It does not matter what you call it - grant or sponsorship - it is still
not charitable and therefore not countable. The company is paying you for
a service. The market research that is being done is for their benefit.
While your students might gain from experience the donor is still getting
the market research to benefit them and their brand. I see this as an
exchange transaction. The company is getting what they paid for in return
for their payment.
John
John H. Taylor
Principal, John H. Taylor Consulting
2604 Sevier St.
Durham, NC 27705
johntaylorconsulting@gmail.com
919.816.5903 (cell/text)
Serving the Advancement Community Since 1987
On Mon, Jul 22, 2019 at 2:26 PM Genide, Erin <
egenide@colum.edu> wrote:
> Hello everyone – I’m seeking guidance on structuring an agreement with a
> corporate partner.
>
>
>
> Our college has the opportunity to receive $25K from a corporation to
> support one of our design labs. Our goal is to have the funds go into the
> lab’s gift fund which serves as general funds for the department.
>
>
>
> Students will have the opportunity to do a market research project around
> the design needs and inspirations of a demographic chosen by the company.
> Students will research the opportunities for the brand among the
> demographic, and how the company can customize its messaging to this
> demographic. Potential outputs could be a targeted trends forecast, design
> brief, and look-book which would be presented to the company.
>
>
>
> We suggested structuring the funds from the company as a grant with a
> defined grant period and a year-end research report with the student’s
> finding. However, the company needs the agreement to be called a
> sponsorship and suggested called it a sponsorship/grant.
>
>
>
> Questions for the group:
>
> - Is it possible to structure this so the funds can count toward
> fundraising and be placed in the department’s gift fund?
> - Can anyone provide guidance such as suggested language for an
> agreement?
> - Given that the students are conducting research, can this be counted
> as sponsorship?
>
>
>
>
>
> Thank you,
>
> Erin
>
>
>
> *Erin Genide*
>
> Director of Donor and Alumni Services
>
> Development and Alumni Relations
>
>
>
> Columbia College Chicago
>
> 600 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 400
>
> Chicago, IL 60605
>
>
egenide@colum.edu
>
> Direct: 312-369-7589
>
> Department: 312-369-7287
>
>
>
>
>