When AT&T was trying to drum up community support for its cable franchises in Chicago in 2001, the telecommunications giant reached out in a big way.
Hoping to gain allies within the black community, AT&T at the time provided a grant to help underwrite a revival of "Amen Corner," by James Baldwin, at Chi town's
renowned Goodman Theater.
Following opening night, AT&T held an invitation-only reception in which black clergy leaders got to mingle with the actors from the production, as well as AT&T
senior executives. The overall sponsorship of the play paved the way for AT&T to start a dialogue and establish new relationships with black community leaders in Chicago, who
ultimately endorsed AT&T's plans to offer new cable services. [City Council approval soon followed.] But this was no pie in the sky sponsorship.
"AT&T had a long-standing relationship with the Goodman Theater, so this did not come out of the blue," says Steve Clawson, who was VP/Public Relations for AT&T's
Great Lakes region during the said sponsorship and is now VP/Managing Director for Dittus Communications (Washington, D.C). "AT&T supported the arts for 25 years, particularly
those featuring female and minority artists, to foster communications among different segments of the community."
However, the sponsorship, although considered a success, holds an important lesson for companies and non-profits that want to build strategic partnerships: They're not
necessarily for the long haul. AT&T, which is now in the process of merging with SBC Communications, no longer supports The Goodman Theater. "Just because a company supports a
partnership today doesn't mean it's where it's going tomorrow," Clawson says. "It's unwise to take a long-standing donor for granted."
Clawson shared his experience with communications executives during a PR News-sponsored Webinar last week titled "Nonprofit/Corporate Partnerships: PR Strategies That
Work." Once considered a backwater in business, corporate-nonprofit partnerships have in a very short period become an increasingly important component among
companies that want to demonstrate good corporate citizenship. How to make sure the partnerships are in the best interests of both parties - and are seen as sincere (and not
cynical) attempts to build bridges with various communities - was the focus of the online seminar.
PR execs well-versed in nonprofit/corporate sponsorships say even before any meetings are held nonprofits must do extensive due diligence to make sure their goals align with
those of their prospective partners. Although both sides need to acknowledge that companies do have a financial motive to get involved in such partnerships they won't go anywhere
if there is a preoccupation with the return on investment.
"It's not about money or resources," says Ned Barnett, of Barnett Marketing Communications (Las Vegas), who has worked on numerous nonprofit/corporate partnerships, many in
the health care arena. "It's about mutual benefit and need. If those two elements can mesh you have the basis for a partnership."
Liz Rogers, director of communications at Chicago-based Oral Health America (OHA), says, "It boils down to building relationships first, and then moving on to discussions of
funding. Both sides needs to understand what you can and can't be provided."
(To purchase the entire Webinar, go to http://www.prnewsonline.com.)
Contacts: Ned Barnett, 702.696.1200, [email protected]; Steve Clawson, 202.775.1401, [email protected]; Liz Rogers, 312.836.9900, [email protected]