How to Get Sponsors for Your Fundraiser

Sponsorship is won by asking one specific local business for one specific amount of money, and telling them exactly what they get in return. That's the whole game. Fundraisers that bring in $3,000–$10,000 of sponsorship in a season aren't lucky — they start eight to ten weeks out, build a one-page proposal with three clear tiers, and follow up with a phone call. A vague "any support would be appreciated" email gets ignored. A named ask with a deadline gets answered.

Why local businesses say yes

Most sponsorship in Aotearoa isn't corporate giving — it's a local business buying access to local customers and building visible goodwill. A $500 logo on the back of a junior football shirt through the winter season, or on the fence at the netball courts, is worth more to a Hamilton plumber than a national ad, because their customers are standing right there watching their kid play.

So lead with what they get, not what you need. That reframe changes how you write every email, every phone call and every proposal.

Sort your basics before you ask anyone

Businesses say no when the pitch feels disorganised. Have all of this ready before you contact anyone:

• A named contact with a phone number and an email inbox that actually gets answered
• A one-page budget: what you're raising, what it's for, the total target
• A bank account in the fundraiser's name
• Real audience numbers — how many families, how many people through the gate, how many social followers
• A plan for what happens if you raise more than the target

If you haven't launched a page yet, work through the fundraiser launch checklist first. Sponsors Google you before they reply, and a live page with a clear story does a lot of the convincing for you.

Who to ask, and in what order

Work from warm to cold. Your conversion rate on the first group is many times higher than on strangers.

1. Businesses you already have a relationship with. Your plumber, the café that does the morning coffee run, the physio half the team sees, parents' employers.
2. Businesses that serve the same families. Tutoring centres, driving schools, dentists, real estate agents, swim schools, farm supply stores, building merchants.
3. Larger local employers. Car dealerships, accounting firms, retirement villages, manufacturers.
4. National brands with local branches. Ask the branch manager — many have a small local sponsorship budget that nobody ever asks for.

There's more on warming up local businesses in how to get local businesses excited about your fundraiser.

The three-tier ask

Give people options. A single number forces a yes-or-no; tiers let them choose a level and feel in control.

Tier	Ask (NZD)	What they get
Supporter	$250	Logo on the event poster, a thank-you post, mention in the school newsletter
Partner	$750	Everything above, plus logo on the team shirt or prize board, two event tickets, a photo of the team with their signage
Principal Partner	$2,500	Everything above, plus "proudly supported by" naming rights, first logo placement, a speaking slot or stall, and a wrap-up report with photos and numbers

Add one exclusive tier if it suits: category exclusivity, so only one real estate agency or one café appears on your materials. That's often worth more to them than the logo itself, and it costs you nothing to offer.

What you can actually offer

• Access to an audience. Give real numbers: "420 families, 1,900 Facebook followers, 600 people through the gate."
• Content they can reuse. Photos, a short video, a tag they can share on their own page.
• Experiences. Tickets, a team in the corporate quiz, a golf hole, a table at the gala.
• Digital vouchers. A business can list a voucher through Generous.nz at /business. Vouchers are delivered digitally by email, and fundraisers keep at least 10% of voucher sales — a neat way for a business to support you year-round without writing a cheque, and a good fallback when cash isn't available. The 5% + GST platform fee is invoiced separately and is never taken from donations. Payments run through Stripe, and orders are screened for fraud by AI.

A short email that works

Kia ora Sarah,

I'm Mia, treasurer of the Riverside Junior Football Club. We're raising $12,000 this season for new goalposts and subsidised fees for six families.

We'd love Coastal Plumbing to be our Principal Partner at $2,500. That puts your logo on 300 team shirts for the winter season, on our fundraising page, and in four newsletter mentions — in front of 420 local families.

I've attached a one-page proposal with the two other tiers. I'll give you a call on Thursday to see if it's a fit either way.

Ngā mihi, Mia — 021 123 4567

Short, specific, one clear ask, one follow-up promise. That's the template.

When to ask in New Zealand

Timing matters more than people think. Ask in Term 1 for winter sport, and in Term 3 for summer sport, end-of-year celebrations and school camps. Many NZ businesses set their marketing budgets at the start of the financial year on 1 April, or in January — so a February or April approach catches money that's still unspent. If your fundraiser is tied to a season, check the best times of year to launch a fundraiser in New Zealand and work backwards from there.

Close the loop, or you won't get a second season

Sponsors renew because of how you treated them, not because they loved the cause.

• Call three to four days after sending the proposal. Don't wait on email.
• Invoice promptly and issue a receipt. Sponsorship and donations are treated differently for tax, so check current official guidance from IRD, and see donation tax credits in New Zealand for the donor side of things.
• Within three weeks of the event, send a one-page wrap-up: total raised, photos, attendance, and their logo in action.
• Invite them as guests, not just as a logo on a banner.
• Diary next season's ask now — six to eight weeks before you need the money.
• If they say no this year, ask what would make it a yes next year. Write it down and follow up.

Frequently asked questions

How much should we ask a small NZ business to sponsor?

$250–$750 is a comfortable range for a local café, tradesperson or clinic. Ask $1,500–$5,000 from larger employers, dealerships and firms that actively market to your families. Always give three tiers so they can pick a level rather than deciding whether to say yes at all.

Do we need a written sponsorship agreement?

Not legally in most cases, but a one-page agreement covering the amount, the deliverables, the timeframe and logo usage is worth having. It prevents awkward conversations in week three when someone wants their logo somewhere you never promised.

What if a business offers goods instead of cash?

Take it, and value it at retail in your budget. Product sponsorship — meat packs, vouchers, printing, a venue — frees up cash for the things you can't get donated. Just be clear which tier it counts toward, so everyone knows where they stand.

Is sponsorship different from a donation?

Yes. A sponsor receives something in return — visibility, access or an experience. A donation is given with nothing expected back. The tax treatment differs, so check current IRD guidance rather than relying on a general rule, and talk to your treasurer or accountant if you're unsure.

What's the most common reason sponsors don't renew?

Silence. Most fundraisers collect the cheque and never send a photo, a number or a thank-you. A one-page wrap-up with photos and results within three weeks of your event is the single cheapest thing you can do to lock in next season's money.