For more than two decades, I have been helping U.S. nonprofits and corporations create high-profile cause marketing campaigns together, raising millions in the process. The one consistent question I have gotten through the years from almost every nonprofit I have worked with is, “how do I create a successful cause marketing partnership for my nonprofit?”  

Here are the keys to developing and deploying a giving platform that drives connectivity to corporate charitable and sponsor dollars.  

It seems logical to ask tech companies to fund your technology project. Nearly all of them do philanthropy work, and there’s a good chance that they make or sell something you need. But as it turns out, your chances are slim.

Darian Rodriguez Heyman, former Craigslist Foundation E.D. and author of the newly-released Nonprofit Fundraising 101 joined Foundation Center West to share concrete tips and tools for individual giving, foundation grants, corporate sponsorship, earned income, and online and peer-to-peer campaigns.

When you’re pursuing sponsorships, you’ll be talking to a corporate marketer, who will be thinking about how your proposed relationship can support the company’s financial goals. These three questions will give a peek at the marketer's mindset so you can craft an effective ask.