Donations and Sponsorship

Sometimes community minded businesses or organisations will help you with your project through offering donations or sponsorship.

Donations are a gift or contribution to your initiative. Donations may include cash or in-kind support. In-kind support refers to goods or services provided to you for free, where you would usually have to pay for them. For example, a venue may offer you use of their space for the duration of your project in kind. In exchange, it is good practice to recognise donors through placement of their logo on marketing and promotional materials.

Sponsorship involves a reciprocal agreement between you and a sponsoring organisation. Usually this involves the provision of goods, services or financial support in exchange for commercial benefits. Commercial benefits may include logo placement, event or project naming rights, signage at events or any other agreeable terms.

Tips for asking for support

Find some common ground

Look for organisations that have an interest in the arts, or who have similar interests and values to you. If your project aligns with their company objectives, they are much more likely to offer support.

Do your research

Before you arrange to meet or call an organisation to ask for support, make sure you do your research. Find out about what the company does, who they have partnered with and if they support any other groups. Not only will this help you to tailor your selling approach, it also shows enthusiasm.

Identify areas of need

Identify areas of your project where you think you may need support or assistance. For example, if you will be doing a significant amount of printing, it may be worth approaching a printing company for support.

Have clear objectives

When approaching a potential supporter, make sure you are reasonable in your request. Think about what it is you would like from a supporter, considering their resources and area of expertise. This will help you to articulate exactly what you would like when you negotiate a deal, and will ensure that the relationship is mutually beneficial.