Participants of our previous conferences had their expenses paid partially or in full by a single benefactor or a combination of several sponsors. The majority of this funding has come from within their home universities, local businesses and private or corporate foundations. Some students have had their student fee paid for, while others have received grants to cover the cost of their airfare. The more ambitious students have managed to obtain funding for both.

Step 1: Prepare a budget

When planning your sponsorship effort think about the following expenses:

• Conference fee
• Travel costs
• Visa and Insurance costs
• Other miscellaneous and overhead expenses

Before you start fundraising, prepare a detailed budget and outline the costs in each of these categories. Think of what expenses you may encounter and identify those expenses that you are unable to cover personally. It is a good idea to devide the total cost into several groups (equal amounts or by category), as you have higher chances of finding several smaller contributors ready to sponsor only a part of your expenses. Make sure to let your potential sponsors know what your total budget is, what percentage of it you contribute yourself, and which share of it you expect them to contribute. Despite of the amount they contribute, each sponsor will be recognised equally. Refer to our sponsorship package for the list of benefits we offer to Student Sponsors.

It is very important to start your fundraising with a positive and ambitious mindset. You have to realise that there are companies and organisations who are interested in supporting youth initiatives, and it is only a matter of approaching the right sponsors. By sponsoring you, these entities are not making you a favour, but rather pursuing certain goals to fulfill their CSR policies and missions. It is therefore very imporant to emphasize that you are supporting their activities as much as they support you.

Step 2: Gain knowledge of the project

Before starting any fundraising activities, it is important that you know what the International Youth Leadership Conference is. Browse through our web-site to find more information that will support your applications and requests.

You need to understand what you will gain by attending the IYLC: will the conference support your academic or professional career, will it help you become more experienced in certain fields, will it help you with your research or other projects etc. You need to justify why attending the IYLC is important to you, and more importantly what you think you will gain as a result of it and how this new experience will help you give back to your community.

Brainstorm to identify how the IYLC will benefit various aspects of your life, and have this list ready when approaching different sponsors - there should be something on this list to appeal to them.

Step 3: Identify potential sponsors

Starting your fundraising is easy if you have a clear view of who you want to to approach.

It is best to start by identifying the industries that are supportive of the goals you are pursuing and are interested in youth projects and initiatives. These may include: headhunting, tobacco and alcohol manufacturing, sporting, automative etc.

You may then narrow down your list of potential sponsors by doing an online research and identifying which of these support particular fields of concern to the IYLC: leadership, sustainable development, human rights, intercultural communication, human rights, peace and justice etc.

The better you know your potential sponsors, the more you can address their particular "needs". Make sure you know the terms they are using - by using these their terms you can better relate to them.

Chambers of Commerce, Visitors' Bureaus, various Ministries usually have public listings (books of lists), which profile businesses and community organizations with their contact information. Other places that might provide these listings may include local media outlets, prominent businesses, investment firms etc.

Step 4: Approach potential sponsors

The people you will be dealing with are extremely busy! It is therefore very important that you have everything ready when you approach them. By the time you make a contact you should know precisely:

- What the organisation does
- What values and goals it pursues
- What CSR policies it has in place, if any
- What funding/scholarship resources it offers, if any
- Who the right person to contact is (these are usually CEOs, marketing, advertising, public relations or other departments)

Based on this information, you should customise your request/application to address the "needs" of a certain potential sponsor.

- Phone call:

This is a fact-finding endeavor for you as much as making a personal impression. After introducing yourself, you need to find out who your contact will be in the organization. If you can’t speak directly to them talk to their personal assistant (Personal Assistants are extremely valuable!). Be honest in your dedication, polite and pleasant when interacting, provide information when they request it – be professional.

- Sending the information:

Most organization will ask you to provide something in writing. Have a package prepared, ready to go out, that includes some or all of the following:

Cover letter 
Copy of your acceptance letter
Your budget
Letter from CCI to your sponsor
IYLC sponsorship package
IYLC schedule of events
Your resume/CV
Reference(s) from university staff
Reference(s) from an employer
Promotional materials

A good cover letter is one of the most valuable ways to communicate your need. It should clearly outline everything that has been presented in the introductory phone call. It as well gives you a chance to show something a little more personal, like: why is it so important for you to participate in the conference, what do you hope to achieve or how will you use what you have learned to improve your community. However, it must remain professional. Keep it simple and concise.

If you need a letter addressed to a potential sponsor on your behalf signed by Civic Concepts International, please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

- Follow up:

Never let too much time lapse between the receipt of your package - whether by post or fax - and your follow up phone call. If they do not hear from you in a reasonable amount of time they will simply remove your information from their desks.

Again here is another chance to make a personal contact. This is where you want to begin the push for a meeting, if not with the original contact (“he’s too busy”) that with whoever you think is the best choice instead? Would the original contact be willing to speak over the phone if he/she can’t set up a full meeting?

- The Meeting:

You must always be prepared when you walk into that meeting – this is your chance. Have all the materials you need or that they have requested, dress professionally, be on time, but most importantly it is your presentation that will sell the sponsorship. Have a clear plan of presenting your case to the decision maker:

Introduce yourself again – briefly, if they are already familiar with your case
Description of the conference
What you see as the benefit of attending for yourself
What you propose to give them back in return for sponsorship
What are their benefits from sponsoring you
Facts and figures on costs
Have deadlines handy

Step 5: Fulfill your obligations

Once you've received a sponsorship it is very important that you fulfill all the obligations you've undertaken. You need to make sure you inform us about the sponsorship and send us your sponsors logos on time, so that their support is acknowledged. You also need to send a thank you note to your sponsor, describing how much you value their contribution and what impact it had on your professional and academic career. Send them links to web-site pages where their logos are placed, and any other materials that mention their support to you.