The University of Texas at Austin
Cockrell School of Engineering

Engineering Home > Office of Student Life > Student Activities > Corporate Relations Training Workshops > Procedures and Guidelines

Student Organization Corporate Solicitation

PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES FOR FUNDING EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

PROCEDURES

After a student organization determines that it would like to approach a company or companies to request funding or non-cash support for an event or an activity, the following steps in the order listed below are to be followed:

  1. Prepare a draft letter in final form, complete with company name, company contact name, and address of the company being solicited.  If more than one company will be approached, a merge letter with the list of companies, contact names, and addresses should be compiled and attached.  The name of the faculty advisor for the organization should be one of the signatures on the letter.
  2. Fill out a Corporate Solicitation Cover Letter Checklist. Attach the letter of solicitation to the checklist along with any other materials you intend to send. If your organization intends to send the solicitation materials to more than one company, please attach a list providing the additional company names, company contacts, and company addresses.  Submit these items to the Office of Student Life, ECJ 1.220.  You may leave these items with the Office of Student Life for review or make an appointment to meet with them.
  3. If your student organization plans to solicit any companies for funding, donations or speakers, please check with the Office of Student Life BEFORE approaching a corporate representative.  Special solicitation procedures may be required and your request may take additional time to process.
  4. The Office of Student Life will review the submitted documents for quality and to ensure that they meet the programmatic guidelines (please refer to the checklists).  The Office of Student Life will also review the attached list of companies.  Documents will be returned to the appropriate student organization mailbox in ECJ 2.200 in 2-3 business days if dropped off.  If reviewed by appointment, there should be an immediate turn around.
  5. If the request per company is greater than $500.00, please allow an additional business day for approval.  Consideration for approval will be given in the case where a company has previously supported the same event at the same level.
  6. The Office of Student Life will make a copy of the final form letter and any attachments along with the list of company contacts for the College of Engineering's Corporate Relations Office and the Office of Student Life.  These copies may be passed on to corporate representatives who express an interest in a specific student organization.
  7. Frequent contact with the Office of Student Life should be maintained to track the status of the solicitation.  Once a company has agreed to support your organization, please inform the Office of Student Life via e-mail at gggroth@mail.utexas.edu.  Please include the name of the event or activity, the date(s) of the event/activity, the kind and amount of support, and the company contact information.  The Office of Student Life will forward the contact report to the College of Engineering's Corporate Relations Office.
  8. A letter of acknowledgement should be sent to the company that agrees to provide support.  Give all the details of the event (even though this information was included in the original letter of solicitation).  This letter should also indicate how the student organization plans to provide what was promised.  Explicit details concerning the event should be included.  For example, please include who is going to attend, who will be the presenter, where to park, if parking passes are enclosed, etc.  Be sure the logistics of the event are clear.
  9. Invite a company representative to the event or activity if appropriate.  If a corporate sponsor will be attending an event or activity, the Office of Student Life will notify the College of Engineering's Corporate Relations Office. 
  10. Send a timely thank you letter to each corporate supporter.  The thank you letter should be sent within a week of the event or activity.  Send a copy to the Office of Student Life, ECJ 1.220.
  11. At the conclusion of the solicitation, a wrap-up report should be e-mailed to the Office of Student Life in care of: gggroth@mail.utexas.edu.  (See sample wrap-up report).  This information will be recorded and kept on file.  The Office of Student Life will forward a copy of the wrap-up report to the College of Engineering's Corporate Relations Office.
  12. The next year you hold this event or activity, contact the previous year's supporters before contacting other potential supporters.  The companies may want to support the event or activity again and may even wish to increase their participation.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

  1. At all times it is imperative that should a problem arise in connection with the solicitation of funding from corporate sources, a student organization representative or representatives should IMMEDIATELY contact the Office of Student Life at (512) 232-5778.  Generally, a problem can be resolved by following the procedures listed above before it escalates to a more difficult situation.  The Office of Student Life will notify the College of Engineering's Corporate Relations Office of such problems.
  2. If a company indicates displeasure at any time, for any reason, DO NOT continue to discuss your request.  Thank the person you are calling, and terminate the conversation.  Immediately contact the Office of Student Life at (512) 232-5778 to describe the situation.  The company may provide the requested gift if the problem is resolved quickly.  Please note: In this situation, DO NOT make a personal visit to the subject company.
  3. Be sure whatever is promised to the companies in your letter of solicitation is provided to the companies.
  4. If you have multiple corporate supporters, be sure the companies are compatible and not competitors. If you have any questions contact the Office of Student Life.
  5. The usual lead time for approval of solicitation letters by the Office of Student Life is 2 to 3 business days. If by appointment, approval may be quicker.
  6. DO NOT offer more than one company sole sponsorship of an event or activity until after the first company indicates lack of interest in funding.