Most company fundraising is related to charity. Some do it out of a sense of philanthropy or social responsibility, like McDonald’s creating the Ronald McDonald House. Others see it as good publicity or promotion, or it gives them access to new markets and/or increases their sales. Some also consider it a wise investment for the future.
After the why, there is the how. Some firms just make a direct cash donation of a specific amount. Other will match the amount given by their employees. Then there are the non-monetary items: gifts, staff to fill volunteer roles, sponsoring an event, doing advertising, and doing marketing for an event. And, how big the company is has little to do with how big (or small) their support will be, it all comes down to the results. What will the firm’s involvement yield to the group?
Things to consider: go after an appropriate contact person in the company. Sometimes it is public relations, a charity coordinator etc. Keep an eye on budget. As stated above, some companies won’t give monetary contribution. With those companies, talk about advertising, marketing etc. In a lot of cases, the company may require a proposal. If so, do your homework and write up one designed to catch the attention of relevant staff.
So, that brings up the next point: drawing up a proposal. What do you want to put in it? First, look for a link between your group and the company, something in common that they share. Do you share the same interest? If the firm likes to help put books in the hands of needy kids, and your group is First Book, you have got a match made in heaven. If they’ve got some sort of criteria for making a contribution, get it. After that, match your group up to as many points as possible and outline all of them in the proposal. Then there is the question of organizational skills. Are you looking for a company to partner with, or just get a financial contribution from?
Finally, when doing company fundraising, look to establish a one-on-one relationship with the staff. Very often, some sort of PR officer will control the flow of information up the "food chain" to a senior manager. So, a key to opening doors is building a good rapport with that lower staff member.