Ep 256: What are Corporate Sponsors Really Looking for From Nonprofits? with Mariah Monique

Summary

Podcast Summary

Episode Overview

Podcast: Nonprofits Are Messy: Lessons in Leadership | Fundraising | Board Development | Communications
Title: Ep 256: What are Corporate Sponsors Really Looking for From Nonprofits?
Host: Joan Garry
Guest: Mariah Monique, The Sponsorship Catalyst
Date: June 20, 2026

In this episode, Joan Garry sits down with sponsorship strategist Mariah Monique to cut through the confusion and discouragement that often surrounds corporate and nonprofit partnerships today. Together, they explore the latest trends, shifting corporate attitudes toward sponsorship and DEI, and—most importantly—offer actionable advice for nonprofits seeking meaningful, sustainable partnerships with corporate sponsors. The discussion covers evolving expectations, building genuine value-driven relationships, executing sponsorships with excellence, and lessons learned from real-world experience.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Understanding the Current Sponsorship Landscape

• Corporate Sponsorship Is More Than Donations
  Corporate support is often misunderstood as purely philanthropic, but Mariah emphasizes that it is "a marketing opportunity for these brands"—not a donation. (07:23)
• Shifting Winds in DEI and Funding
  Media headlines suggest declining DEI support (e.g., a 65% drop in corporate DEI index participation), but Mariah notes that while some language and public signaling have changed, many companies still value equitable giving:

  “People are changing their language to be more inclusive, although the purpose, those people didn’t leave those roles.” (08:43)

• Look Beyond the Fortune 500
  Focusing only on massive companies risks missing "local money," which can be significant for nonprofits:

  “If you’re looking at the Targets of the world, you’re missing out on local money.” (07:59)

• Market Analogies: Don’t Abandon the Game
  Mariah compares the current environment to a bear market:

  “What you really should be doing is doubling down on your relationships, even if you don’t get a dollar, because the market always changes.” (10:19)

[07:23] – Mariah unpacks recent headlines and reframes fears about disappearing opportunities.

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2. What Do Sponsors and Nonprofits Get Wrong? Realigning Expectations

• Top Misconceptions
  • Corporate Side: That nonprofits are only looking for money, not strategic, mutually beneficial relationships.
  • Nonprofit Side: That corporations are philanthropists, when they are actually businesses with goals and metrics:

    “Corporate partners are not philanthropists first… They are businesses with objectives.” (16:44)

• Transactional vs. Transformational
  Both sides often lead with transactions (“We need X,” “Where’s our logo?”) and miss deeper engagement:

  “Nonprofits oftentimes lead with need instead of value... The shift really has to be from, ‘Here’s why we need funding’ to ‘Here’s how partnering with us helps you meet your goals.’” (19:38)

• The Relationship Analogy
  Treat building a sponsorship like building any close partnership:

  “You’re not immediately meeting someone and telling them all of your needs. Like, that would scare them off.” (19:57)

[15:42–20:54] – Mariah and Joan dig into the mindset shift required for successful partnerships.

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3. What Makes Corporate Partners Commit or Walk Away?

• What Corporates Need from Nonprofits
  • Clarity of Value & Fit
    Articulate how your mission aligns with their goals (“A confused mind always says no.” (24:23))
  • Professionalism & Experience
    Deliver a seamless, organized experience—communicate clearly, fulfill what’s promised, send timely updates and reports.

    “Most sponsors don’t come back because the experience wasn’t good.” (25:54)

  • Measurable Impact & Follow Through
    Post-event reports are rare but valued, signal that you care about results, and drive renewals:

    “If you’re not talking about what happened after the event… it’s like, are we in a relationship or not?” (29:09)

• What Nonprofits Need from Corporates
  • Values Alignment
    Be clear on mutual values, avoid funders whose missions could alienate your community. Don’t sell out your values for a check:

    “Not all money is good money for you.” (35:39)

  • Community Relevance
    Assess: Does this partnership really benefit your community? (33:48)
  • Willingness to Walk Away
    Be prepared to refuse money that doesn’t align. (35:40)

[24:23–35:43] – Standards for lasting partnerships from both perspectives.

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4. Lessons Learned: What Sets Long-Lasting Sponsorships Apart

• Sponsorship Is Sales, Not a Favor

  “Sponsorship is a sales process. It’s not a favor… You have to position sponsorship as a business decision, not a charitable gesture.” (37:25)

• Timing Is Everything
  The sponsor’s budget cycle matters. Many opportunities are lost simply because nonprofits wait until funding is already allocated:

  “If you approach them too late… it’s basically a year behind because they’ve already spent that money.” (40:18)

• Follow Through and Experience Matter Most After the Check Arrives

  “The real work happens afterwards... Retention truly is built through execution, not just promises.” (41:52)

• Customization Wins—To a Point
  Top sponsors expect customized benefits and experiences. Mass “one-size-fits-all” decks have limited effectiveness:

  “When it comes to being able to close deals at a higher level, you should have some flexibility to customize.” (44:35)

• Start Small, Think Big
  Not every sponsor needs a unique proposal—a tiered approach can help manage time, but larger partners should feel special. (52:26)

[37:25–52:34] – Practical do’s and don’ts for partnership success.

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5. How to Get Started: Practical Steps for Nonprofits and Companies

For Nonprofits

• Get clear about your value—how do you stand out from other organizations?
• Build a targeted (not random!) prospect list.
• Create a concise, strong sponsorship deck—5–10 pages, not a grant proposal.
• Learn your audience inside out, and align pitches with data about your community.
• Start conversations focused on learning about the partner, not pitching an ask:

  “Your first outreach shouldn’t feel like a hard sell… Open the door for real partnership, not just transactions.” (50:30)

For Companies

• Define your goals: What do you hope to accomplish through sponsorship?
• Seek mission and community alignment—don’t default to check-writing as charity.

[47:38–52:34] – Step-by-step guidance for new entrants to corporate sponsorship.

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Notable Quotes & Insights

1. “Sponsorships is not a donation… This is a marketing opportunity for these brands, right? So there is an exchange.”

— Mariah Monique [07:36]

2. “You have to position sponsorship as a business decision, not a charitable gesture.”

— Mariah Monique [37:25]

3. “The shift really has to be from ‘here’s why we need funding’ to ‘here’s how partnering with us helps you meet your goals.’”

— Mariah Monique [19:38]

4. “A confused mind always says no.”

— Mariah Monique [24:23]

5. “Not all money is good money for you.”

— Mariah Monique [35:39]

6. “Sponsorships are not about transactions. They truly are about transformation.”

— Mariah Monique [52:40]

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Key Takeaways

• Treat sponsorship like business development, not charity: align your pitch with sponsor goals.
• Local companies may be an underutilized goldmine—don’t focus solely on big brands.
• Prioritize relationship-building—even in a ‘bear market’, those who keep partnerships alive are best positioned for the next upswing.
• Deliver professional experiences, communicate impact, and always follow through after the event.
• Nonprofits should proactively choose partners whose values and goals align—don’t sell out your mission for funding.
• Start partnerships by learning and listening, not by making asks.

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Suggested Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Landscape Overview: 00:00–07:23
• Understanding Misconceptions and Mindset Shift: 15:42–20:54
• Corporate Partner Selection Criteria: 24:23–29:32
• Nonprofit Selection Criteria & Values Alignment: 32:24–35:43
• Lessons Learned in the Field: 37:25–45:50
• How to Begin (Practical Steps): 47:38–52:34
• Parting Wisdom: 52:40–54:50

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Final Thoughts

This episode is essential listening for nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and marketers who want to create deeper, more sustainable partnerships with corporate sponsors. Mariah Monique pulls back the curtain on what companies are really seeking, reveals pitfalls and power moves, and offers a strategic, contemporary take on how corporate-nonprofit collaborations can move past “messy” and become genuinely transformative.

Transcript

[A]

So getting resources to keep your nonprofit going is always top of mind for leaders. And if you're smart about it, getting that money from diverse sources is wise and can actually prevent crises. So in the past couple of years, the information we have all gotten about corporate partnerships with nonprofits has been confusing at best and downright discouraging a lot of the time. Here's a few headlines from 2026 just as an example, Fox Business says, is Corporate America breaking up with DEI or just taking its relationship underground? CNBC Corporate DEI Index sees a 65% drop in participation from Fortune 500 companies and then finally from the Associated Press, Black led nonprofits didn't see the lasting funding boost promised after 20 racial reckoning. So all of this led us to think about wanting listeners of Nonprofits are Messy to understand where things really stood between nonprofits and corporate America. And we wanted to make sure and give you all tips and tools to continue to pursue this revenue stream and to actually succeed in doing that. And so we are so lucky today to have friend and colleague Mariah Monique, the Sponsorship Catalyst with us. Mariah focuses on these issues full time and she is about to share her wisdom with you. Welcome to Nonprofits Are Messy with Joan Gary and experts. This podcast is your go to space for insights, advice and inspiration designed to help nonprofit leaders overcome challenges and drive impact. Whether you're navigating small beginnings or leading a larger organization, we're here to support you every step of the way. Together with Joan and a diverse group of expert guests, we tackle the big questions nonprofit leaders face and offer actionable advice to fuel your leadership journey. A special thank you to donorperfect for sponsor sponsoring this episode and supporting nonprofits that we love. Now let's jump in. So welcome to the pod Mariah. We are so happy to have you. We will have Mariah's bio in the show notes, but I wonder if you could briefly share with listeners how you got into this work. Like, did you always know that you would be the Corporate Partnership Sponsorship catalyst?

[B]

Thank you so much Glenda for having me and I'm excited to share with the listeners today. I think this conversation comes at a very critical time for nonprofits. So excited to share my journey. Excited to share all the gems that nonprofits can take to actually secure partnerships for their future. So in regards to my career, so no, I did not know this was a thing. I had never heard of sponsorships. I'm actually a trained public health professional so I started off in a public health setting doing some work with the Centers for disease control, and then moved over to a health insurance plan where I was doing a lot of advocacy work for seniors and persons with disability in the state of California. And in my time there, I was actually housed under communications department. And under that department, our sponsorship team existed. What happened was I actually was out just talking to people, randomly bringing new relationships to the company. And when there was time for a restructure in the work, they asked me, what do you want to do? And I said, I want to do this. And so that transition happened. But I really had not been exposed to the world of sponsorships. I did not really understand how it connected to the world, but also how organizations and companies were leveraging such a tool to be able to bring brand visibility, brand equity and loyalty. And so I delve into that space and worked it for about eight years, a little over eight years contributing to nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles, about a little over $7 million over my time under that role. And when I decided to start the sponsorship catalyst, it was really solely out of the crises that we saw in 2020, where these organizations were shipped in their dollars and really trying to put an effort for making sure their sponsorship portfolio investments were invested in the BIPOC community. Right. In marginalized communities. And so as one that was also tasked with finding more bipoc communities, I really quickly began to learn that like, oh, people really don't know that one, this exists and it should be a part of their fundraising plan. Two, they may know it exists, but they don't know how to actually navigate it to where it actually is benefiting them. And so I quickly learned that this wasn't just a BIPOC gap, Although my initial start was like, I'm going to help those that already that are already marginalized on so many different fronts, and particularly funding wise, because I was sitting in many pitch meetings with folks and one of their biggest hindrances was being able to make more impact due to lack of funding. And so I was taking my ivory tower knowledge and really helping nonprofits actually close that gap because I knew I knew something that nonprofits that I was encountering did not know and soon later realized that there were so many nonprofits that did not know how to navigate this space. So I did not know about this as a field, did not study this, because I thrive in building relationships. This is kind of how I landed here and definitely would not want to leave this space or look back because it's been really great opportunity.

[A]

That's awesome. And just for listeners, I'm sure many of, you know, I feel like I started hearing the term bipoc a lot in 2020, and it's maybe gone away a little bit. I still love it. It stands for black indigenous people of color. Meant to sort of emphasize people of color is not a monolith. There are many different groups and really raising up black folks and indigenous folks, especially here in the US So appreciate you you mentioning that, Mariah, as with many people, your path is not linear. You know, public health to corporate sponsorship. What listeners need to know is that Mariah has tons of experience both as a corporate sponsor working with nonprofit partners and as a nonprofit leader working with corporations. So she's been on both sides of the store aisle, and she's really the perfect person to help us understand the landscape for nonprofit corporate partnerships right now. I read all those headlines and I feel like I see all the stuff, the good, the bad, the confusing. So I guess my first question is, what is really going on, Mariah? Is this an area that nonprofit leaders should be focused on, help us interpret these confusing headlines?

[B]

Absolutely. And I want to kind of go back to some of the headlines because I think there's some really interesting operative words or concepts that we should really hone in on to really help expand what the shift is, where the shift is happening. So one of the headlines talked about, the one from CNBC talked about, you know, participation drop in from Fortune 500 companies. And while that is true, Fortune 500 companies are a segment, right. Of all the companies that exist in our nation to be able to tap into their marketing dollars. Because sponsorships is not a donation. And I think for many, many years, nonprofits have looked at it as like, this is a donation. While you should be building those relationships very similar to what you would do for your grantors or maybe even your major donors, it's a marketing opportunity for these brands, right. So there is an exchange. And so while Fortune 500 companies, there had been public drops. Right. And a lot of that, you know, could partially be fear tactics. A lot of it is actually true. But also really want people to understand that when you're going after sponsorships for your nonprofit, I don't want you to just look at the Fortune 500 companies. One, because it's not always as easy tapping into those. That's one reason. The second reason is because people are missing out on money at the local level. Now, I did sponsorships at the local level and I ran a multimillion dollar budget. So if you're looking at the targets of the world, you're Missing out on local money. Right. So that's one of the things I want to say as regards to dni. Another thing regarding that is, you know, before D and I became really cool to talk about, to say to be a part of it existed as a part of the DNA of some of these organizations. So I don't want people to be deterred from all these headline news and thinking that DNI is not a part of what they're doing. I found some organizations, they're just changing their language to be more inclusive, although the purpose, those people didn't leave those roles. So they really still value and care about making sure that their portfolio that they're going to be invested in is equitable across all ethnic groups. Does that mean some opportunities are now not as open to supporting more of the DNI categories? It could be. Right. But I know people are changing their language, and I also know that people are still actively looking for specific type of organizations that align with what their goals are. Right. For instance, if an organization wants to get in front of the black community, they're going to invest in the black community so they can get in front of the black community. If they want to get in front of an Asian population, they're going to invest in that through sponsorship, because they need to get in front of it. Because at the end of the day, they're justifying business goals. Right. And remember, as I said, this is a marketing opportunity for brands. This is not a donation. They're not just giving because you're doing good, but they actually have goals attached to it. So that's what I would say for that. The other thing that I want to highlight is if you liken what we're experiencing right now to the stock market. Now, I'm a stock market girly. I am learning a lot about it, and I definitely do love. I do love, you know, kind of engaging in that way as a way to even build streams of wealth for myself. And so when you look at that, typically in the stock market, there is a. The bear market. There's a bull market, all right? And when there is a bear market, things are really down. When there's a bull market, it's like, let's go. And so typically in the stock market, there's one or two things that happens when there is a bear market. Right now, in the funding stream for nonprofits, we're experiencing that bear market. One or two things happen when people are experiencing bear markets. They cash out in their stock and they run because fear is a driver. Or people who are really smart about it. They look at the bear market as like, things are on sale. Let me double down. So I'd like to liken that to what we're experiencing right now. And although things are not on sale as really said nonprofit space, what is important is that people should not look at sponsorships or look at these headlines and, you know, pack their bags and go. What you really should be doing is doubling down on your relationships, even if you don't get a dollar, because the market always changes. And so I want to encourage nonprofits that you should still be cultivating and maintaining relationships, building renew relationships, because it's eventually the what we're seeing in our funding landscape right now for nonprofits will shift. And so I like to encourage folks to just make sure they're still deep in their relationships even if no funding is coming. And I also want nonprofits to really consider themselves as even during this downtime, it may not be the best. You know, I need the money to serve my community. That's great. But how can I become more of a strategic partner to brands versus kind of just asking them for money and not really providing a solution for those brands to meet their goals? And I know I'll talk probably more about this, and I have been talking a lot about this, but when you think about what sponsors are doing right now, they are trimming the fat, and they're looking for strategic partners to partner with, whether it's a for profit, whether it's a nonprofit. And as a nonprofit leader, you have to position your organization to be that strategic partner that that brand is looking for in order to help them meet their goals. And in exchange, they'll help you meet your goals through the dollars that they're going to give you to be able to support. Another thing I wanted to kind of highlight is that the data shows the Sponsorship Marketing association recently did a report from sponsorship professionals, and it shows that 30% of brands are actually expanding their sponsorship portfolio, meaning they are actually looking for more. In our sponsorship, where we call them properties, they're looking for more properties or events to basically invest in because they understand the power and they understand the shifts of the sponsorship industry that is happening that actually will help their organizations, their companies grow. And so with 30% of the people looking to expand, 26% of them looking to kind of streamline what they're already doing, it really does show that there are opportunities for growth beyond where we are currently. And if people can kind of put their eyesight on the future versus like, just kind of the current moment and getting stuck there, I think you really have an opportunity to be able to win.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. I want to thank you for that. That is a really good, robust assessment of kind of where we're at. And it's why I think if you just skim the headlines, you might miss the bigger point. I really appreciate your point about local companies and not just the Fortune 500. Right. Because, I mean, this is how Mariah and I met. We were doing a diversifying revenue workshop and corporate sponsorship was one of the pieces. We wanted to include that, like, don't give up on this. Don't think it's not an avenue that you should be pursuing, especially at the local level. Because just because the big companies like you mentioned, Target, you know, the real retailer are might be moving away from something, that doesn't mean that local businesses and stores are moving away from something. So really appreciate, appreciate that point. I wonder. So now that we have an understanding of the landscape, I want us to take a short break. But when we come back, Mariah is going to share her wisdom with us about how to actually create, sustain and maximize these partnerships. When we come back.

[C]

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[A]

Okay, we're back. So, Mariah, what is you've worked with a lot of companies, a lot of nonprofits. What is the number one thing corporate partners don't understand? Or I guess if we say it another way, what's. What's the number one thing they need to know about nonprofits? And flip that around. What do nonprofits not understand? Or what do they need to know about corporate profits Partners?

[B]

Right now that's a really important question. Glenda and I want to kind of like dice this up to where it's really digestible, right? From the corporate side versus the nonprofit side. Because most sponsorship challenges come down to misalignment and expectations. And so when I am actually working with a nonprofit or even a corporation, you know, there's usually conversations about like, how do we align to where it makes sense? Because for corporations, if it's corporate to corporate, very simple. In terms of like easy being able to understand, like ROI with a nonprofit, it's not always that one to one case. So on the corporate partner side, the biggest misconception is that nonprofits are simply just looking for funding. And while that might be true in some cases, in reality strong nonprofits are actually looking for strategic partners as well. And so not just, you know, the checks of being able to have a transaction or to, you know, just have someone at their gala. Strong nonprofits and very savvy nonprofits are also looking for strategic partners. What corporations need to understand is that most, the most effective sponsorships are tied to not just the mission alignment and the audience access, but also the brand storytelling. This just looks like not like having just like a logo placement, right? It's like what type of story are we trying to tell as a corporate partner, as a nonprofit partner, as we emerge in together, when corporate sponsors approach sponsorships transactionally as well as when nonprofits approach them transactionally, both miss an opportunity for deeper engagement, whether that's employee involvement or whether that's like a long term brand equity that can be built through the shared partnership. Totally on the nonprofit side, the biggest gap is understanding that like, corporate partners are not philanthropist first, right? Again, as I talked about at the top, you know, this is a marketing tool for corporations. So they're not philanthropists first. They are businesses with objectives. And this is the mindset that I want nonprofits to adapt is really understanding that you are a solution for these brands. And when you're being a solution to these brands, there is a goal they're trying to reach. So what does that solution look like so they can actually meet that goal. That means you are thinking about like, what is the potential ROI for this brand when they come on board to partner with us? Is brand visibility a huge desire of theirs? Because let's be honest, some of these brands that people partner with, they already have brand visibility. They're running commercials, they're out in the community. Brand visibility might not be the thing that they care about, or brand awareness may not care about that, but they might care about how are we positioning ourselves as a company within the market, right? Within the market share that we have, how we position ourselves with our audience, right? And also, like, what are the internal metrics or things that a nonprofit as well as a for profit company are looking to really evaluate to determine is the sponsorship successful? Nonprofits oftentimes lead with need instead of value. And so again, we think about like mindset shifts, right? And because the industry is shifting and Shifting very rapidly. And if nonprofits don't become early adopters of the shift, then they'll get stuck and doing antiquated methods and strategies in order to partner with these brands. And so when a brand or nonprofit I may be working with or if, you know, even when I was a sponsor, like I would, you know, have conversations and they're leading with like we need X, Y and Z with a cycle. What are you going to do for me in exchange? Because I got, you know, I've got internal goals that I need to help other departments meet and I can meet them by partnering with you. But if you're just talking about the need, then there's a, there's a misalignment there.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So the shift really has to be from, you know, here's why we need funding to how, here's how, you know, partnering with us helps you meet your goals. And that really comes with a lot of active listening and understanding your partner, I think about building these relationships just like you would with a significant other. You're not immediately meeting someone and telling them all of your needs. Like that would scare them off.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

And so in this same context, you know, you're working with a person who happens to work at a company that you want to support your organization. So when you are leading with me versus value and versus like understanding, like what do they need to understand how you can meet those needs? It just makes the relationship better when both sides meet in that middle, nonprofits leaving with value, then corporation leaning into true partnership versus kind of like these transactions. That's where I think that people can move from these one time sponsorships to very long term revenue generating relationships that really do allow both organizations to merge messaging and blossom. I find that those are the most successful sponsorships where you can see how they've merged things together and.

[C]

Awesome.

[B]

And done something kind of different than what we traditionally know in the sponsorship space.

[A]

Yeah, I, that, that is so true. And I can't, I, I'm flashing back to early in my career when I started working with corporate partners and coming in and like doing the, we're helping these people and we need more resources to help these people. And, and in truth, company like it's almost better to come in asking questions like what are your goals this year as a company? You know, what are you, what are the values that you're trying to live? Is this about engaging your employees? Is it about marketing the brand? Is it about like what, what's your objective in having the conversation and potentially Partnering with us because you're right, nonprofits, a lot of time, it solves a problem or it meets one of those objectives. You know, we, when I worked at the center, we worked with a company that was a cosmetics company, and they had a big studio that they would shoot things in, and they offered us, hey, we'll. If you guys want to come over, we'll shoot your headshots for all your senior people. Now, if we, as a nonprofit had hired someone to do that, that would at least be like five grand or something as an expense. And they did it for free. And because they're cosmetics, like, they did the makeup and they had all the lighting and like the perfect. It was just such a. It was such a great thing for us and for their employees to be like, hey, we're doing this cool thing to give back to the LGBT community in this case. And it really made them feel good. It made us feel good like it was. I, I think people miss those opportunities sometimes when they're only focused on the dollars. You know, they're only focused on like, how much are you going to give us, where do you want your.

[B]

Yeah, etc.

[A]

Etc.

[B]

So, and I, I'd add to that because I think when people think about, like, okay, if I'm a non profit, and I'm like, well, you're doing good, or, or this is a good thing and you're making impact, those companies also believe that they're doing impact with what they are providing.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So whether it's like a telecommunications company, well, they're providing a solution to people who need telecommunications. It might not be as dire as like, food, food insecurity, but they're still meeting the need. And so that ideal of coming like, well, this is good. It's like, well, they also believe that they're doing good as well.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It just may not look like kind of like the social good that you're used to. So just also understanding that they have that as well.

[A]

I really appreciate that you distinguishing that. It's like, companies are not philanthropies. They're not foundations. They're not put on this earth to just give out money to so other

[B]

people can do good things.

[A]

They are trying to reach some objectives of their own. And so it really helps to go in and find out what those objectives are and see if your nonprofit could actually do that. Which kind of gets me to the next topic I wanted to talk to you about, which is success. So let's start with corporate partners. What do corporate partners need from nonprofit Partners right now, how are they deciding whether to support an organization if it's a first time thing, or how are they deciding, you know, you said, which I think is true, some of them are trimming the fat. You know, they might be cutting some of their nonprofit sponsorships. What's making companies say, oh, I gotta stay with this company and keep supporting them right now?

[B]

Yeah, that's a really great question. And honestly, every corporation is different, right? So while I've seen some common themes, I can't speak to every organization. But what I do know is that corporate partners are being far more selective right now. And at the highest level, most corporations are assessing their sponsorship portfolio and they're asking a very vital question about like, is this partnership helping us meet a clear business or brand objective? It's just as simple as that. And so there are some primary things that I think nonprofit partners need to really kind of assess. And as they engage in these conversations, they need to be cognizant of. So the first thing is having clear value and alignment, right? So corporate partners, they want to see a direct line between your mission and their goals, right? What are you trying to do? Whether it is brand visibility, or maybe it's community impact or employee engagement, or maybe it's just, just trying to reach a market that they need to reach. If that alignment isn't obvious, it's harder for them to say yes. And there's a quote that I love quoting. It says a confused mind always says no. So when you are in line leading with things like, oh, this is doing good, but it's like if they're confused about what the value is or where the alignment is, it's hard for them to say yes. And so the non profits that win are the ones who can clearly articulate. Here's how partnering with, you know, us helps you achieve X, Y and Z. Now granted, sometimes, you know, you're not able to talk to a sponsor, sometimes that happens, right? You don't know their goals, you don't know what they want. But I do believe even if you're not able to talk to them, I think looking at their social media, looking at their website, you can probably pick up on some things that they actually do care about that might align with your organization. The second thing I want to talk about is having a strong professional, like sponsorship experience. Most sponsors don't come back because the experience wasn't good. And so it's very interesting because this is like a renewal, like strategy. And I'm actually doing this for a client now where I am going on site to provide white glove service, essentially. And sometimes people are like, I've heard this before in the industry where people are like, well, they're corporate. They should be. Of course they should be given. You know, why do I have to serve them? But it's like, no, this is your funder. And if you keep your funders happy and you keep serving your funders, they're going to keep the funding coming, right, for you to be able to continue to make that impact. So having this professional sponsorship experience is a really, really big one that I think a lot of people miss. Because corporations are evaluating not just what they get, but how is it delivered, right. Is the communication clear throughout the process of securing them? Are they onboarding, you know, well, like, what does that process look like for them? Are you actually fulfilling the promised benefits? Because sometimes people are not even doing that, which is so interesting because I've experienced that as a funder and you give people 15,000 and then they don't even do anything, which is, which is crazy. And I've experienced that a few times in the industry. And so I think making sure that that experience is seamless and professional from start to finish, you know, not just when you get the money and then now you're, you're, you switch up. But like, let it be a spirit of excellence from the beginning to the end. If a sponsor has to chase for updates or if they don't feel prioritized, it really does impact, you know, their renewal decisions very, very quickly. The reason being, Glenda, is because there's so many nonprofits they could be supporting. Like, you're not the only one, right? There's 1.9 million nonprofits in the U.S. and if you looked at your specific state, there's hundreds of thousands, I'm sure. And so when that level of excellence is there, it really does help a nonprofit also stand out. The third thing I would say in regards to this is having measurable impact and follow through. Right? So more than ever, companies, they're having to justify where their dollars are actually going, right. They're looking for post event reports, which I can tell you not a lot of people do. It's crazy to think about it, but most people are not doing post event reports. I remember as a sponsor, you know, I would actually be really impressed by those that would do them because it was so infrequent that people would actually take the time to talk about. Yeah. To talk about like, well, what happened at the event. Right. And I think again, it's just Such a missed opportunity to be able to really, you know, get them to renew. And that's the point. You want to create this recurring sponsorship revenue. But if you're not talking about what happened after the event and I don't hear you again for another six to nine months, it's like, are we in a relationship or not?

[A]

No.

[B]

And so nonprofits, nonprofits that close that loop and say, hey, here's what your investment did are the ones that get renewed and the how corporations are deciding that they're looking at all of those things. And it really comes down to these, these three internal questions. Right. And it's, it's like, hey, bid this partnership help us achieve our goals. That's number one.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Was, was it easy? Was it enjoyable to work with this organization? Was it seamless or was it very choppy? And I can think, you know, with the second question, people can actually work through some of those things through conversation. I mean, I have had to do that as a sponsor where it's like, hey, we were promised this, but this did not happen. How do we work through it? How do we rectify and how do we improve? And you know, when I've had to have those conversations, they made the tweet and we were in relationship with them for a very long time. And then the third question that sponsors are asking as they are deciding if we want to renew or if we want to keep supporting is can we see ourselves growing with this organization long term? And it just really makes a difference to understand is this an organization that we want to essentially connect ourselves with year after year? And if the answer to those are yes, then your one term sponsorship can really turn into a long term partner. So short, short question, long answer. But I know there was a lot there.

[A]

Yeah. But I think it's all really important and it's fascinating to know. I want the nonprofit listeners out there to realize like the, and I guess I know this happens, but like some folks are not even fulfilling the agreement for the money. They're not even showing the logo or doing the thing.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And, and like with any relationship, mistakes can happen, but if you don't communicate about it and fix it, that relationship is probably over. So it's like that's, that's an easy thing that, that nonprofits can do to fulfill the promises that they make. And then the reports at the end, I'm not surprised, given, I'm not surprised that a lot of folks don't do them. But it, what it says signals to me is this is a lower Lift thing. Like if you send an email after an event and say, hey, this event was covered in X number of media outlets and we had X number of attendees and we, you know, whatever raised X amount of money, like it's just the kind of things that you already know. But communicating them back to the sponsors can be really helpful for then that company to say, see, look at all of this. This is why we have to partner with this organization. So, okay, so let's, let's flip it, flip the question and talk about nonprofits. How are they? Because this is not something that there are nonprofits out there that say, we don't work with corporations, we don't take corporate dollars. And there are a number of nonprofits out there who say we work with corporations, but we need to be values aligned. You know, we decide who we want to partner with. How are non profits deciding who to partner with and which corporations are going to work for them as partners?

[B]

Yeah, I love this question because I think that nonprofits forget that they also have and hold power as well. Right? So like traditionally it has been, I'm coming to the sponsorship table, I'm asking for money. They have the power to say yes or no. And while they do, as a non profit leader, you also have the power to control who you're essentially invited into partnership with. You into your ecosystem, right? Into what you've built. Something special with your community. Like you are opening up the gates for any brand to come there. So you really have to, I think non profits are really looking at is their brand voice and their brand values aligned with what we care about. And I think we have to think like Gen Z, because I feel like after 2020 and all the things that have transpired over the last several years, I feel like there's been a demand placed on corporations, particularly from millennials and Gen Zs that are like, what's your stance on this issue? And so we as we as a people have become a little bit more clear what war corporations stand, which is why the De and I thing comes up. It's like, do you stand for this or do you not? Right? And so I think what happens though is nonprofits, because the funding is needed, sometimes we let go of our own boundaries and our own values in the process of trying to secure the dollars. And I understand the need to do that.

[A]

Right?

[B]

I understand the need to navigate that space. However, when it's done, it's really like you've now crossed your own personal or organizational values and mission. And so when I think about like how nonprofits are actually connecting with particular corporations and deciding upon who do we want to partner with? It's who does our community need? That's number one. And it should always be a strong focal point, because essentially, as a nonprofit, you're just a channel of making sure you're connecting your audience with the right partners that will make their life easy. Like, everybody is a mutual partner in this entire ecosystem. So that's one aspect of it. It's like, who does our community need? You know that because you know your data. When you're not collecting data, you don't know who your people need. So I would definitely start there. The other part of it is, again, where does this company stand on things that we care about? So, for instance, if it is the LGBTQ community, where does this company stand on that? Have they come out publicly saying something against that? Right. Like, there's enough information out there to determine where people actually what they believe in. And so I think non profits are being more careful of that. And they're also being more careful of if we partner with particular brand or will we be seen as, like, buying into what they're doing if we promote them as being a part of what we're doing? And I think nonprofit leaders are saying, like, well, I'm going to be unemotionally attached to this, and if it doesn't align, I'm going to be willing to walk away from the table. Again, it should be no different than being in a relationship with someone. If it's not going to work out, it's not going to be something that you foresee can be long term or you can foresee that there is values align. It's the same concept. You got to be willing to walk away and leaving whatever money on the table because not all money is good money for you.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And so I think nonprofits are really cognizant of that.

[A]

I completely agree. I think most nonprofits will not make a. Will not take money from a company that would alienate their community. You know, that's just not a trade off that you can make. And when I've seen that happen, it usually results in not good circumstances for either bad press for the company, and it's bad for the nonprofit. So, yeah, checking out that values alignment feels really important. We're going to take one more quick break, and when we come back, we're going to talk about some lessons that you have learned, Mariah, because you've been out there doing this for years so people don't have to learn those lessons. They can just learn from you after the break.

[C]

Today's episode is sponsored by DRG Talent. I go way back with drg. This team is passionate about strengthening the nonprofit sector. Their work goes well beyond a holistic executive search process with strat plans, comp analyses, culture surveys, leadership, 360s, and the list goes on. I refer clients to DRG regularly, and I'm excited to be able to say this with a microphone in front of me. These folks are good and they care. Reach out to them, drg talent.com and tell them, Joan Gary sent you.

[A]

So, Mariah, you have a long and vast history of building successful corporate nonprofit partnerships. Can you share some of the lessons you have learned along the way? Whether it's, you know, the good or the bad or the ugly that has taught you those lessons? Can you fill our listeners in so they can. They can kind of start a little bit ahead of the game?

[B]

Absolutely. You know, most of my lessons, the best lessons, they come from trial and error. Right. Being on both sides, whether it's as a funder now consultant, actually helping nonprofits to navigate this space. And I would even say, you know, someone that is also personally securing sponsorships for things as well. So I understand, like, the grit, the tenacity, the processes that need to be in place in order to make sure that this is a seamless and successful process. A few that really stand out to me, that I think I've seen on all of the ends, I think will be very helpful for folks as they navigate the sponsorship industry is that the first one is that sponsorship is a sales process. It's not a favor. And so when you look at it as, like, what is the sales cycle that I need to take a brand through in order to close them? Because that's. That's the end game. Right. And the same thing for a corporation. It's like, well, I know that I'm in a sales cycle for this nonprofit organization that is pitching me an opportunity. What does this look like? Because when. When favors kind of come in and the politics of sponsorships come in, you know, really, it's a. It's a very dangerous place to be in, because if any person leaves that's connected to that relationship, the sponsorship falls. Right? So early on, I saw a lot of nonprofits approach sponsorships like this. You know, again, we're doing good work, so companies should support us. Should they? You know, why should they? You know, have you sat down and thought about why should they? I mean, I don't think a lot of people sit with the why before engaging in those conversations. But sitting on the corporate side taught me me quickly that there's budgets, right? There's metrics, there's internal approvals tied to every dollar. And so the lesson here is that you have to position sponsorship as a business decision, not a charitable gesture. Right. And so when you look at it, when you look at it from a sales process, your whole way of approaching it is very, very different. Very different.

[A]

Yeah. I just want to say one thing there because I have learned and relearned this lesson throughout my career. The calendar matters. When. When you mentioned it's a sales cycle, it's like, I just want to say to everybody out there who's like, yeah, yeah, I'm focused on individual donors now. I'm going to think of corporate partners in the fall. That timeline might not work. All your, like, philanthropic, charitable dollars may be gone if you don't. If you approach them too late, like you have to. This is actually a question to ask. To ask your corporate partners is like, absolutely. When do you make these decisions? Because many of them, it's the beginning of their year, whether that's a calendar year or a different year. And if you come and approach them at the end, you're putting yourself basically a year behind because they're like, sorry, we've already spent that money and it's committed for next year. And like, the sales cycle is not short, so get in there.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Now.

[A]

And start building those relationships. I would say, yeah.

[B]

And if I would add, you know, sales cycle typically between six to nine months, so you have to have some time in between. And if you don't have existing relationships for those non profits that are smaller, give yourself 12 months. Right. You might close earlier, but at least give yourself that time because not only are you closing, you're building a relationship. And so, yeah, that time is very, very important, for sure. I would say the second lesson that I've seen and also experienced is that the real work after, you know, sponsor says yes is after that. Like, it's not even just in the part of like, securing them and identifying the contact and making a connection. The real work happens afterwards because you're trying to maintain this person so you don't start getting on the hamster wheel of trying to secure them year after years. If you really have built a relationship and done it in a way that is proper and, and also actually done the impact. Right. Like some people build relationships, but then their impact on the side, on the other end, or the execution of their event is actually poor and so when that happens, it's like you got some rectifying to do in order to make sure you can maintain the sponsor because it makes the lift lighter. So a lot of organizations, they focus heavily on securing the sponsor and then dropping the ball on the experience. So when we talked about earlier about like, you know, the post event, you know, the post event seeming very simple. It's because most people are wearing so many hats just planning the event that they're not thinking about after the event.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And you almost have to think about the beginning, middle and end so that you can keep them coming back. Right. And so, and, and most people might say, oh, this feels like a cat and mouse game. But it's like, no, this is how you build the relationship. This is how you sustain this type of partner. Maybe very different than your grand total mentors or major donors or monthly givers may be very different. But this is the game for the sponsorship.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And I've seen partnerships that should have renewed, but they didn't come back simply because of like poor communication or just lack of follow through or just lack of execution. Right. So I think retention truly is built through execution, not just promises. And so when we look at having simple customer service or hospitality, it really can go align way as you continue to build that relationship.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Another lesson that I am still really sitting with because, you know, as a funder, I used to, you know, receive all sorts of one size fit all packages. Right. And when I'm serving clients, sometimes we do that method. Sometimes we're doing more customizable things, especially if it's like a top dollar sponsor, like we will do whatever you need us to do. As it aligns with what our capabilities and capacity are to do, it has to still fit. And so I've learned that, you know, one size fit all packages don't always close deals. I think it's a very easy way and maybe even a more passive way to secure sponsors. But when it comes to being able to close deals at a higher level, those deals should, you should have some flexibility to customize them. Right. The deals that close and grow, they are mostly customized. I mean, I remember myself as a sponsor. Again, you'll see a lot of one size fit all. But those that actually customize packages, like I used to work with the Los Angeles Rams and some people may say, well, yeah, that's a big, you know, company, whatever, whatever, or why would you be funding them? But they do a lot of community work and I imagine most sports teams, I've supported lots of sports Teams. And so they do a lot of community work. And so every time they do a sponsorship agreement, they're having conversations, they're asking what your goals are. They're customizing a package based off of helping us meet our goals again, strategic partner. So it's like not a fight for like why we would continue to support such a brand. Because the way that they're doing sponsorships is understanding the sales cycle, but also customizing because they know they want to make help that partner actually meet a goal. Sometimes when it's one size fit all, they can't always meet their goals. Like, it's just, they feel trapped. And so, and this is just kind of like common thought in the sponsorship world conversations, I guess I would say in a sponsored world where it's like now I have to pick and choose from the options and they don't always fit very well.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And so I'm kind of, I'm sitting with this because I'm, I'm torn with it. Right. I do like the idea of having something that is kind of standard because it, it's standardized and allows you to do automations, which I'm always, always about. Like, let's help these nonprofits save time because, you know, they're doing a lot with a little. Yeah. And, and customize as needed. But I think when you can have the opportunity to customize, that means you are list understanding your partner's goals and then shaping the opportunity to the extent that you can around that. Right. It's less about selling a package, it's more about like, how do we build a solution for this particular partner, especially if they're given top dollar.

[A]

Right. Yeah.

[B]

So of course I've had a list of other lessons that I can share, but I don't want this to be too long. But I do think those are some of the top ones. And you know, I know we kind of talked about timing at the top and that's timing is definitely one of the, the biggest ones that can make or break the organization. Like, you can have the best idea, you can have the greatest organization doing amazing impact in the community. But if your timing isn't right, you're oftentimes going to put yourself at a disservice in your community. At a disservice. Because you've just come too late. And so I encourage people to get, get ahead of it. For sure.

[A]

Yeah. Get ahead of it. And I. One of the things I keep thinking listening to Mariah is that I think people, people understand when they're dealing with an individual, like a donor that, like, you can make a mistake and recover from it, you can, oh, yeah, miss a deadline or whatever. That's true with companies also, though, like, if it absolutely is a relationship and it's not just transactional, you come to someone and they say, oh, all our money is spent this year. You shouldn't then turn around and say, okay, goodbye. The next step then is to say, great, can we start having conversations now? Because I want to make sure that we're in there for next year. I think we're a really great partner for you, and here's why.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

I do think it's possible. I have seen nonprofits recover from. From mistakes, and I've seen companies change because of their connection to nonprofits, where they might be considering a policy or they might have said or done something that their nonprofit partner can come and say, hey, that's. That's not very well received over here. It can be a very, very mutual thing. I guess the last. Last thing I wanted to leave listeners with from my end is just for the folks out there that don't have a lot of experience with this, and they're like, oh, how do. How do I even start? You know, how do I. I'm a small nonprofit. I. We don't have corporate partnership. Where should I look for these people? How do I actually build this? Like, how. Or companies who are like, we're a company, we don't really do any of this, and maybe we should. You know, we're. We're a community company.

[B]

How.

[A]

How do people get started?

[B]

Yeah, I love this because this is where strategy turns into actual action.

[C]

Right.

[B]

And so for those that, you know, don't have corporate partners, it's. It's very important for you to be intentional.

[C]

Right.

[B]

With your relationship building. So I would say, first thing is that you want to get clear on your value, and you want to be able to articulate what is our value. Right. How are we different from other companies or organizations that might look like us in our city, in our region, or maybe even in the nation, Right? And so you want to, you know, get really clear about that. And for corporate partners, you want to get clear, like, what are our goals? And how can someone in the nonprofit sector actually help us meet those goes. So the same question is being asked, just from different angles. You also want to understand, like, who your audience is, because your audience segments will also drive your sponsorship outreach.

[C]

Right.

[B]

I had someone tell me, like, oh, I just want Lexus to pay for. To be a part of our event. And pay for it. It's just like, well, do you and Lexus share similar audiences? Like, you know, like that it has to make sense. Right. And so getting clear on value is important and being able to articulate it. I would even say building a targeted list, not just a random list. And you, it might start random at first, but as it, as you look at that random list and make it more targeted as you do more research to understand are we truly aligned? Like, again, I may put Lexus on my list, then realize and research it like we're not actually really aligned. So when you think about that and building a targeted list, whether you are identifying who's already in your warm network or who you don't have access to at all, but you feel like they would be aligned with what you do, you want to really kind of assess what that looks like. The third thing I would say is to create a simple but strong sponsorship offer. You don't need a 30 page deck. In fact, I would definitely not do 30 pages. A sweet spot is a sweet spot is about five to ten pages. Right. Anything beyond that, it's like, now you're writing a grant and we don't need all this information. And so you want to have something that's the simple but strong in terms of, you know, what is the potential opportunity that they get to partner with you? What is the event, the campaign, the program? If they support programs, which is not always likely, then you want to think about what does the partner receive in exchange for their dollars. Not just, you know, in terms of the brand benefits, like a logo placement, but like, what else might they receive? Like, would they receive some of the intangibles in terms of, like, maybe they get to change the perception of their brand for a particular audience, or maybe they get to be invited into a space where, with an audience that they wouldn't traditionally fund it or wanted to be a part of. Right. And so thinking about that as well, and obviously you may not be able to answer all those questions, but these are some of the questions that you can ask a partner when you engage with them to also just get a better understanding, gleaning information from them so you can build a knowledge base.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And the fourth thing is just start conversations. Like, just start conversations. We're not focused on pitching in the beginning. Sometimes it's just starting the conversation. Your first outreach shouldn't feel like a hard sell. It should really sound like, hey, you know, we're exploring partnerships for whatever event or initiative. And you love to learn more about, like, their goals to see if there's some potential alignment and how you can open up that door for real partnership, not just transactions. So I would say that on both ends, every. Everybody's a session right now. Everybody's also being, you know, chosen to be the world with less, even sponsors sometimes. So I want people to be cognizant of that.

[A]

Yeah, that makes so much sense. And, and I would say those conversations, that first conversation should be easy because you're not asking them, do you want to sponsor my organization for 25,000 or you know, no. Like no. That's probably a no on that deck. It's it. Look. What is that tldr like too long. Don't read. Like make it too long. I mean, companies like people do not have time to read that stuff. So make it really to the point, interior point. Mariah, about like left levels and customization. I will just say at the nonprofits I've worked at, we've had a situation where the lower levels are standard. This is what you get. Everyone at this level gets it. When you get up to some of the bigger levels, you know, for us it was like, if someone's giving us $50,000 or $100,000, we're going to customize that a little. We want to make sure it's exactly what you want, within reason, what we can deliver. But if we did that, every single 2500 or 5000 dollar sponsor that becomes like, it will be a lot unmanageable.

[B]

So very much so.

[A]

Just think about that. You don't have, it doesn't have to be a brand new thing for every single sponsor.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You have any, any other things you want to share that with the audience that I haven't asked you about?

[B]

I just, just for parting words, I would say that, you know, sponsorships are not about transactions. They truly are about transformation. I do think that when they're done right on both sides, it can really be a beautiful thing that can blossom into a really good relationship and partnership long term. And also organizations that I see that are most successful are the ones that are not chasing the dollar, but they're starting to really build meaningful strategic partnerships. Again, asking the right questions, shifting your mindset to even ask the right questions and understanding that you, you are a very valuable piece to what the sponsor needs and they're a very valuable piece of what you need in order to get the work done. And so everything will change. Your conversations will change, your confidence will change, and ultimately your results. Right. Which is what we're aiming for. Not Just the money, but the partnerships and the ability to make greater impact and have a greater reach. And I'll also add this, that I don't want people to feel like you have to wait until you're ready. Like, this is a. This is a journey. Right? So getting started now, it's an art and a science. So developing your own rhythms, your rhythm is not going to look like my rhythm in terms of closing deals. It may take someone longer versus someone else. And so getting your own rhythm and feel of what it looks like to actually navigate the sponsorship conversations and closing them in the sales cycle. So I want people to be intentional, take some intentional actions, and over time, you begin to see the results that you want to see.

[A]

Yeah, absolutely. And don't give up.

[C]

It's.

[A]

It's.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

When you find those partners where you're like, oh, this was meant to be. We're meant to be together. We could do so many things together. And this is wonderful. It's benefiting us. Like, that is. That is just a magical thing. So I would hang in there. Definitely agree with you on that, Mariah. Well, if folks want to, you know, this is what Mariah does, is work with non profits and work with companies. So if, if you are someone out there and interested in learning more and working with Mariah directly, we will have all her information. The sponsorship catalyst in the show notes. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Yeah, we really appreciate it. And keep building those partnerships. It's really exciting when they work out and they're. They're so fruitful.

[B]

Absolutely. Thank you so much, Glenda, for having me.

[A]

Of course. Thank you for spending time with us today. We hope this conversation provides valuable insights as you navigate the messy but meaningful world of nonprofits. A special thanks to Donor Perfect for sponsoring this episode and for their dedication to empowering nonprofits like yours to do more good. For more resources to support your work, visit joengarry.com podcast. We think you'll find a lot of helpful things there. Most importantly, thank you for all you do to make the world a better place. One small or large step at a time. Talk to you all next time.

[B]

Sam.