Your Event Design is Dependent on Funding

Your team may have designed an incredible TWR event, but without at least a little bit of funding or in-kind donations, it will be hard to make your team’s vision a reality. Fortunately, whether you are part of a high school, university, or faith-based community, there are usually sponsors in your community willing to provide funds for this type of event.

You can request that vendors provide what you need for free in exchange for recognizing them as sponsors during your event. These are known as in-kind donations. You’ll never know what’s possible if you don’t ask!

Before you can ask anyone for funding or in-kind donations, you need to figure out exactly how much you need, so step one is to create a budget. We’ve provided a budget template for you.  

Once you’ve created your budget, then reach out to potential sponsors in your community. Studies show that organizations / businesses are more likely to contribute if your ask is made over the phone or in person - so we recommend calling to follow up, or showing up with a printed copy of your letter. Persistence is key! Below is an email template that you can customize to start:

Email Template to Recruit Sponsors

Hi [Name of Individual],

April is #TogetherWeRemember, a global month of remembrance and activism to end and prevent violent hatred. To commemorate victims and celebrate heroes who saved countless lives, [Your Community Name] is hosting an interactive vigil and live-streaming our experience in solidarity with thousands of others on social media.

We are currently fundraising to fulfill our ambitious vision for the event and would like to invite [Insert Name of Organization] to be one of our flagship sponsors. Our fundraising goal is [Insert Requested $ Amount], which will go towards the costs of [Insert What the $ Will Be Used For].

If this opportunity is of interest, I would be happy to tell you more about what we have planned so far and how your [organization/company] could play a key role in helping us achieve our goal! You can learn more about #TogetherWeRemember by visiting the website and watching this brief promo video from last year’s campaign.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

[Insert Your Name]

No Matter What, Don’t Sweat It

Even if your budgeting and fundraising efforts come up a bit light, don’t sweat it! We can help you simplify your event design and reduce the expected cost! While it’s nice to have funding for things like professionally printed signs, t-shirts, and out-of-town speakers or performers, they are by no means mandatory for a great event.

With your funding needs covered, let's...