How to Get Someone to Sponsor a Food Product

Talk to restaurant owners about sponsoring food products at your event.

If you are planning a charitable event or some other type of fundraiser, finding a local restaurant or vendor to sponsor the food can yield big savings for your organization. Sponsors donate the food because they support the charitable cause. In addition, the restaurants or vendors receive public recognition, which acts as a marketing tool. While there are clear benefits for food sponsors, it can still be a challenge to find a sponsor for your particular event.

Instructions

1. Create a detailed mission statement for your event. Explain what the charity is and how the , money raised will be used, as well as the overall objective of the event.

2. Compile a list of the restaurants or vendors that you plan to approach to discuss sponsorship opportunities. The list of prospective sponsors should be consistent with your specific needs. For instance, do not solicit a bank to sponsor the food served at the event. Instead, go to a restaurant or a food product vendor in your community.

3. Request a meeting with your prospective food sponsors in order to present your mission statement and proposal. Talk with them face to face about the benefits of their participation and the ways in which the charitable event will benefit the community. Help them understand why your event is worth sponsoring.

4. Discuss your vision of the food who would like to serve at the event. For instance, if your event has a cowboy theme, you may seek a sponsor that can provide fresh corn on the cob or freshly baked pies. If you are hoping that they will sponsor hors d'oeuvres sponsored, this is worth mentioning during your meeting. It is important that prospective sponsors get a sense for what is expected of them.

5. Review the benefits of becoming an event sponsor and talk about the publicity generated by their involvement. Offer prospective sponsors free tickets to your event and outline other other ways you can offer recognition for their involvement.

6. Set a deadline for a response from your prospective sponsors. If restaurants or vendors are interested, they can contact you directly or sign up on your charity's website.

Tips & Warnings

• Be prepared to provide your prospective sponsors with estimated costs and/or a head count of those expected to attend the event. This will help them determine the quantity of food needed and help them determine their costs..

References

• "Entrepreneur"; How to Attract Corporate Sponsors; Eve Gumpel; February 2010
• Eat, Write, Retreat: 8 is Enough: Tips for Finding Sponsorship