In 2014, For Momentum conducted its first survey of U.S. nonprofit executives responsible for selling cause partnerships. They published the resulting Nonprofit Partnership Sales Cycle Research.
The survey was borne of a request from nonprofit clients who said that board members and other stakeholders often have unrealistic ideas about the amount of time it takes to secure a corporate partnership. For Momentum’s objective was to create a tool that would help nonprofit professionals better manage those expectations.
In April 2016, For Momentum conducted a new survey to update the benchmarks from the 2014 research, but also to elicit new answers about the factors impacting the sale of different cause partnerships. The survey included interviews with 50 nonprofits with corporate alliance teams.
Hitting the budget cycle at the right time is of high importance. Nonprofits should plan carefully to ensure their request is received in a timely manner.
Key Findings:
- Most respondents (84%) indicated that in-kind only sponsorships can be secured within six months, faster than any other type of sponsorship
- The number one reason given for turning down a cause partnership is a previous commitment to other partners.
