ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ

Sponsorship Resources

Sponsorships include any solicitation to cover the cost of an event or program, with a goal of underwriting, fundraising or both. It is considered a sponsorship if you are asking corporations, individuals or any other entity for financial support related to an event/program or in exchange for promotion/naming recognition. Additionally, term sponsorships – a trade of naming recognition for a term in which money is exchanged - fall into this category.  

Key Considerations
  • Sponsorship funds must be deposited into an existing foundation fund that supports programmatic or discretionary items.  
    • If proceeds are intended to go to a scholarship, they can be moved over to a scholarship fund at completion of the event/sponsorship timeline. 
  • 5% of all total event sponsorship proceeds must remain in the designated fund.
    • Keep this in mind when developing your sponsorship levels.
    • This money remains in your area’s foundation fund for use, it is NOT a fee from the Foundation.
  • ΜμΜμ³ΤΉΟ (through an index) will receive the funds and handle vendor payments.
  • Student and Faculty/Staff awards must be issued by the university. 
  • If sponsorships are tied to ticketed events, the minimum ticket price must be $5.
  • DPAE will determine the tax deductibility amount based on the value of goods and services received for the sponsorship. 
  • The foundation cannot issue a 1099 for a student or faculty/staff award. 
What To Avoid
  • Putting on an event or program that you can’t pay for from a university index if you don’t raise enough sponsorships. 
  • Setting sponsor levels too low, complicating covering your costs plus 5% fundraising. 
Step-By-Step Guide
  • Reach out to your area’s DPAE project manager
    • Share with Office of Corporate Engagement if not done already. 
  • Identify which foundation fund you will raise money into.
  • Propose sponsorship levels that cover your costs and include leaving a minimum of 5% of total raised in the foundation fund.
  • Organize the list of goods and services received for each sponsorship level.
  • DPAE will provide tax deductibility amounts and confirm your sponsorship levels.
  • Your project manager will work with you on:
    • Requesting the list for outreach. 
    • Reviewing sponsorship levels and tax deductibility with Gift Processing.
    • Creating an online sponsorships page. 
    • Drafting email outreach. 
    • Creating sponsorship flyers/printed materials (if needed). 
  • DPAE will provide tax-deductibility amounts and confirm your sponsorship levels.
  • In some cases, you will conduct the outreach to request sponsorships. DPAE and Corporate Engagement have right of first refusal regarding outreach to individuals and corporations with pre-existing relationships. 
  • Your philanthropic advisor will fill out a for all event sponsorships. 
  • Your philanthropic advisor will fill out the Sponsorship Contract form for all term sponsorships and will attach that to their Sponsorship Case submission. 
  • After event, submit request for funding to appropriate university index. 
FAQs

What if there is no existing fund? 
If no fund exists, you may establish a new one with a $1,000 transfer from your discretionary fund in the foundation. 

What about term sponsorships? 
A term sponsorship is when someone gives a set amount of money for a set number of years and in exchange receives naming recognition for that term on a select item/place/location. A term sponsorship will count as voluntary service credit and not a tax-deductible gift. 

Term sponsorships will be turned into DPAE on the provided Sponsorship Contract form. 

Will this sponsorship be deemed a charitable gift? 
When an individual or organization is providing the money for a sponsorship opportunity, it can be deemed a gift and will be added to their Banner record as such. They will receive a tax receipt that represents the tax-deductible amount of the gift (minus benefits received), unless they meet the criteria below:

When a sponsor gets to hand out marketing materials, price lists or coupons, the sponsorship cannot be deemed a gift by CASE guidelines and will be counted as voluntary service credit amount.

Sponsorship solicitation materials must include language that says, β€œDue to advertising benefits available to the sponsor, this sponsorship will not count as a tax-deductible gift.” 

Who To Contact

Contact your area’s project manager for guidance on managing sponsorships. 

View Project Manager List