MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS WITH CORPORATE PARTNERS

Strategic Alliances, Feb 16, 2011-Christina Inge

Kick-Off Meeting

Can be virtual, but always best if they come to you and see the work you do

Include as many people as possible, even with limited responsibility for partnership

Include people at the top of each org, even if they won’t manage day-to-day details, so upper management has a clear picture of expectations, timelines

Responsibilities

Outline what the minimum is you need from your corporate partner: Lists Collateral Sign-offs

Establish the deadlines you need everything by. Have a master document

Responsibilities will mostly be within your org

See if the partnership can come with a resource/fund a resource

Regular Touchpoints

You are going to have to initiate—the corp. may be a big partner to you, but you’re just a small marketing channel to them

Passionate advocates can be made, they don’t have to start that way

On-board all your contacts with your regular membership marketing program. If possible, give key contacts complimentary memberships to ensure regular communications from all relevant departments, sense of ownership

Get Tools Collaboration software; file sharing

Tools for managing multiple partner/sponsor relationships at different level

Free or low-cost tools, or free to nonprofits: Google Docs JoinMe Project2Manage Basecamp Salesforce (apply for grant) SugarCRM

Measure

Nonprofit Corporate Partner

Donations Achieve CSR goals

Membership Achieve marketing goals

Project completed Employee engagement

Awareness Awareness

Define & measure success on both your end & theirs

There will be both different & common measures

Where to Get Resources

Technologies for Managing Donor Relationships: Salesforce Grants: http://www.salesforcefoundation.org/node/2758 DonorPerfect: http://

www.donorperfect.com/landing/info-moretime.asp eTapestry: http://www.etapestry.com/

Sample Sponsorship Agreements: http://contracts.onecle.com/type/62.shtml

Guidestar 2011 Report on Best Practices for New Business Development in the Nonprofit Sector

http://www2.guidestar.org/rxg/news/publications/nonprofit-business-development.aspx