I've all but given up on the idea of Major Sponsors to match the pledges. For anyone considering something that requires potentially large amounts of sponsorship funds get in really early. Like months. Allow at least 6 months lead on the applications. Gotta love the bureaucracy.
So, I'm trying a couple of different approachs. I'm going for large amounts of small sponsors and an auction for the top place. This money will go towards equipment, supplies and any costs along the way.
I've set up the start of a supporters page which will show off everyone that has made this possible. There's a couple of sections there already and the latest "sponsorship" tagged post will also appear, just to flesh it out a little at this point.
The first approach is the large number of small donations.
These will come in 2 forms. Cash and product. I'm putting together a list of items that I'm still needing/wanting and I'm hoping that the various outdoors stores will offer to donate a single item each. Any franchises will also be able to have their contributions pooled (cash or retail price of equipment) and if the totals cross various thresholds the nature of their promotion and recognition on this site will change. All contributing stores will get individual recognition in addition to the pooled recognition forthe franchise.
Currently I'm looking at outdoors/tramping stores, travel agents and micro breweries. Outdoors/tramping stores as I'm wanting gear and this endeavor is directly related to what they do. Travel agents because they're in the adventure marketing industry and Micro-breweries because since I discovered the Twisted Hop and what good, locally brewed beer can taste like I've become something of a supporter of locally produced, quality products.
The second approach is to auction off a single top billing supporter spot. This money would go towards the usual listed above. Any of this amount left over at the end of the walk would go towards the charity of the sponsors choice from the three that this walk is supporting.
Tonight I'm about to do the main media push. I've acquired a decent list of e-mail addresses for media outlets around the country.
Fingers crossed that this works out.