[bdaroz]

At the end of last season we received some advice from a few teams about getting sponsors. One of them was to find sponsors that have an affinity with the team, eg, a fabrication company that works with aluminum, or an engineering firm. Even if they don't want to commit funds (start small), they may be far more willing to commit some material, assistance, or knowledge.

Then next year when they see what their involvement meant, and they understand what the budget is for (because, of course, you're keeping them in the loop and inviting them to your events and whatnot), they may be far more willing to provide a more significant cash contribution.

Granted, this advice was for seeking smaller sponsors, but with larger companies you should probably reach higher to start.

(Disclaimer: We're in the process of recruiting sponsors now that the school year is finally underway so I can't vouch for the effectiveness of this suggestion... yet.)