Fundraising help

[Rickertsen2]

I wasn't entirely shure where to put this. I also realize that there have been several similar threads, but right now i really need some help here.

How did your team come by its corporate sponsors? How did you find them? How did you approach them? Has anything you have done been sucessful/really unsecessful? I have spent the entire day today, cold calling corporations. Most of the time i didn't reach people, and the ones i did reach didn't sound to promising about monetary sponsorship. I have basically been calling anybody w/money. Should i be only calling engineering, or manufacturing companies? Is calling people and mailing them a brochure the wrong approach. I havn't called any of these people back yet. I mailed many of the more promising ones brochurs, and will call them in 2 days. Any suggestions?

[Kevin A]

The most succesful thing my team has done are demonstrations. When you do a demo, bring all of your team, all in team shirts. Tell you potential sponsor that their name will be on your shirts and robot. Tell them how you have done in the past.

I am not exacly sure how to set up and get them interested, asour teacher has done it in the past. Just make sure that they know that they are contributing to a local high school for a program that is awsome, and that they will get their name out there.

You can also invite them to any offseason events, or show them videos of past years compitions.

[Eric Bareiss]

Team 60 has a booklet outlining what Kevin is talking about. It is very detailed and very well done. They raised $29,000 last year from corporations. They walk you step by step through the process of getting corporate donations.

visit thier website at team60.com to find an address
or email amanda @ mandy@team60.com

they can probably send you a soft copy of the booklet.

[Rickertsen2]

?

[ZACH P.]

Also, most companies will not sponsor an unknown team. It helps a whole lot if you can have your old sponsors, or people you have worked with write (good) recomendations. No offense at all intended, but people dont want to invest in losers and unknowns.

[Jeremy Roberts]

Hey Rick,

Give us a call or email. We are linking teams in GA up with sponsors right now, but Chamblee never responded when we emailed all the teams about their financial status for this coming year. If you guys don't contact us we can't help you. There MAY be grant money for you guys if you are really in a bind. Just drop me an email.