Understanding Corporations, Evaluating Your Assets, Packaging Your Assets, Researching Potential Partners, Managing Corporate Partners, & Evaluating the Partnership

1. BUILDING PROFITABLE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH
CORPORATE PARTNERS
Cecilia Martinez
Executive Director
The Reform Institute
cmartinez@reforminstitute.org
Center for Nonprofit Success Annual Meeting
May 19, 2009 * Washington DC

2. Corporate Sponsorship
 Financial arraignment between a corporation
and a non-for-profit used to:
 Generate visibility, publicity, & community rapport
 Co-brand with the non-profit or the topic/issue
 Connect with the non-profit’s
audience/demographic

3. Understanding Corporations:
What do Corporations Care About?
 Protecting their brand & image
 The bottom line
 Visibility
 Business development & expanding network
 Strategic partners & third-party advocacy
 Competitors

4. Understanding Corporations:
How do they Give?
 Budget timelines
 Most corporations submit next year’s budget by
October 1
 Budget options
 Various budgets for nonprofit gifts – Marketing, Public
Affairs, Special Projects, & Chairman’s budgets
 Champions within the Company
 Vice Presidents
 Legal Counsel – approves all gifts
 ―Triangulation‖ & peer-to-peer strategy
 Identify high-level people in your network that can call
the company’s CEO or Legal Counsel, after ―the ask‖
has been made

5. Evaluate Your Assets:
What Makes you Different?
 Mission & Vision
 Leadership – Board of Directors, advisors,
staff
 Network of Influentials
 Outreach capabilities
 Deliverables & Product
 Accomplishments
 Value in the community
 Audience /Customers / Clients / People
Served
 Competitors

6. Packaging Your Assets:
Website, Marketing Materials, & Proposals
 About the organization
 Mission & vision
 Leadership – Board, staff, advisors/consultants,
notable past leaders
 What makes you different
 Supportive quotes from ―customers‖ or donors
 Major accomplishments
 Short success stories
 Other financial supporters
 Favorable press clips & OpEds

7. Researching Potential Partners
 Develop & Maintain a Prospecting List
 Rank your prospects – 1-5
 Identify a prime contact in the company
 Identify a liaison from your organization with a
relationship to the company
 Include areas of interest to both your organization
& the company
 Keep track of communication and status

8. Researching Potential Partners
 Corporate Lobbying Expense Reports
 Donors to competing organizations
 Network with Lobbyists & Lawyers
 Attend conferences & events
 Set-up networking meetings with corporate rep
 Invite prospects to your events

9. Researching Potential Partners:
Resources
 Chronicle of Philanthropy
 Wall Street Journal – articles and
advertisements
 BusinessWeek – articles and advertisements
 Opensecrets.org &
lobbyingdisclosure.house.gov
 Trade publications
 Roll Call – articles and advertisements
 www.sponsorship.com
 Guidestar
 Foundation Center

10. Managing Corporate Partners:
Expectations & Communications
 Written Proposal – list expectations & deliverables
 Thank your partners appropriately
 website & promotional materials
 Establish communication system
 Monthly phone call
 Quarterly meetings
 Email updates
 Share your accomplishments – e-newsletter
 Make valuable introductions & assist with
networking

11. Managing Corporate Partners:
Stay Informed
 Stay informed of corporate news
 corporatepress releases
 Keep track of stock trends
 WSJ, FT, & other financial press
 Who else are they giving to
 Leverage the corporation’s clients &
competitors
 Establish relationships with the corporation’s
outside consultants & lobbyists

12. Evaluating the Partnership
 Visibility
 Printpress clips
 TV or radio mentions
 Logo signage
 Deliverables
 Participationin events or meetings
 Contributions to reports or publications
 Clients served
 Networking
 Valuable introductions

13. Cecilia Martinez
cimartin@juno.com
Executive  Nonprofit & Business Management —
Director, The budgets and finance, personnel and Board
Reform Institute
management, corporate & donor affairs,
media relations, government relations
Vice President, (state & federal), program and event
Guerin Inc.
management
 Fund-raising & Business Development—
foundations, individual donors, corporate
703.535.6897
gifts, and grant administration
 Communication and Writing—grant-
writing, business proposals, and direct mail
donor appeals
www.CeciliaMartinez.org