How to Pitch Corporate Partners as a Nonprofit (Without Begging for Attention)
Adapted from The Partnerships Playbook Podcast by BeeVisible
If you are a nonprofit trying to secure corporate partnerships, you have probably been told to lean heavily on emotion and storytelling.
But after sitting on the brand side with the budget in hand, I can tell you the traditional playbook is outdated.
This article is adapted from my podcast episode to give you a smarter, faster, and more effective way to land corporate funding.
Most Nonprofit Pitch Advice Is Setting You Up to Fail
You are told to tell your story.
Tug at heartstrings.
Make them feel the weight of your mission.
But here is the truth no one says out loud:
That is not what actually gets you funded.
I have sat inside the brand, with the budget, fielding pitch after pitch that missed the mark.
I have been the first point of contact for nonprofits looking for funding.
After going to Engage for Good this year, standing in a room full of nonprofits and brands trying to figure this out, it hit me: most people are being taught the wrong playbook.
Who I Am
I am Candice Bee, a partnership strategist who has helped nonprofits, Fortune 500 brands, and creator-led businesses move millions of dollars through strategic partnerships.
I have worked across the brand, agency, and nonprofit sides, and today, I help organizations cut through the noise, secure bigger wins, and build ecosystems that last.
If you are tired of pitching like it is 1995 and ready to partner like it is 2025, you are in the right place.
The Hard Truth About Corporate Partnerships
This is going to sound harsh, but my heart is in the right place.
The company you are pitching does not care the way you think they do.
You are not pitching "the brand."
You are pitching Taylor, a marketing or CSR manager juggling budgets, KPIs, her kid’s soccer practice at 5 PM, and a birthday party she is somehow in charge of planning.
She wants to make a good decision, reflect well on her team, and go home.
Your job is to make it easy for her.
You’re Pitching Three People, Not One
Every time you pitch, you are pitching:
The person reading your email (Taylor)
The person she has to convince (usually her boss)
The final decision maker or at least the person they need to align with (CMO or CEO)
You win when you make all three moments easy.
You are not just helping Taylor say yes.
You are helping her sell you internally without even trying.
Companies Are Not Charities
The company you are pitching is a for-profit business with a lot of stakeholders.
Even when they have a CSR budget, it is tied to:
Brand reputation
Customer loyalty
Employee engagement
Profit
You are not asking them to "care."
You are offering them a way to look good and do good at the same time.
Instead of being discouraged, let it free you.
You do not have to overwork.
You do not have to overexplain.
You just have to show them the win.
Partnerships Are Personal
You are not just partnering with a company.
You are partnering with a person.
Your real job is to make your contact look good.
Ask yourself:
Can Taylor go into her next meeting and give a killer update because of you?
Can she send a brag-worthy Slack message about partnering with you?
Can she get press, praise, or a "good job" email because of your work together?
If the answer is yes, she will champion you.
Building partnerships takes emotional intelligence:
Some people respond to friendliness.
Some people prefer sharp, to-the-point conversations.
Learn the difference. Act accordingly.
The Six-Sentence Pitch
Once you understand who you are really pitching, you land the meeting by using the Six-Sentence Pitch.
Here is how to make it easy for Taylor to advocate for you:
Identity: Who we are in one clean sentence.
2-3. Mission Alignment: Why our mission ties to their business goals.Proof: The single brag-worthy result they will get if they partner.
Activation: One killer idea you can activate together this year.
Call to Action and Timing: A simple ask for a 20-minute call within the next two weeks.
The IMPACT Method
If you want an even quicker way to remember it, I call this the IMPACT Method.
Because the right partnership pitch should create real impact for both sides.
I – Identity (Who we are, in one sentence)
M – Mission Alignment (How our mission ties to their goals)
P – Proof (What brag-worthy results we deliver)
A – Activation (One clear, powerful idea we can launch together)
C – Call to Action (A simple ask for a meeting)
T – Timing (Make it happen fast — within two weeks)
When you build your pitch this way, you are not just telling a story.
You are building a business case that is easy to say yes to.
Proof That This Works
I once closed a $160,000 partnership in a single meeting.
I stayed in touch after an initial "no."
I did deep research: press releases, earnings calls, priorities.
I walked into the meeting not telling a story, but showing a win.
I had a clean, strategic deck.
I presented one clear, aligned path forward.
They committed after one conversation.
It was not magic.
It was method and alignment.
And you can do the same.
How to Prep Before You Pitch
Google their latest earnings call.
Review their LinkedIn updates.
Skim their press releases for new initiatives.
Mirror their language back to them.
Make your mission feel like an obvious extension of what they already want to celebrate.
Give Them One Big PR Moment
Brands want to help — but they also want to be seen helping.
Pick one major moment:
A gala
An advocacy day
A cultural holiday
Build your pitch around it.
Promise assets, quotes, and a press-ready story.
Make it so easy they can already picture the headline.
Even better, suggest a sample headline in your pitch.
Keep Meetings to a Minimum
Every unnecessary meeting slows the partnership.
Meetings are for:
Budget approvals
Removing blockers
Greenlighting final steps
Everything else should move through tight, strategic updates.
Short wins. Quick progress.
Champion Your Champion
Celebrate your partner contact:
Comment on their LinkedIn posts.
Shout them out in your newsletter.
Make them look good at every chance you get.
When Taylor feels like a star, she will go to bat for you when it matters most.
Know When to Ask for the Check
Not every partnership needs a year-long strategy.
Sometimes the smartest move is:
Ask for a direct sponsorship for one flagship moment.
Deliver big.
Reopen the conversation later for bigger opportunities.
Simpler lifts mean faster approvals.
Creators Are Partners Too
Brands love when partnerships look modern and strategic.
Incorporating creators into your nonprofit strategy shows:
Cultural relevance
Bigger audience reach
Smarter storytelling
Done right, it can amplify your impact and credibility without massive spend.
Final Takeaways
You are not pitching for pity.
You are building strategic alliances.
You are not asking for scraps.
You are creating ecosystems that scale missions and money.
Build the right relationship, and you will not just get funded.
You will get championed.
Ready to Strengthen Your Partnerships?
Want help building your nonprofit's partnership strategy?
Learn more about working with BeeVisible here. [insert link]
Listen to the Full Episode
The Partnerships Playbook Podcast — Episode: How to Pitch Corporate Partners as a Nonprofit
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