead unto the charity’s hands.
Another concern is that when there is an amount of focus given by an institution towards a child, it may create isolation between the child and his/here community. The reason for such is that other community members may feel left out and unworthy of improvement - and may result in jealous quarrels and bouts.
Throughout the years, marketing strategies have evolved to suit the needs of both companies and targeted consumers. In the advent of technological advancements, so have the tools for promotion followed to adapt such changes.
Sponsorship is no exception when it comes to progressive changes in marketing. From the simplest giving out of financial support to digital and web advertising, the use of sponsorship as a marketing tool has spanned through the changing times.
A history of sponsorship is presented below, based on eras of different applications of marketing and advertising tactics.
Eras of sponsorship styles
Arts Patronage in 1600
The earliest form of sponsorship was seen in the support given to actors in the 1600s wherein the arts, particularly the theatre, were the avenue for sponsorship. During this era, to be sponsored meant that the upper crust of society maintained the funding of the plays.
This is very prominent in the European places, where the aristocratic society, such as the Queen, favoured chosen plays and offered their approval as support. Such support gave a ‘go signal’ for other people to patronize the play and further help theatre groups through funding the writers involved and the needed props that were to be used in the acts.
The beginning of advertising in 1631
Within the same decade, advertising through sponsorship had begun. The main benefit that sponsorship offered was exposure to the public. This benefit helped form the basis of exposing services and/or products in modern-day advertising.
It was through newspaper sponsorship in 1631 that classified advertisements were run by a French company. This company sponsored the ads in their newspaper to disseminate throughout the community the products/services of a particular organization.
The early pioneers of 1910 through 1970
In 1924, the first sponsored radio program – The Eveready Hours – was created. This paved the way for today’s television and radio show sponsorships that overall make use of media to circulate products/services to the public.
Other important points within 1910-1970 that are relevantly important to today’s sponsorship practices are the following: The first industries that foreran sponsorship were sports including golf, motor sports, and tennis. The popular brands Bosch and Firestone started sponsorship Indianapolis 500, a racing event.
Development era 1970-1984
Corporate sponsorship began during this era; and unlike its positive acceptance in modern-day, it was not immediately accepted by the event managers then. Corporations started patronizing the forerunners of sponsorship – golf, tennis, and motor sports.
It was during these years that sponsorship meant exposure of the sponsor in television. These broadcasts were often free and thus fully appealed to sponsors; and aside from that, it was also an opportunity for corporate heads to spend time with famous sports players.
Sponsorship continues to rapidly grow in 1983
The explosion of sponsorship happened during this time where a man named Peter Ueberroth paved the way by selling sponsorship for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles that came up to more than 400 million dollars in worth. This single event, coupled along with difficulty of having the government give out proper funding and support, led to the use of sponsorship marketing.
It was during 1983 that a number of companies had an increase of sales in sponsoring, and further influenced a new acceptance of corporate sponsorship in event managers and handlers.
1990s
Further development of sponsorship strategies were continuously focused on by companies during the 90’s. With its popularity among businesses, the need for sophistication in sponsor/sponsee relationships was given importance.
Things like measured sales, business to business opportunities, incentive activation and distributions, became part of sponsorship. These, added with sponsor-sponsee relevance, were vital points of consideration.
2000 to present
It is in these years in sponsorship timeline and still continuing that the technological age’s impact on society has been great. This includes marketing strategies and the form of sponsorship individuals and organizations offer in this digital age. Through the Internet, companies can market for proper sponsees and in turn the sponsees can look for the exact kind of sponsorship they need.
The company you work for is planning to have a major event, and you’re in the marketing group, assigned with the specific tasks of finding suitable sponsors for your event. It seems like a cinch – find potential sponsors; call them up; give a sales pitch; and you’re done. Problem is… each company you called asked you for a sponsorship proposal. You sit there, brainstorming on a plan but have no idea how it should look like.
The good thing about this is that you’re not alone. A number of people and organizations may have heard of sponsorship but never thought of the process involved in acquiring a sponsor. The reason for such is that sponsorship – although now being adapted by numerous companies – has no specific document specification.
The good thing is that like every other proposal plan, a similar format can be used in proposing sponsorships. There is no perfect proposal layout, but the format below targets the two main targets that every sponsorship proposal should aim at – avoiding rejection and securing a meeting with potential sponsors.
What your sponsorship proposal should have
Before writing your proposal plan, key points such as the type and number of sponsors should be established. These points are important considerations since they will be part of your ‘physical pitch’ in order to lure your potential sponsors
Executive Summary
The executive summary should be located at the beginning of the sponsorship proposal. This will provide your target sponsor a brief but informative description about the event your organization will be holding. The opportunities, benefits and gains should be included as well as the deadline for the sponsor’s decision and their investment. Keep this summary simple and easy to understand.
Introduction
Like every introduction, provide the necessary information your sponsor/s would want to know. This includes details about your organization and the upcoming event. Basically provide a background that will let the sponsor know the nature of the organization; the reason for holding a major event; any relevant and important that help in garnering a positive response from sponsor prospects.
Event/Affair Description
In the introduction, though the event is mentioned, it is not broken down detail by detail. It is rather in this section of your sponsorship proposal that you give a comprehensive insight to every detail the upcoming event has. Such points may include the day, date and time; the venue of the event; target market or patrons; what should be achieved in the event and the reason behind each.
Any information about similar and/or past events that the organization has had can be included. This provides the sponsor prospects to see the pattern of how the events went and if it would be ideal for them to support it.
Sponsorship Investment
Simply put, this area of the proposal is a break down of what you want your sponsor to support. This is your organization’s request for the sponsor’s resources which may be their service, cash, prizes, product/s, promotions/advertising, or expertise. It is vital to include a price in this part.
Taking account of the actual and realistic costs will give the sponsor the idea that your organization is ready to make such a commitment. Also make sure that the benefits you propose to offer the sponsor prospect/s corresponds to the amount or level of support your organization is asking from them.
Sponsor Gains/Benefits
This part of the sponsorship plan should be an outline of all benefits and opportunities that the sponsor/s will gain from supporting the event. Benefits specified should involve tangible and intangible gains.
Quantifying the benefits is also encouraged to give the sponsor/s a bracket of measurement that they can refer to when considering their decision.
Sponsor Decision Deadline
Usually, a proposal for sponsorship should not exceed two weeks. A deadline with a mean amount of ten days lets the sponsor prospect/s see that your organization is willing to wait a span of time that is reasonable for sponsor consideration. At the same time, it is also a message that sends out a time constraint so that the prospects can give it the proper attention.
This area should be clearly stated so that a timeline can be established. Also so that other scheduled activities, such as setting up a meeting and further presentation, can be followed through on time.
Appendice/Reference
As with every proposal, this part should be a page of reference or sources that were used in stating facts and statistics that support the proposal. This area also includes relevant tables, charts, budget lists, background sources and the like that should help in the enhancement of the sponsorship proposal.