Creating a tool for Partnership

Creating a Sponsorship Package

A practical and reliable tool for market use to showcase partnership opportunities for potential sponsors.

 A sponsorship package is not just a document; it’s your story, your offer, and your invitation all in one place.

A strong sponsorship package:

  • Builds confidence for market staff and board members
  • Makes sponsorship easy to understand for businesses
  • Keeps messaging consistent across conversations
  • Saves time (no rewriting the pitch every time)

You do not need a fancy design or a long document. Simple, clear, and intentional wins every time.

What a Sponsorship Package Is (and Isn’t)

It IS:

  • A clear explanation of why sponsorship matters
  • A menu of partnership opportunities
  • A tool to support conversations and follow-ups

It is NOT:

  • A hard sales pitch
  • A price list with no context
  • A one-size-fits-all demand

Think of your sponsorship package as a conversation companion, not a closer.

Core Sections of a Strong Sponsorship Package

You can keep this to 3–6 pages total. Less is fine.

  1. Cover Page

Purpose: Set the tone and establish credibility.

Include:

  • Market name + season/year
  • A simple headline (e.g., Partner With Your Local Farmers Market)
  • One strong line about mission or community impact
  • Logo and basic contact info

This page should feel welcoming, trustworthy, and clear, not flashy.

  1. Why Sponsor Our Market

This section answers the emotional why.

Pull directly from your Why Sponsor Us content:

  • What your market supports (local farmers, food access, community connection)
  • Why sponsorship matters
  • How sponsors are treated as partners

This reassures potential sponsors that they are supporting something meaningful and well-run.

  1. Our Impact (Keep It Human)

Purpose: Make impact real and relatable.

Include:

  • A short description of who your market serves
  • A few highlights (years running, number of vendors, key programs)
  • One or two tangible examples of community impact
    • Kids’ programs
    • Food access initiatives
    • Support for the local economy

You do not need perfect statistics. Stories and clear examples work just as well.

  1. Choose Your Impact: Sponsorship Focus Areas

This is where your package becomes especially effective.

Include your Choose Your Impact menu, such as:

  • Live Music & Programming
  • Marketing & Outreach
  • Equipment & Infrastructure
  • Kids’ Programs
  • Customer Loyalty Program
  • Food Access Programs
  • General Market Support

Giving sponsors options helps them feel invested and makes the “yes” easier.

  1. Sponsorship Levels (Your Tiers)

This section answers the practical questions.

For each tier, include:

  • Tier name
  • Investment amount or range
  • What’s included (bulleted, clear, realistic)

Optional but helpful:

Benefits may expand as our marketing grows.

Avoid overwhelming detail. Clarity is more important than quantity.

  1. How Sponsorship Works

This section removes friction and uncertainty.

Cover:

  • Timing (seasonal or annual)
  • How sponsors are recognized
  • Flexibility (initiative-based or general support)
  • Who to contact with questions

Tone matters here. Keep it collaborative:

We’re happy to talk through options and find a partnership that feels like a good fit.

  1. Simple Call to Action

End with confidence, not pressure.

Examples:

  • Let’s talk about partnering this season.
  • We’d love to explore how we can grow together.
  • Contact us to learn more or customize a sponsorship.

Creating a Sponsorship Package in Canva

Canva allows you to:

  • Start with professionally designed templates
  • Customize colors, fonts, and layouts to match your market
  • Easily update text, images, and sponsorship tiers each season
  • Export your package as a PDF for email or printing
  • Share editable versions with staff or board members

This flexibility makes Canva ideal for evolving sponsorship programs.

Start With a Simple Template

Look for Canva templates labeled:

  • “Sponsorship Proposal”
  • “Corporate Sponsorship Package”
  • “Community Partnership Proposal”

You’re not looking for something flashy, just clean, readable, and well-organized.

Once you choose a template:

  • Replace placeholder text with your market content
  • Remove unnecessary pages
  • Keep the layout consistent

Your goal is clarity, not complexity.

Use Real Photos From Your Market

This is one of the most important, and often overlooked, elements.

Sponsors want to see the community they’re supporting.

Use your best images, especially:

  • Customers shopping at the market
  • Families and kids participating in activities
  • Vendors interacting with shoppers
  • Live music or special events
  • Your info booth or welcome area

These photos communicate:

  • Energy
  • Trust
  • Community connection
  • Real impact

Even simple phone photos work if they show genuine interaction.

Tips for Choosing Images

Look for:

  • People-centered images (faces matter)
  • Natural moments (not staged or empty scenes)
  • A mix of vendors, shoppers, and staff/volunteers
  • Diversity and inclusivity where possible

Avoid:

  • Generic stock photos
  • Empty booths or wide shots with few people
  • Dark, blurry, or low-quality images

Your sponsorship package should feel alive.

Keep Design Clean and Sponsor-Friendly

Good design helps sponsors absorb information quickly.

Best practices:

  • Use 1–2 fonts consistently
  • Leave plenty of white space
  • Use headings and bullet points
  • Make sponsorship tiers easy to scan

Remember: many sponsors skim first.

Make It Easy to Update Each Year

One of Canva’s biggest advantages is reusability.

To future-proof your package:

  • Duplicate the file each season
  • Update dates, pricing, and initiatives
  • Swap in new photos
  • Keep the structure consistent

This saves time and keeps branding cohesive year over year.

Exporting and Sharing

Once complete:

  • Export as a PDF for email outreach
  • Keep the Canva file as your master version
  • Share a view-only link if collaborating

You can also pull individual pages, like Choose Your Impact, as standalone PDFs for follow-ups.

How This Package Gets Used

Your sponsorship package becomes the backbone for:

  • Pitch emails
  • In-person conversations
  • Follow-up emails
  • Board fundraising efforts
  • Grant and sponsorship outreach

Once this exists, everything else gets easier.

A Confidence Reminder

You are not creating a sponsorship package to “ask for money.”

You are creating a tool that:

  • Invites partnership
  • Supports local agriculture
  • Strengthens small businesses
  • Grows community connection
  • Helps sponsors align with something people trust

That’s worth asking for.

Find Your Next Step With These Links

Fundraising Introduction

Intro to fundraising basics for markets: why it matters & how to get started.

Deciding What You’re Fundraising For

Clarify your fundraising goals so every ask has purpose and impact.

Funding Readiness Checklist

Checklist to assess if your market is ready to raise funds with confidence.

Sponsorship Pitch Guide

Pro tips on pitching sponsors so they see value in supporting your market.

Why Sponsor Us Messaging

Core messaging to explain sponsor benefits and market community value.

Sponsorship Tiers

Tiered sponsor levels that offer clear benefits and value for support.

Creating a Sponsorship Package

Build a sponsorship package that feels fair and motivates support.

Sponsorship Package — Example

Example package to model your own sponsor offerings and perks.

How to Find Sponsors

Strategies to identify and reach potential sponsors for your market.

Sponsorship Emails

Email templates to pitch sponsors without the guesswork.

Corporate Grant & Sponsorships

Guide to writing strong applications for grants and corporate support.

In-Kind & Service-Based Sponsorships

Leverage non-cash sponsors who give goods, services, or staff time

Year-End Sponsor Thank-You

Thank-you templates to recognize sponsors and keep relationships strong

AI-Ready Prompt Templates

AI prompt templates to speed writing grant and sponsorship responses.

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Maine Federation of Farmers Markets
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Contact

mffmmarketingguide@gmail.com