Corporate Appeal Tips

While corporate funding accounts for only a small portion of philanthropic dollars in the United States (approximately 6% of all giving comes from corporations and businesses), funding from these sources can be vital for many nonprofits, especially during capital campaigns. If your organization has not done a corporate appeal annually or would like to increase its results from business and corporate fundraising, here are a few tips.  

1. Business solicitations should be done on a personal level, not by phone or mail.
2. Involve business leaders on your board, development committee, or other advisory committees before soliciting their companies for money.
3. Build a list of prospective donors by first looking at those companies that already have some involvement or interest in your organization-businesses owned by or whose key executives represent board members, alumni, parents or family of service recipients; vendors; and businesses in your neighborhood.
4. Add to this list by getting involved in your local Chamber of Commerce and other service and professional organizations.
5. Recruit key executives from your prospective donor list to serve on your corporate appeal committee.
6. Develop a complete annual appeal structure, including a volunteer organizational chart with a chairperson, vice chairperson, team leaders and team members.
7. Develop a volunteer recruitment packet with job description for all volunteers, a timeline, and a case for support.
8. Recruit a top notch chairperson and vice chair. They will be instrumental in helping you recruit other volunteers.
9. Invite the volunteers to help you develop and refine your prospect list; they will have good insight into the local business community. Have the volunteers select the prospects they will call upon, do not assign them randomly. Personal peer-to-peer solicitation is the key to success.
10. Hold a volunteer training session for all volunteers at which time you will review important information about your organization as well as solicitation techniques and tips.