Gaining a sponsorship can be key to the success of your sports club – both financially and competitively. Often, organizations’ budgets fall short of covering any extra items, like upgraded equipment and travel to long-distance tournaments. While these might not be part of the core budget, being able to afford these items can benefit the team and the individual players.
To make up the financial difference between what’s available in the budget and what’s needed, clubs can pursue sponsorships. These partnerships can take many forms, from making a general contribution to the organization to giving money to a specific need, like equipment.
While finding and securing a sponsor for the club is a process, one key element is the proposal letter. Get tips on how your club can write a winning sponsorship proposal letter.
Use Club Letterhead
Proposals can take many forms, whether it’s a letter and one-sheet outlining sponsorship opportunities, or a brief letter and a larger proposal packet.
No matter what proposal format the organization opts for, the letter should have a professional look and tone. It should be composed of the club’s letterhead and should include the organization’s logo.
Proposal letters typically include a formal header, complete with the name and address of the company the proposal is being sent to, and the date.
The letter should also be addressed to the person who is directly responsible for sponsorships. You want to avoid sending the letter to a generic “to whom it may concern,” as it might not get to the correct person.
Introduce Your Organization
The proposal letter needs to include an introduction to your organization. This should include basic information including the sport, age ranges, and levels of the athletes, as well as the club’s mission.
This section also needs to include why the organization is seeking a sponsor and what the money will be used for. This is the club’s chance to detail why it is looking for contributions. Explain how the sponsorship money will benefit the team to convey the importance of obtaining the funds.
Explain How Partnering with the Club Can Benefit the Sponsor
The most attractive sponsorships are ones that not only benefit the organization but also include advantages for the sponsor. Because of this, the proposal letter should explain to potential sponsors how partnering with the club can be beneficial for them as well. This section can include how working with the organization can help improve its customer base, build customer loyalty, increase its community involvement, and other advantages. The organization should also detail its marketing efforts to show the size of the club’s reach and audience. This can include the club’s social media accounts, print campaigns, and any digital marketing efforts like newsletters, blogs, and websites.
Include a Conclusion
The proposal letter should include a brief conclusion. This section can thank the potential sponsor for their time and include information to address the next steps if the company is interested in pursuing a sponsorship.
The letter should also be personally signed by a club administrator. Having a signature on the letter in addition to a typed name will help personalize the proposal.
Include Sponsorship Levels
When sending a proposal, companies what to know how large of a donation clubs are looking for, and what that sponsorship includes. To convey this, organizations should include sponsorship packages of various levels in their proposal. This can be a separate sheet in addition to the proposal letter or be included as part of the proposal packet.
No matter the format, organizations should mention the sponsorship sheet in the proposal letter. It can be as simple as a line that states “Please see the attached sponsorship level sheet,” to draw their attention to the insert.
This sheet should include the different sponsorship levels, the minimum donation amount for each tier, and what is included in the package. When creating the packages, the club should determine how much money it is trying to raise to ensure the value of each package aligns with the overall goal. The organization should also determine all available sponsorship opportunities to create robust and attractive packages.
Some examples might include:
Platinum: $5,000
- Logo on club jerseys
- 5 social media posts throughout the season acknowledging the company
- Booth at organization’s tryouts
- Booth at club’s hosted tournament
- Logo with link to company’s website on the club website
- Logo on all digital content, including newsletters, rosters, schedule, and stat sheets
- Logo on club programs
- Logo on club banner
Gold: $1,000
- Booth at club’s hosted tournament
- Logo with link to company’s website on the club website
- Logo on all digital content, including newsletters, rosters, schedule, and stat sheets
- Logo on club programs
- Logo on club banner
Silver: $500
- Logo with link to company’s website on the club website
- Logo on club programs
- Logo on club banner
Bronze: $100
- Logo on club programs
- Logo on club banner
Creating a winning sponsorship package and proposal letter can take time, but they are necessary to secure additional funds for your organization. Submitting a professional and organized proposal letter to potential sponsors is the first step to finding a new partner for your club.
