Corporate Sponsorship - what am I doing wrong?

Hi Catherine.
Here's what I do.

Like you, I have accounts ending in March. I have to wait until late September, after the AGM, to send them out (apart from 1 draft copy for one funder who insist on it, despite screams from our trustees).

I have a shortfall of about £40k. I mostly build projects and ask for money - always asking for quite a bit more than is needed, but never from any one trust.
With the £17k needed for meal project I have done in excess of £50k in applications. We have had £5k in, leaving £12k shortfall still. And approx £20k of applications haven't yet likely had a meeting about it.

I tend to have a few applications on the go at any one time - something like the Tudor Trust or Henry Smith applications get written and re-written to improve them before I'm happy to send them.
And a big pile of printouts from trustfunding.co.uk that I want to research and apply to if possible.
While I target trusts that deal with our type of work where I can, I also send applications to trusts dealing with general applications (rather a lot of them) where I can't find a reason why not.
Had some good results back - ranging from £50 to £3,000 from these general trusts. Much lower rate of awards than more tightly targetted trusts but still useful.

Best wishes,

Martin
mart2306@hotmail.com

Hi Catherine.
I have a similar problem with my trustees and too high money on the accounts. Plus refusal to have a reserves policy.

I still get some money in from trusts, though it probably helps that the budget I produce shows a decent deficit so at least shows we need money regardless of what the accounts show.

Just don't make the mistake I did of pointing out to the committee (mixture of trustees and members) about needing support - all but one left it to other people!

There are some trusts that don't seem to care so much about high reserves. Garfield Weston springs to mind - they've given to us 2 years running despite the situation we have.
Will pay towards running costs, which at least then frees up some money from elsewhere.

Martin

Thanks a lot for all your thoughts and tips. As it happens, I called Rolls Royce this week to f-u on my letter and have an hour meeting with their Community Affairs Manager next week!
To Martin:
- charging full price (I’ve suggested that one already but general feeling is that £350 per day is already a lot for schools, if we said it was £550 – no school would take us up!)
- Yes, we are a reg. charity.
To Gerry:
- Corporate is part of my role (I am Corporate and Trust FR).
- We are members of the local Chambers of Commerce and I attended their networking breakfast for the first time this week (it costs £20 each time, so my Trustees aren’t that keen…)
- ALL our Trustees are Rotarians! And I keep reminding them that it would be good to get some names, contacts etc…
- Organising an event could be a good idea.
To Michelle:
Unfortunately , our local authority isn’t very helpful. They say they can’t promote us because we aren’t a free service!
As to approaching local Trusts, I have done it and received some funding, however our problem has been that our reserves level is too high (this is a provision to buy future equipment, but Trustees don’t want to restrict it). That’s the whole problem, I’ve told them at the last Trustee meeting that we needed to present our accounts differently in a more fundraising-friendly way (which they’ve taken on board), and their response is, approach corporates who don’t ask for accounts!
The irony of all this is, that the less successful I am, the more we’ll have to use our reserves, which in turn will make my job as fundraising easier…
I knew fundraising wasn’t easy but I never thought I’d end up in such a complicated situation (plus being their first and sole fundraiser it’s hard sometimes to auto-motivate yourself…)
Anyhow, good to have some advice from this excellent forum.
Thank you.
Catherine

Catherine, I know you asked about corporate, but considering your work in schools I'm surprised there is not some local government funding or Local Trust funding. The Lions are worth asking.
For Corporates what about drug companies who want to be seen to be doing good? don't forget companies want to know what's in it for them and supporting their local school children should be a real plus for their image.
Michelle

Hi, Catherine

Martin is correct - there are many easier ways to generate funds than corporate, especially if you aren't a "fluffy bunny" charity.

That said, I get quite cross when Charities moan about "not being a sexy cause" - I've got a whole workshop on the subject!

If corporate is a necessary part of your strategy, you need to find a better way to meet Captains of Industry, and you'll find that way in networking - join the Chamber of Commerce, get a Rotarian on your Board, or look specifically for people in business who know and support your work and get them to make the introductions.

Plan B would involve the same champions helping you put together events at which you can meet the Big Guys - sporting dinners, golf tournaments etc.

And keep an open mind - some of your business people might like to do more than pay the deficit on a school programme; maybe they'll enter a several year deal, as part of which they might, perhaps, buy in some education for their own staff etc.

But don't let anybody tell you it'll be quick - it takes time to build up the contacts, and then to land the donations you need.

Cheers

Gerry

Gerry Beldon FInstF
Director, 26-01 CIC
www.26-01.com

There are a few options.

Charge the schools what it actually costs to run the service.
Ask for donations towards the service.

The second one is the one with most options within it, including individual giving, payroll deductions, charitable trusts, even rattling a collection tin (though watch out for the fundraising guidelines about declaring payment). Corporates tend to give the least (unless you become their sponsored charity). And I have noticed a tendency to not stick with a charity long term so loads of work.

Are you a registered charity?