Segway Direct Sponsorship Program
The Road to Direct Sponsorship!
Brought to you by Segway Inc.  |
Direct Sponsorship programs are considered a funding alternative for departments whose purpose is to use Segway Patrollers in a specific area or for a specific purpose. Some of these areas can be a downtown business area, retail district, and even a college campus. This can also be a good request for special event use such as concerts, festivals or parades.
A few tips as you go through your project:
- Stay away from addressing the letters "To whom it may concern". Take the extra time to call or email the potential investors to acquire contact information. By personalizing the contact information, there is a greater likelihood that someone will read the letter, instead of it ending up in the waste can.
- Before sending out a request, provide a copy of the draft letter and mailing list to the top officials (Police Chief, Mayor's Office or equivalent) for approval. This step will help to make sure there is no conflict of interest with potential investors and also eliminates the potential of targeting businesses that may already be sponsoring other divisions.
- Note — letters signed by two or more officials show investors that the department has the full support of the administration to pursue funding for the Segway Patrollers.
- The request letter should only be 1-2 pages; however, departments should have supporting documentation readily available in the event that additional information is requested. This will allow for a timely response to inquires to aid in the decision making process.
Step 1
Seek approval from your department's administration to solicit for project funding through contributions and/or sponsorship opportunities.
Ask if there are policies/procedures to solicit for and accept contributions.
- Who is authorized to sign the letter?
- Can you get a copy of the agency's W9 (tax exempt information) to maintain on file?
- Guidelines for what can be offered. (Example: are logos permitted on the equipment?)
Define the Project (1-3 pages)
- Brief description of the department (name, type of services provided, area served, the number and type of stakeholders)
- Include a paragraph or bullet points on what you are trying to achieve.
- Describe how the Segway Patrollers will help you to achieve your goal(s)
This is an in-house document that will help you to maintain your focus throughout the process.
Download: Sample Project Definition (PDF)
Obtain quotes for your project budget
- Include the cost of the Segway Patrollers and all related items (safety equipment, training, mechanisms for secure storage, etc)
Download: Sample Project Budget (PDF)
Research potential funders/sponsors
- Business listings may be available through websites for the local Chamber of Commerce, Service Groups, Community & Economic Development Departments
- Visit local community foundations or research community and corporate foundations online
Identifying the stakeholders in Step 2 can help to determine potential funders
Example 1: If the Segway Patrollers will be utilized in a Downtown Improvement Area, consider approaching the merchants association or businesses in the target area
Example 2: If the Segway Patrollers will be used for special events, consider approaching the large sponsors for the special events
Create a mailing list
- In addition to basic contact information, also maintain notes on how/why you selected that particular entity
Draft a request letter (1-2 pages)
- Be concise. The letter must cover all the aspects of who, what, when, where, and why without overwhelming the reader.
- Include information on how their contribution could be recognized along with the suggestion that the contribution is tax deductible.
Download: Sample Request Letter (PDF)
Obtain permission to submit the request
- Provide a copy of the mailing list and draft letter to the administration for approval
Send request letters
Follow-up
- Consider calling potential funders after 2-3 weeks simply to ask if the letter was received and offer to answer questions
- Try not to be overly aggressive. This is strictly a courtesy call.
- Use the information from Step 2 along with the notes from Step 4 to engage in discussion if the opportunity presents itself during the call
- Regardless of the outcome, make sure you thank each person for their consideration
Follow Through
- Be prepared for success. The last thing a department wants to do is not have a system in place to accept assistance in a timely manner.
- Lean on the expertise of the people in the finance office.
- Acknowledge the contribution.
