ADGA Convention Fundraising Letter
The American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA), with over 13,000 members, is the
largest registry of dairy goats in the United States. Every year the Association
holds an Annual Meeting and Convention, and in 2002 it will be held in Hagerstown, Maryland, in 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee, and in 2004 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At most Conventions between 300 and 500 goat owners attend for at least a day or more, participating in seminars, clinics, ADGA-sponsored activities, social events and visiting hospitality and vendor areas.
The ADGA Annual Meeting and Convention has always been an excellent place for businesses to showcase their products, and each year we offer businesses of interest to goat owners the opportunity to be sponsors of the Convention. We have various levels of sponsorship, and we hope that you will be able to join us and participate.
Our Sponsorship Program has two goals for our participants: to lower the registration fees and improve Convention programming. Both of these results will mean that more goat owners want and be able to attend our Conventions.
Founding Sponsor ($2,000 and up): Founding Sponsors are featured as the centerpiece of each Convention. This sponsorship may be tied to a specific event or Convention entity. For example, Purina Mills, Inc. is a Founding Sponsor for the years 2001 through 2003, and their sponsorship funds the Purina Mills Spotlight Sale tent. Founding Sponsors might fund the Banquet, the Welcome Dinner, the Youth Dinner, the Spotlight Sale Champagne Brunch, or a specialized event that the sponsor might suggest. All of the promotional features of the Premier Sponsorship are included, plus Founding Sponsors will have prominent exhibit space to meet their needs.
Event Sponsor ($750 - $1,750): Event Sponsor funds will be used to pay for program and event costs. Lower level contributions may be used to fund our Youth Program while upper level sponsorships may fund our program speakers or meal events. A Youth Program Event Sponsor would be recognized as such, and other Event Sponsors would be recognized as sponsors of a specific event. Event Sponsors may share sponsorship with another Event Sponsor. All of the promotional features of the Premier Sponsorship are included, and each Event Sponsor will have prominent exhibit space (the equivalent of two vendor tables).
Premier Sponsor ($500 donation): A Premier Sponsor’s participation will be cited in Convention publicity as well as in the program which all registrants receive. In addition, the company’s logo will be printed on the tote bag all registrants receive. Premier Sponsors are invited to install a banner in either the vendor area or in a prominent position at the Spotlight Sale. Premier Sponsors will also receive one free vendor table and registration badge allowing them to visit the vendor and hospitality areas, and Spotlight Sale tent.
Participating Sponsor ($350 donation): A Participating Sponsor will be cited in Convention publicity as well as in the program. Participating Sponsors will be invited to install a banner in either the vendor area or in a prominent position at the Spotlight Sale.
Sponsor ($100 donation): A Sponsor’s participation will be cited in the program
that all registrants receive.
In the past, we have been able to feature all sponsors on our Convention website and in 2001, as part of the sponsorship, the Convention website linked to the sponsors' websites.
While we would be delighted to have your sponsorship for a single year, our past Sponsors have all agreed to three-year commitments, and we would hope that you would see that such an ongoing commitment would give your company the most visibility and return.
At past Conventions, goat-related businesses have found it profitable to participate either as vendors and/or as sponsors, and ADGA members have long supported those businesses that support the Association. We hope that you will be able to join us as a sponsor of upcoming ADGA Conventions.
Sincerely,
Joan Vandergriff
Chair, ADGA Annual Meeting Committee