High School

In high school, take English, speech, marketing, advertising, computer science, and business classes. To the extent available (or required by some high school curricula), students should participate in charitable activities and events.

Postsecondary Education

A four-year bachelor’s degree is required for most positions as a director of corporate sponsorship. College programs should focus on business, advertising, marketing, and public relations including media relations, and to the extent offered in generalized college programs, courses in nonprofit management and fundraising.

While a master’s degree is not mandatory, there are now many master’s programs developed granting degrees in nonprofit management, fund raising, and media relations. Master’s programs are offered at many major universities such as Columbia University in New York City, and the Fund Raising School at Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, which also offers bachelor’s degrees in all aspects of philanthropic studies, as well as certificates in fund raising management. Baylor University in Texas offers a major in sports strategy and sales with an opportunity to intern in professional sports. However, as many candidates seeking higher degrees are already employed in the field, many advanced degree programs offered consist primarily of online courses. 

Certification 

Colleges and universities offer certificates in fundraising and related areas. For example, the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, offers a Fundraising Certificate Series that consists of 13 individual programs, each covering a specific aspect of the fundraising field. The programs include: 

• Annual Strategies
• Asking for Major Gifts
• Budgeting for your Fundraising Program
• Donor Motivation
• Grant Writing Essentials
• How to Write a Development Plan and Manage a Development Office
• Laying the Foundation for Fund Development
• Measuring Social Impact
• Nonprofit Messaging that Drives Giving
• Nonprofit Prospect Management & Research Techniques
• Transformational Nonprofit Leadership
• Planned Giving and Capital Campaigns
• Researching, Cultivating and Appreciating Foundations & Corporate

Other Education or Training 

Professional associations and other organizations at the local, state, and national levels offer courses, conferences, webinars, and workshops that are designed to enhance and extend the knowledge of corporate sponsorship professionals. 

Certification or Licensing

There are no specific certifications required for employment as a director of corporate sponsorship. However, certain advanced certifications may evidence continuing or specialized education in fundraising, a primary focus of corporate sponsorship. The nonprofit CFRE International provides the certified fund raising executive credential to fundraising professionals who meet educational, experience, and other requirements. No licensing is required for directors.

A minimum of five to 10 years of experience in lower-level positions is required to work as a director of corporate sponsorship.  

The director of corporate sponsorships, whether in the public or private sector, is most often the highest level fundraising employee in an organization. As such, the individual must possess superior presentation and communication skills. Negotiation expertise and powerful persuasive skills are a must. Directors must be organized, creative, energetic, able to think “outside the box," capable of “selling” ideas and programs, and most importantly, able to effectively promote the mission of their company or organization.        

A director or manager responsible for establishing corporate sponsorships is often most valuable to a company or nonprofit organization if he or she has an extensive network of contacts. He or she should be familiar and connected with the business community on a local or national level, depending on the sponsorship type being sought.