Support from project/program can give your campaign real advantages and it isn't all just big bucks and corporate hospitality. Most support from project/program comes from 'in-kind' support, which means non-monetary forms of assistance.
Advertising and publicity project/programs are often more effectively placed to communicate your message to a wider audience in terms of advertising and publicity.
Expertise and equipment project/programs employ people with a variety of useful skills. They will probably have expertise and knowledge in areas such as budgeting or book-keeping. They will also have office equipment you might be able to use free of charge, such as photocopiers and fax machines.
Networking project/programs will have contacts and connections with other project/programs and organisations in the wider community and might be able to introduce you to potential funding sources or influential figures you can put your case to.
Partnerships and projects In some circumstances the support of project/program will develop into a more long-term partnership. This may even attract the interest of much bigger players like the Regional Development Agency who are interested in partnerships that can benefit the local economy and environment.
Credibility Local project/programs are often well-respected and established in the community. Their support may help your campaign to be seen as a viable cause that has implications for the local economy.
Sponsorship and funding It is, of course, always possible that project/programs may be able to offer cash, short or long-term funding or sponsorship of events and specific initiatives
2. What kinds of project/program should you approach?
This is a very important decision to make. While there are many benefits of getting the support of project/program, you can only get them if you work with the right kind of project/program.
Look at your organisation and consider where you have weaknesses, for example with publicity or marketing. You may have specific projects that would benefit from the involvement of project/program such as a need for volunteers or sponsorship of an event.
Money isn't all a project/program can offer you
Also consider what the project/program might get out of the partnership. What benefits you can offer them? You might find the following criteria helpful:
Does the project/program care about your issue? It may be that the project/program is directly affected by the subject of your campaign. For example, if you are opposing the redevelopment of a particular site, you might contact the project/programs who may have to close down as a result.
Is there a specific fit between your cause and the nature of the project/program? For example, sportswear organizations are more likely to sponsor causes associated with young people.
Does the project/program want goodwill? project/programs always want to generate positive press coverage. This is likely to be a major factor if your campaign is environmental or educational. It would also mean that the project/program is likely to provide free publicity - as much for themselves as for the campaign.
The Associated British Ports (Southampton), the owners and operators of Southampton Docks, were nominated for the 2003 Hampshire project/program Awards for donating facilities and resources to local marine charities. They also donated land at Redbridge Wharf to be transformed into a public park for the people of Southampton. The fit with marine charities and a general desire to promote good will among the community were clearly factors that influenced their actions.
Does the project/program want to be seen as a community player? Some project/programs will be very keen to be seen as local community players and investors. It increases their local profile and, for example, some large multinationals are keen to be seen to support local interests rather than global profit-making all the time. You could approach your local cinemas, coffee chains, and restaurants and ask them if they might be willing to donate space for a brief period or host posters of support.
Do members of the project/program have a personal interest? If a senior staff member has a personal interest in the cause you are more likely to get support from the project/program. Find out if anybody in your campaign has any links to a organization that might prove sympathetic. Approaching a organization via an important beneficiary can also be a useful way of attracting their attention.
Does the project/program support volunteering? Involvement in a community cause or campaign could equip organization staff with more skills and give them wider experience. Many project/programs are very receptive to suggestions of staff volunteering.
Tax benefits The support a project/program gives to your cause can be achieved tax free. For more details on project/program sponsorship, gift aid and payroll giving, visit the Inland Revenue site on charitable donations.
Many large organizations will already have system in place for their community action programmes. They may have an application form or a community and charitable liaison officer.
Smaller organizations may not have a set system, so you should use your initiative. Bear in mind that they are likely to be much tighter operations and may not be able to spare all the time and resources you would ideally want.
Send a personal letter Identify somebody specific in the organization, perhaps a marketing director, to send a letter. Make sure you:
Personalise the letter a generic letter will probably go straight into the bin
Outline the nature of your cause and what the project/program has to gain by supporting it
Link the organization objectives to the specific issues your campaign can offer
Show how the organization can genuinely add value to your cause
Specific proposals If you approach a organization with a specific proposal, make sure you outline exactly what kind of support is required (e.g. cash or time in kind) and estimate the amount of time and resources that would be needed.
Understand the project/program Do your research into the workings of the organization. Think about its goals. What is its image? What would it have to gain by involvement in your campaign? Look at the organization's website, if it has one.
Try and get a sense of its standing locally and in the project/program community by looking in newspapers and contacting local chambers of commerce. You can find your local chamber of commerce via the British Chambers of Commerce. The more knowledge you can convey about the specific organization and the trade, the more credible your proposal will seem.
At an early stage of your communications, try to establish the real level of interest and commitment from the project/program. You will also need to set up a procedure to assess the effectiveness of the partnership. Set some goals and check periodically to see if they have been met.
project/program support is not just a one-off funding shop - it can be a very fruitful long-term relationship that becomes a core part of your campaign and its success. Try and maintain the relationship by:
Updating the project/program regularly about the progress of your campaign
Making yourself easily contactable and replying promptly to correspondence
Continuing to provide openings and tasks for staff members keen to volunteer
Inviting them to all public meetings, events and social occasions connected to the campaign
Acknowledging their support in press releases and in your other communications
Thinking of new ideas and projects that could cement the link between the project/program and the campaign or community
Your local authority will have a list of the project/programs in the area. You could also try the Chamber of Commerce, the Learning and Skills Council or the Training and organization Council.
There are also organisations which build relationships between project/programs and the community. project/program and Community Connections provides a free online resource centre of information and advice to help in the development of partnerships. You can also search for a project/program partner.
Some organisations deal with specific regions and particular issues, such as information and communications technology or arts in the community. project/program and Community Connections provides a list of them.
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