Build Partnerships and Find Sponsors

> Partners
> Sponsors

You will need partners and sponsors to effectively implement your campaign. The partners will help you with getting a high profile, and the sponsors will allow you to offer incentives for people to be change their idling habits.

There are many local businesses that want to help — all you need to do is ask!

But before you approach anyone to work with you on your local anti-idling campaign, figure out what you want from that company, and what is in it for them. (besides being a good corporate citizen). If you are not sure what's in it for them, ask them what they want out of the relationship.

When you approach the company with your proposal to partner or sponsor, give them a deadline for making a decision. A deadline will help you get a straight yes or no answer.

For the ones that say yes, be sure to recognize, thank and include them in all advertising, signage and news releases. Also, let them know the progress and the results.

Partners
You want partners who are established in the community or who want to be established in the community. You will be asking them for resources (human and collateral materials like signage and printing services). You'll also be asking them to be community leaders by implementing anti-idling practices in their own companies.

A very strong ally is your local seniors group. They are a good resource for volunteer jobs like taking shifts at idling hot spots and posting signage.

Other partners can help by placing anti-idling signs and/or posters in front of their businesses. They may even help by asking customers to sign the anti-idling pledge sheet, and giving out your incentive coupons to those who do. Some companies may offer volunteers to help with events, or to stand in idling hot spots and hand out anti-idling fact sheets. Some companies may print articles in their newsletters or post signs and fact sheets in their staff rooms.

Look for businesses that are already good corporate citizens. For instance, companies that sponsor little league teams, neighbourhood and charity events, etc. These are companies that are already in a good mindset to get on board with an anti-idling campaign.

Also look for companies/businesses that are new in town and want to make an impression. Evaluate local branches of major national companies, as the store managers have some authority on local programs.

One of the most obvious choices for a partnership is the schools and bus companies. The pick up and drop off zone at schools is a definite idling hot spot, because parents, bus drivers and delivery truck drivers add to unnecessary idling on school grounds.

Find out how Rogers Elementary School decreased the number of vehicle drop offs from 90 to 6 during iWALK month.

Parents and the community are usually very receptive to anti-idling programs, because they are motivated to protect children and improve air quality.

> Back to top

Sponsors
Incentives are a good way to get people to change their behaviour. When you are looking for sponsors to give you incentive rewards, look for companies/industries that are used to working with coupons or vouchers. Tell them your goals in terms of the number of people you would like to reach and how many coupons/vouchers you expect to be redeemed. Let them know they'll be recognised in all your print material and news releases etc.

For this campaign, you can use incentives in a variety of ways.

For instance, a volunteer could be outside a school drop-off zone and hand out coupons as rewards to those who turn off their vehicle when they drop off their child for school. Or to those in fast food restaurant lines who turn off their vehicles if there is a line-up. Or to delivery vehicle drivers in front of businesses.

This is where partners come in. You will need human resources to be your eyes and ears and to physically give out the rewards to people who turn off their vehicles in idling hot spots.

When thinking up sponsors, think of things/places that offer services or products that you would want yourself. Most people like the same things.

Also, be sure to include businesses that can actually help you get people to turn off their cars. For instance, a business that sells block heaters or cab heaters would be an essential partner in northern BC, because having an item like that would help eliminate excuses for turning off the vehicle in colder climates. Along those lines, another great sponsor is the local mechanic shop or oil change business because using the proper viscosity oil, installing glow plugs and block heaters are all good measures to take for starting vehicles in really cold weather.

TIP: Get your own house in order. It is important to demonstrate your workplace commitment to reduce idling before the message is conveyed to the public. Communities that have launched workplace anti-idling campaigns before launching public campaigns have a higher success rate in the community than those who do not.