Sponsorship

[oscar]

Does anyone know the benefit to companies for sponsoring an individual at drama school? It isn't a charity so presumably no tax benefit. Any help would be welcome .

[pg]

One obvious benefit could be any publicity they managed to get out of it. If they can achieve editorial column inches, they might consider it a worthwhile investment.

There's also the off chance (though it's a gamble for them ) that they might be sponsoring a big star of the future -which could pay handsome publicity dividends a few years down the line.

Some schools have a facility where donations can be made to a school fund (which is designated for use by a specific student ). As most of the schools do have charitable status for their accredited courses, this allows gift aid to be added.

I think it's worth consulting with the school for advice about how you can "pitch" the idea of sponsorship to a company.

I know RADA was pretty clued up about student fundraising.

[oscar]

Many thanks for that pg. a local business is interested in sponsoring ds but they Hv never done it before and want to know how to do it and the benefits.we Hv contacted the school and are waiting for some details but nothing has arrived.

[francescasmum]

On a similar note, does anyone have a template for a letter asking local companies to advertise in a show programme? I will be e-mailing some contacts later in the week but thought I'd ask on here first to see if anyone has done it before.

[cookycrew]

Francescasmum I have done this for the last few years for dd's singing teachers annual concert at a theatre in York. The concerts have raised money for various charities eg. St Leonard's Hospice, NSPCC. I basically rang or called into local & national businesses and simply asked them if they would put a business card size advert in the program or asked whether they would donate raffle prizes. I guess it depends how much you want them to 'pay' for the advert. As our events have only been one off show's we asked for £20 per ad. I didn't have anyone say no, so be bold & very courteous of course Good luck & remember to give the sponsors feedback as to how much was raised from the event/show.

[paulears]

For the local advertising thing - you need to work out if the programme will actually work as a marketing tool. Number of people who will see it, and the number of those likely to be interested in the ads. For most productions, especially small ones, advertising in programmes needs to be done personally to people that the organisers actually know. The makeup from strangers is pathetically small, unless they just want to be seen as a supporter. I've never found any advertiser who actually recovered their costs. In a way it's a tax deductable donation, not really an ad. If you tap up people you know who are in business and basically get them to donate 25 or 50 quid, and get an advert in return, and maybe the offer of two free seats, which they may not be able to take up - it works better. If you approach strangers the take up is so low simply because they see no return, which of course a friend is not really expecting!

I sponsor a football team, and the cost of the kit is an allowable expense - so doesn't really cost me very much. Despite being in a lot of pictures, I don't think I've ever had a job from it!

[francescasmum]

Thanks all for your replies and advice. I was thinking of contacting friends who run local businesses and business colleagues who are from our city who know about DD.