Why sponsor a local group's website? What a business gets

If you run a local business, you are probably asked to support things all the time: a team kit, a raffle prize, an advert in a programme. Sponsoring a community group's website is a slightly different kind of support, so it is worth being clear about what you actually get.

What you are paying for

Every community website costs £20 a month. That pays for it to be built, hosted and kept up to date each week. When you sponsor, you give an amount of your choosing to a shared pot, and every £20 a month of unused support in the pot funds another group's website.

It is not a donation and I am not a charity. The money pays for real work, which is how I earn a living from this.

What a business gets

A listing on Our supporters. Your business name, a logo if you like, and a link to your own site. The link is marked as a sponsored link.
A thank-you on every funded site. Websites funded from the pot carry a short thank-you to the community sponsors, linking to the supporters page.
Local goodwill. The village hall, the club and the class are used by people who shop, hire and recommend locally. Being known as one of their backers reflects well on you.
A clear, small commitment. No setup fee, no contract, and you can stop whenever you like.

What a business does not get

It helps to be plain about the limits.

You do not choose what a group publishes, and you do not own its website.
You do not get advertising space, banners or promotional copy.
Because the pot is shared, I cannot promise your money reaches one particular group, though I will take a preference into account.

Is it worth it?

That depends on what you want. If you want a strong sales message in front of a large audience, this is not that. If you want a modest, honest way to be seen backing your area, and to help several groups get properly online, it can be a good fit.

Sponsors are listed only once they have agreed the wording, and I can decline a sponsorship that would not suit the communities it appears beside.

How to start

Read how the pot works on the Supporting Communities page, or go straight to the business sponsors page. If you are weighing it against other ways to spend a small budget locally, see local sponsorship for small businesses under £25 a month.