In cooperation with Creative Strategies Group, the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado is holding an event sponsorship seminar on March 5 in Denver and March 6 in Colorado Springs. Encouraged to attend are nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and other groups seeking guidance on how to attract and retain quality sponsors for their special events year after year.
The seminar is being approached from a corporate sponsorship perspective, according to Marcie Moore-Gantz, deputy director for programs for the Gay & Lesbian Fund. “Event sponsorship is becoming increasingly competitive. Organizations that are planning events need to have a certain level of sophistication and the ability to clearly articulate the value of their product when seeking financial support, particularly from the corporate sector. This workshop will give attendees the tools and skills to more effectively promote their events to potential sponsors, and in doing so make a significant contribution to the long-term success of event-related initiatives in their organizations,” she said.
The seminar will be held on the following dates:
Denver:
Monday, March 5
8:30am to 3:30pm (lunch included)
Gill Foundation
2215 Market Street
Colorado Springs:
Tuesday, March 6
8:30am to 3:30pm (lunch included)
Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado
315 East Costilla Street
Presented in four parts, the seminar will provide organizations with the nuts and bolts of conducting an inventory of an event’s sponsorable assets, designing and pricing compelling sponsor packages, preparing top notch proposals, and providing the activation and fulfillment services needed to assure sponsors’ success. Ultimately, organizations will learn how to strategize on event sponsorship opportunities so that sponsors are compelled to support events year after year.
General information about applying for event sponsorship from the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado will also be available. “We have recently altered our sponsorship guidelines, and we encourage organizations to come learn about those changes. Participants in the seminar may find that they are a good fit for a sponsorship from the Gay & Lesbian Fund,” said Moore-Gantz.
The fee for each seminar is $15. Advanced registration is required. Participants may register online at www.gayandlesbianfund.org or by contacting Paulette Lopez at PauletteL@gayandlesbianfund.org or 719-473-4455 (toll free: 800-964-5643).
Creative Strategies Group (www.csg-sponsorship.com/) is one of the nation’s leading event marketing and sponsorship agencies specializing in festivals and special events. Among its clients are the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, Philadelphia Flower Show, Cherry Creek Arts Festival, the Colorado Garden & Home Show, Pontiac, Centura Health, the Colorado Lottery, U.S. Bank, Kaiser Permanente, and others.
About the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado
The Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado was established in 1996 as a program to financially support nonprofit organizations that enhance the quality of life in Colorado and promote equality for all people. Since its inception, the fund has awarded more than $18 million to hundreds of nonprofit organizations whose program areas include arts and culture, civic leadership, healthy families, and public broadcasting. In addition to providing financial assistance, the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado offers training programs, workshops, technical assistance, and public meeting space to strengthen nonprofit organizations’ ability to grow, flourish and succeed. The organization is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. For more information please visit www.gayandlesbianfund.org.
About the Funds
Every year, the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado receives a financial allocation from its parent organization, the Gill Foundation, that must be donated in the form of grants to nonprofit organizations that have an IRS 501(c)(3) status and adhere to a nondiscrimination policy inclusive of sexual orientation. These monies, which typically amount to approximately 18 to 20 percent of the Gill Foundation’s earned investments, are not used for private or political purposes, in accordance with IRS regulations.
