Contributed by the 2024-2025 Collegiate DECA Executive Officer Team.
Partnering with local businesses is a powerful way for Collegiate DECA chapters to secure funding for events, travel, and resources. By building connections and showing businesses how their support can directly impact students, you can create lasting sponsorships and encourage donations that fuel your chapter’s success.
Follow these five steps to make it happen:
1. Find the Right Businesses
- Goal: Identify businesses with community involvement and values aligned with DECA’s mission.
- Action: Start by listing local businesses with potential for partnerships, especially those active in the Chamber of Commerce or known for supporting local causes. These companies may be open to sponsoring your chapter’s initiatives.
- Tip: Look for businesses that already support youth programs or education-based causes, as they’re often more receptive to sponsoring or donating to DECA.
2. Build a Simple Pitch
- Goal: Present a professional, clear proposal for sponsorship or donation.
- Action: Create a one-pager or sponsorship package that explains what your chapter can offer (e.g., brand exposure, social media mentions, event promotions) and outlines different sponsorship levels. This allows businesses to see exactly what they’ll gain by donating or sponsoring your chapter.
- Tip: Highlight successful partnerships from other Collegiate DECA chapters, showing how business donations or sponsorships directly support student success. Real-world examples will make your pitch stronger and more relatable.
3. Make Personal Connections
- Goal: Build meaningful relationships that encourage financial support.
- Action: Schedule in-person meetings with potential sponsors to explain Collegiate DECA’s mission and how their support could make a difference. Share the impact their sponsorship or donation will have on students in the chapter, such as funding events, travel, or materials.
- Tip: Involve chapter members in meetings to demonstrate commitment. A personal connection can make businesses feel more inclined to donate or sponsor.
4. Plan Win-Win Events
- Goal: Organize events that benefit both your chapter and the business sponsor.
- Action: Propose collaborative events, like “DECA Night” fundraisers at restaurants where a percentage of sales go to your chapter or community events led by business professionals with ticket sales benefiting DECA. These events help raise funds and provide value to the business.
- Tip: Choose events likely to attract students and community members to maximize impact and show the sponsor their support is well-placed.
5. Show Appreciation & Stay Connected
- Goal: Strengthen relationships and encourage ongoing sponsorship or donations.
- Action: Send personalized thank-you notes, give social media shout-outs, and share results from their support, showing how their donations directly impacted the chapter. This reinforces the value of their support.
- Tip: Stay in contact after events, updating them on your chapter’s progress and inviting them to future events. This keeps the relationship strong for continued sponsorship or donations.
Questions?
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