What Is a Sponsorship Fact Sheet?

A sponsorship fact sheet is an informative document that offers an overview of a sponsorship opportunity. This is most often used in event industry where organizers mobilize the support of sponsors and donors in order to execute an event.  

According to the official Olympics website, the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics had 14 top tier sponsors or partners. This included global brands Toyota, Coca-Cola, Samsung, Visa, and Procter & Gamble. Aside from the fourteen, numerous other official partners and supporters, such as Canon and Japan Airlines, made up the list as well.  

Benefits of Sponsorship 

Whether you are the sponsor or the beneficiary, there is usually the argument of what benefits can be received once a sponsorship partnership is established. The aim is to arrive at a mutually beneficial agreement wherein both organizer and sponsor have something to gain from the partnership. To illustrate, even just having your logo featured in a major event can have pretty surprising benefits. The examples below expound on some of these key benefits:

Media Coverage: In event management, more exposure often translates to higher participation. When organizers seek out funds and support, they make their sponsorship packages compelling by promising significant media coverage. If you are a potential sponsor, this could mean a chance for added media mileage. Your name, company, or organization can be featured during the event and participants of the event will subsequently be aware of your brand or business. Network Expansion: Participating in events can broaden your network substantially. If you choose to be a sponsor, there can be limitless ways of using an event to propel and promote your product or service. You can take advantage of your partnership to form business ties or explore new markets. In major events, individuals and companies can meet all kinds of people that-if played well- could eventually turn into potential business relationships. Extra Publicity: Brand awareness is vital if you want to lift your company out of obscurity. To grow your business and attract new customers, you want people to recognize your company and know what you have to offer. Being a participating sponsor in a major event can be a good platform to earn extra publicity. A lot of corporations have their logo featured on products, kiosks, banners, and all kinds of promotional material. This added publicity can greatly affect brand recognition and it has the potential to generate public interest. Image Association: An added benefit of being a major sponsor in a big event is image association and public perception. People will naturally be inclined to believe that the event they are supporting is also being supported by your company. For example, a beverage company decides to sponsor a big sports tournament. Typically, fans and supporters of the tournament will tend to associate the company with the sport. This can prove to be a potent, albeit unconscious, tool for brand recognition and recall.

Activities Needed for Sponsorship

Sponsorship is not as simple as asking a favor. It takes a lot of strategic planning, preparation, and even a bit of luck for organizers to obtain the right sponsorship. The following activities below are commonly associated with sponsorship. And in most cases, they are often required too.  

Fundraising: The whole point of sponsorship is to gather support. And financial support is arguably the most basic form. Fundraising is common for charities and non-profit organizations. Even private companies occasionally partake in the activity as well. In schools, it is common for student organizations to implement programs and projects that involve some form of fundraising. Examples of these include bake sales, advocacy campaigns, and campus events. In most of these cases, funds need to be raised in order to implement these projects.Marketing and Advertising: To obtain sponsorship, there is a great deal of advertising involved. Marketing is a key tool in gathering and lobbying for support. It is important that potential donors are informed and convinced of the event’s objective. In fact, a sponsorship fact sheet is a marketing tool. It is meant to attract and provide details of an event and its corresponding sponsorship opportunities. In addition, not only should a fact sheet be informative, it should be visually appealing as well. Documentation: A key element in sponsorship is documentation. From the donation letter request signing, the sponsorship agreement and down to the donation tracker spreadsheet, documenting each transaction is crucial. This is not only to make the process more organized, but to safeguard the interests of the parties involved as well. With documentation serving as reference, it can provide a clear direction and promote a more systematic handling of the event. Event Management: Sponsorship is common in the realm of event organizing. Any major event such as concerts, conferences, and trade shows, require significant external support to be successfully executed. And the responsibility falls on the organizers to properly manage the relationship with the sponsor. From the moment a sponsor is on board, it takes effective coordination and management to ensure that the partnership is as smooth as possible.

How to Create a Sponsorship Fact Sheet

Feel free to use any of the sample templates above as a resource. Once you have decided on a template, follow the step-by-step guide below to customize your own sponsorship fact sheet. 

Step 1: General Overview

Much like a corporate fact sheet, your sponsorship fact sheet should start with a brief background about the event or company. Make sure to cover all the basic details such as the name of the event, date, time, location, etc. If applicable, include an official company logo too. It is best to keep your overview brief and straight to the point. You have the option to include relevant statistics and figures if it will help convince potential sponsors. 

Step 2: Sponsorship Packages

As much as possible, you want to provide potential sponsors with options. Doing this will allow more room or flexibility, and possibly increase your chances of winning their support. Make sure to list down these options in an organized manner. Most companies give at least three options or packages to choose from. A common example would be listing a gold, silver, and bronze sponsorship package. For each package, indicate the numerical value and its benefits in clear bullet points.      

Step 3: Contact Information

After enumerating and explaining the sponsorship opportunities, provide accurate contact information. This should include the name of the person-in-charge, contact numbers, and a working email address. You can also include the official website or social media page. Providing this information is critical in case sponsors have any queries or clarifications.     

Step 4: Overall Look and Design

Lastly, a sponsorship fact sheet is still considered a promotional tool in many ways. This means it should not only be educational and informative, but should also look attractive and professional. If space or layout permits, you can insert select images to make your fact sheet more interesting. Use proper fonts and sizes to ensure that text is clear and readable. Finally, mind your margins and spacing as well.    

FAQs

What is a sponsorship fact sheet?

A sponsorship fact sheet is an informative document that organizers use to brief and persuade potential sponsors to support events or projects.

What should a sponsorship proposal include?

A sponsorship proposal should include a general overview of the project or event, relevant information (e.g., statistics, accomplishments, goals), sponsorship package options, and contact details.

What are the 4 types of sponsorship?

According to Bizfluent, the four types of sponsorship are financial sponsors, media sponsors, in-kind sponsors, and promotional partnerships.

It is imperative to maximize the use of a sponsorship fact sheet. It can help you garner the support you need to make your event or project a success. Browse the numerous sample templates above to customize your own sponsorship fact sheet!