hole sponsorship

[bwiese]

Find who controls your local Tourism money. Go to them with a proposal. Show that Disc Golf relates directly to tourism and hit them up for a couple of grand. You normally have to fill out a grant application to get those funds.

I've been filling out applications for grants for Disc Golf for a number of years now. Since 2007 for local tournaments and course construction $11,500 earned through tourism programs.

Thanks, that sounds like a great idea. What kind of things did you put in your proprosal?

 

[bwiese]

I believe you would need to be going through a 501C or something similar; i.e. a not-for-profit company. The process is not that hard to form one; but there is a cost involved; @850.00 I am in the process of forming one. The paperwork has been sent in; I got a return letter; saying the IRS has raised the prices and need to send them another $100; which I need to do. It then takes any where from six months to a year for them to process paperwork. Prior to this, you would need to become Inc., which costs a little bit, and happens rather quickly.

So...this is a more long range type of plan. I would suggest simply encouraging businesses to contribute because they want to benefit their community/get some advertising.

Do companies get to write off advertising as some sort of expense? Is Parks and rec a nonprofit type thing that I wouldnt have to do the 501c?

 

[Sadjo]

I include basic information and include other info gathered from tournaments...like where players come from when out of town. All depends on what the application calls for. One time I invited members of the city council to one of the local courses and had several players meet with the council and show them how to throw. The next meeting they gave us $6,000 to purchase 18 baskets.

 

[bwiese]

That is great, I will definately look into it. Thanks for pointing in the right direction.

 

[tallpaul]

Sadjo1 is doing the same thing I was speaking of. We have been forming an association for different reasons; primarily non related to disc golf. Our grant applications will go to many of the same groups he is speaking of though. And, it's not necessary to be not for profit. The benefit of not for profit is that contributors can deduct from their taxes. Also, though I am just learning the game; I believe there are some grant applications where it helps a great deal to be 501C.

 

[12StonesScott]

Does changing the verbage of advertisement to donation, change the donars ability to get a tax credit or be able to write it off on their taxes? If the companies or people can get a tax credit or write it off as advertisement I think I will be alot more succesful than if people are just giving a couple hundred bucks.

By itself, no. In order to be tax-deductible, a donation has to be to a recognized tax-exempt, tax-deductible charity (in most cases, a 501(c)3 entity). And the value of any goods or services received in return for the donation has to be deducted from the tax-deductible amount (e.g., when you donate to NPR during their pledge drives and get a coffee mug or sweatshirt or whatever, the fair value of that gift should be deducted from what you report as a tax-deductible donation on your taxes). So in this case, whatever advertising value the signs have should be considered factored into what the business claims as a deductible donation. That's usually a matter for the business' accountant to worry over, however, not something that you'd have to figure out for yourself.

As others have pointed out, getting established as a 501(c)3 is a non-trivial undertaking and takes some time. When we did our tee sign sponsorships, they weren't tax-deductible (and many businesses have a policy of only doing donations to recognized 501(c)3 organizations, so it did hinder us somewhat). Since then, however, the "Friends of the Parks" organization that's affiliated with our parks department has secured 501(c)3 status, so we can now structure donations so that they are deductible by routing them through that organization -- the sponsor writes the check to that organization, with a notation on the check that it's for the disc golf club, and they turn around and write us a check that goes into our account. If such an entity exists in your area, it can be a useful expedient to avoid the hassle, expense, and delay of getting 501(c)3 status directly.

 

[12StonesScott]

Do companies get to write off advertising as some sort of expense? Is Parks and rec a nonprofit type thing that I wouldnt have to do the 501c?

See my reply above -- the parks and rec department itself won't be a 501(c)3, but they often (as ours does) have an affiliated foundation or booster clubs or a "friends of the parks" organization that is and that can act as a clearinghouse for donations, allowing donors to treat donations as tax-deductible.

 

[Sadjo]

When it comes to getting grants from Tourism programs if you're not a Non-Profit organization, you can sometimes apply through the local park program...just make sure your Park and Rec director is aware of what you're doing.

In our case in Seneca, SC, we've done that twice. The first time we were given $2,000 for a tournament. Being we were not a Non-Profit, we ordered tournament discs and other items and submitted the invoices and the park and recreation department paid the invoices for us. The 2nd time, when we got the $6,000 for the 18 baskets, I ordered the baskets and had the invoice sent to the Park & Rec. They paid the invoice.

When we did that the order was made by the club and we determined when the baskets we shipped and where they were shipped.

All other tourism money (from other tourism programs in our area) was given directly to the club.

 

[rshrevo]

I have a question. our local league was looking at ways to raise money to put in concrete tee pads at a local course. We had thought about sponsors for each pad. the only problem we were discussing was how to show that someone had sponsored the pad. a small metal sign on the tee sign gets written over or torn off like they had at another park. we came up with the idea of using a stencil and imprinting the name of the sponsor in the concrete at the beginning of the pad. just wondering what you think of this idea?

 

[keith johnson]

Eagle Scout project for 6 of the concrete tees at Wills Park in Alpharetta, GA used 4 by 4 red paver tiles with the business / sponsor name etched in it and painted black - and we then sank it into the left back corner of the tee pad when the concrete was setting......2 & 1/2 years later - it still looks brand new when cleaned.

 

[aardvarkious]

We have annual sponsorship, and get fancy with it. $150 silver sponsorship gets your name/logo on a tee sign only seen by disc golfers. $300 gold sponsorship gets your name/logo on a tee sign near a path so that it it seen by tonnes of non-discers. Our $600 platinum sponsorship is for hole one, which is at the top of the main toboggan hill in town and gets TONNES of summer traffic. Our silver/gold signs are 5" high and 10" long. Our platinum is 1' square.

 

[SmoothSailor]

Find who controls your local Tourism money. Go to them with a proposal. Show that Disc Golf relates directly to tourism and hit them up for a couple of grand. You normally have to fill out a grant application to get those funds.

I've been filling out applications for grants for Disc Golf for a number of years now. Since 2007 for local tournaments and course construction $11,500 earned through tourism programs.

Where would I look for Tourism money? Would it be within my town's administration office?

 

[Kenny53691]

There is a local course in Cincinnati that has sponsorship and I think it last 3 years. I thought it was a good idea because in 3 years, another round of money will come in to put into the course.

 

[Sadjo]

Where would I look for Tourism money? Would it be within my town's administration office?

Depending on the size of your town and the different groups, tourism money can be gotten from the CVB , Chamber of Commerce, Merchant Association, City Council, County Commission or another group.

Where do you live? Send me some info on your area and I'll find out whom controls that money in your community.