Company Donations and Sponsorship

Companies are an important target for local fundraising as they often wish to be seen as a caring company in their local community and to create goodwill. Many like to be associated with certain causes that relate to their business, often to enhance their image.

Sometimes companies will get involved because their chairman or chief executive is interested in the cause.

Companies are unlikely to support:

• local appeals outside areas where they have a business presence

• denominational appeals for religious purposes

• mass circular appeals generated by computer sent to hundreds of companies

• controversial causes

It is worth bearing in mind that companies can often help organisations in a range of different ways other than just giving you money. These might be:

• making facilities available

• support in kind

• providing expertise

• "goodwill advertising" in a charity brochure

Donations or Sponsorship?

There is a difference between donations and sponsorship. Donations are given without any expectations except for thanks and acknowledgement. With sponsorship a company aims to get something in return such as publicity or corporate entertainment (eg at a prestigious sports or cultural event).

You can find information on the giving of leading companies in the Directory of Social Change's The Major Companies Guide. This covers around 500 companies.

Leading national companies will often make smaller donations to local charities and events in the area where they have their headquarters or a major business presence. Retail stores such as the large supermarket chains or DIY stores often have small budgets to spend controlled by the local manager.