What Are the Different Types of Sponsorship Organizations?

Obtaining a sponsorship is a goal for many hobbyists, amateur athletes and researchers, because this allows them to turn a part-time interest into a full-time career, and different sponsorship organizations fund different people. Business sponsorship organizations sponsor someone, usually an athlete, and adorn him or her in the company's products in hopes of increasing sales. Non-profit sponsorships are intended for people who help the community. Local government sponsorships may be similar to non-profit sponsorships in that they focus on the community, or they can focus on building up infrastructure through a research sponsorship. A government — whether local, state or national — may give out a sponsorship for something such as improving defense in a bid to help the entire country or region.

Business sponsorship organizations normally choose high-profile people, or people who may gain a high profile, and give them money in hopes of making a profit. This type of sponsorship is often given to amateur athletes who show skill and popularity. It also may be given to researchers if it benefits the company and the researchers have a profitable idea. In exchange for a sponsorship, athletes usually must wear the company’s brand to raise public awareness of that brand and boost sales. Researchers typically work behind the scenes, but their research is expected to create new products or services that increase profits for the sponsoring business.

Non-profit sponsorship organizations typically fund people who can help the community. This type of sponsorship may be used to research new methods to help the community, or it may go to setting up institutions that assist in helping people for some cause. The sponsorship may go toward a broad or defined goal; for example, if the non-profit organization is working to find a cure or treatments for cancer, then it may give out sponsorships to people who can assist with this goal instead of helping the community, in general.

Local government sponsorship organizations are sometimes similar to non-profit organizations, because the sponsorship may focus on the community. Outside of this, a sponsorship is usually awarded to people who can help the local government grow. This type of sponsorship usually depends on what the local government needs immediately, so sponsorship recipients may often change.

Country or regional sponsorship organizations are made to focus on the entire country or region. This sponsorship is only given to people who can directly help the country or region, or to people who can help the government as a whole. For example, if there is a defense sponsorship, recipients may develop weapons or defense measures that keep the country or region safe, or make battles safer or more effective for soldiers.