Ela Soccer Club

 The primary purpose of the program is to develop sources of funding for the club, separate from fundraising events primarily involving members from the club, like the Ela dance.  In exchange for cash contributions to Ela, the limited number of corporate partners will be afforded enhanced exposure on our web site as well as exposure on all Ela printed and electronic material that goes out to the club.  The partners will also be allowed to provide promotional offers for discounted goods and services or other items of benefit to our members through direct mailings.  The marketing partnerships will be a win-win arrangement for both Ela and the partner in that our members will be receiving discounted goods/services, Ela will be getting more exposure in our community through press releases and co-branding by the sponsors, and of course, Ela will be receiving much needed cash on a predictable basis year in and year out.  The partners benefit from increased exposure to the community through our members, by having the Ela name associated with their company and by the potential increase in business traffic from our members. 

For the Corporate Marketing Partnership Program to be successful it requires your support.  As I said in my first letter to the club it is important that we support our business sponsors so that they see a benefit from their contributions.  Like all of you we get a significant amount of “junk mail” at home.  To differentiate the offerings from our partners, the mailings will be co-branded with the Ela logo to identify them.  Please take the time to open them and at least determine if the services offered are of value to you or others you know.  The content and frequency of the promotional offers will be reviewed and approved by our fundraising committee before going out to the club.  However, if you get something you don’t like, let us know about it and we will work with our partners to adjust their offerings.  If you do find something useful, please remind the corporate sponsor that you are spending your money with them because of their support for the club.  The partnership program is a work in progress and your input is valued.

The importance of corporate funding to the club cannot be understated.  Beginning this fiscal year the club is for the first time being asked to pay to use many of the fields we have used for free in the past.  Costs for gasoline, fertilizer, labor, water, etc. are rising significantly and directly impact our operating budget.  Without funding programs like our Corporate Marketing Partnership Program 100% of these costs will need to get passed along to our members as fee increases.  Our goal with our various corporate funding programs is to raise enough money to limit the effects of these cost increases to a minimum while still improving the quality of our program year in and year out.  
 

Steve Morell
President
Ela Soccer Club