Rotary supports small business while raising funds

I’m living the lifestyle of a beer store shopkeeper, working with nonprofits. There are organizations that we work with every year, through festival sponsorship.

Sponsorships are a weird thing. It means you give money to a nonprofit cause, then they allow you to publicize. (In my world it’s known as “the marketing budget.”) Most sponsorship programs are pre-defined as “sponsor levels.” Sponsorship levels define where your logo appears, if you get a link to your website, if you get tickets to attend, that sort of thing. Some are affordable to small business, others not so much.

(I once saw $1,200 as a “low-level” sponsor option for a one-day festival; choked on my beer!)

2012 was a year in which working with the Rotary Club was a really cool thing.

With the Rotary Club of Des Moines, you don’t have to be a member to help. As a business, I don’t have to join. Anyone of legal drinking age can attend one of their great festivals at the Des Moines Beach Park: the three-day Poverty Bay Wine Festival in the spring, or the late-summer Poverty Bay Blues & Brews Festival. (I am so hoping they add a Sunday to the Blues & Brews in 2013!) Sitting in a park, sipping on a great beverage, with great music, friendly folks, and delicious tri-tip… I can’t think of a much better way to spend an afternoon.

Another thing I like about Rotary: Support and encouragement of local businesses. Through sponsorships from local businesses, they’re able to support other local business. Moderating B2B transactions, Rotary members donate their time to run errands, pick up sponsor banners, and put on the festival.

Yeah, you read that right: They get a sponsor to buy the big-ticket raffle item.

(In contrast, many nonprofits ask for high-ticket items to be donated.)

This year Des Moines Drug & Hallmark paid $500 to sponsor the raffle. The Rotary Club of Des Moines took that $500 and spent it at a local business, mine.

😀 !!

I think it’s really cool that the Rotary Club of Des Moines supports local businesses while raising funds for Highline Music4Life.

“The Rotary Club of Des Moines is an association of civic leaders who are making our community and the world a better place to live, learn, work, and play.”

KUDOS to the Rotary Club of Des Moines for raising funds that give kids ability to achieve great things through music, while also for supporting local mom-n-pop shops! Cheers!