Fundraising and Sponsorship 2019 Season
You Have A Team - You Need a Budget FIRST teams need money! ● Event Registration Fees (Regionals and Championship) ○ Off-Season Event Fees ○ Robot Fabrication ○ Branding and Marketing ○ Transportation ○ Hotels ○ Food! ○ Remember – start early! No one will want to fundraise during build season !
Sponsorships
Step 1 - Finding Potential Sponsors Anyone can sponsor a FIRST Team ● Potential donors are everywhere ● Local businesses and retailers ○ Parents’ employers (and friends!) ○ Technology companies ○ Any major employer, regardless of trade ○
If they don't respond What to do if a company doesn’t respond ● After 3-4 business days, re-contact the company ○ Send an email or call the representative ○ Offer to answer any questions ■ Give them more info about sponsorship benefits ■ Always thank them for their time and interest ■ You don’t want to pester a company, but you don’t want them to forget about you either
Step 2 - Preparing Your Marketing Materials Prepare a sponsorship presentation ● Prepare print materials such as brochures and business cards to ● give to potential sponsors Print materials such as brochures should highlight ○ Who you are ■ What you do ■ How their money will be used ■ Any other important information ■ Have a professional team contact not related to any one student ● Our team uses contact@edinarobotics.com ○
Step 2 - Preparing Your Marketing Materials Practice your presentation ● Send a small group to represent the team (3-4 people) ○ Wear your team uniform ○ Talk about ○ Your team ■ Why you need their sponsorship ■ What’s in it for them, as a sponsor ■ Other fundraising you’ve done, and the results ■ Maybe mention names of other team sponsors ■ Remember ● Eye contact ○ Stay organized ○ Be clear and concise ○ Be yourself ○
Step 3 - Making contact Request meeting with the representative who has responsibility for ● community outreach or handles community sponsorships Call (if you have contact) ○ Email ○ Face-to-face ○ If the executive can’t meet with you immediately, make sure you ● mail or drop off the information packet and your contact information for follow-up Always offer a presentation and robot demo ● Contact a large number of diverse companies ●
Step 4 - follow up 1 day after your meeting follow up ● Send an email thanking them ○ Ask when you would be able to do a robot demo ■ Offer to have them come to competitions or other events ■ Offer to answer any questions ■
Step 5 - Thank and Reward Display their logo dependent on sponsorship level (pit signs, robot, ● website, social media, etc.) Ask for EPS file of logo Gift baskets (team shirts, pictures, buttons, etc.) ● Build a relationship ● Keep them updated on your progress ○ Offer to present to their employees at corporate events ○ Represent them well – mention them by name when interviewed by ● the media Sponsors on-board by December should be entered into your ● team’s FIRST dashboard the main contact. This information is used in the FIRST Program Books distributed at competitions.
Step 6 - Engage Maintain an ongoing dialog with your sponsors ● Ask if your team can attend company events and bring a robot ○ Join them for community service events ○ Invite sponsors to your team’s outreach events ○
In Kind Donations Not all sponsorships involve money! Sponsors can also: ● Supply mentors and volunteers ○ Offer workspace and storage ○ Supply materials and equipment ○ Donate food ○ Offer a discount on needed materials and items ○ Often, businesses are happy to offer “in-kind” goods and services. Add up the value of their donations to determine sponsorship level.
Fundraising
Fundraisers Car washes ● Open House ● Rummage/Garage sale ● Collecting recyclables ● Bagging groceries for tips ● Restaurant fundraising nights (Chipotle, Noodles, etc.) ● Get creative! ●
Websites and Social Media Websites can be an effective way to ● Communicate ○ Advertise ○ Show sponsors how much your team appreciates their support ○ Social Media: ● Facebook ○ Twitter ○ Instagram ○ Snapchat ○ YouTube ○
Sponsorship Levels Here’s the body text
Sponsorship Levels Here’s the body text
Overall Do’s and Don’ts Don’t Do ● ● Stay organized Get discouraged ○ ○ Pester companies Be professional (and ○ ○ gracious) Lose information ○ Ask many companies Think little work will be ○ ○ Use your website highly rewarded ○ Represent FIRST well ○
Contact Us & Questions? Contact The Green Machine: https://edinarobotics.com/contact/ ● Facebook: Team 1816 The Green Machine ● Twitter: @FIRSTteam1816 ● Other resources ● https://www.firstinspires.org/resource-library/fundraising-toolkit ○ Comprehensive overview of how to raise funds ■ Primarily for FRC ● Also includes FTC materials ●
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