Corporate Grants, Sponsorship, Naming Rights and Advertising Sales Policy

Related procedures

A-GEN-001-001 Programs and Services Financial Sustainability Procedure
A-GEN-001-002 Corporate Sponsorship Procedure
A-GEN-001-003 Naming Rights Procedure
A-GEN-001-004 Advertising Sales Procedure

Policy statement

The Corporation of the Town of Oakville (hereinafter referred to as the town) will consider the use of grants, sponsorships, naming rights and advertising (hereinafter referred to as sponsorships) revenue to offset the costs of programs, services, facilities and events. All sponsorships, shall be consistent with the town’s vision, mission and values and will not compromise or contradict any by-law or policy of the town, or reflect negatively on the town’s integrity or public image. All sponsorship agreements shall be established in a manner that promotes the town’s interest and results in the optimal balance of benefits to the town and the community.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to:

• Confirm the town’s interest in pursuing sponsorship initiatives
• Create an authorized environment for this practice
• Provide departments and programs with corporate procedures when seeking supplemental revenue to support town programs or when approached by external individuals or organizations
• Encourage consistency in decisions to accept or decline sponsorship initiatives
• Ensure that appropriate records are maintained.

A consistent and controlled approach to sponsorship arrangements protects the town’s corporate values, image, assets, and interests while increasing the opportunity for revenue generation.

Restrictions to requests for sponsorship may apply:

1. The town will not solicit, accept, or provide sponsorships from or to companies whose reputation could prove detrimental to the town’s public image.
2. The town will not allow sponsorships either directly or through third party arrangements that:
   • Promote consumption of alcohol and other addictive substances, at events or venues geared primarily to children
   • Promote the sale of tobacco
   • Promote pornography
   • Promote the support of or involvement in the production, distribution, and sale of weapons and other life-threatening products
   • Present demeaning or derogatory portrayals of individuals or groups or contain any message that is likely to cause deep or widespread offence
   • Promote religious or political messages that might be deemed prejudicial to other religious or political groups.
3. The town will ensure that there is financial sustainability of programs and services provided by grants and sponsorships.

Scope

This policy applies to all relationships between the town and businesses, organizations and individuals that contribute either financially or in-kind to events, programs, services or facilities in return for recognition, acknowledgement or other promotional considerations including:

• Program and special event sponsorship
• Naming/renaming of rooms or components of  town property, buildings and structures
• Paid advertising on town property, at town events, and in town publications
• Programs and service financial sustainability.

Exclusions

This policy does not apply to public notices, which are covered under separate corporate policy.

Definitions

Advertising: is the sale to an external company, organization, enterprise, association or individual of space at town facilities or events or on town printed materials.

Donation: a gift or contribution of cash, goods, or services given voluntarily toward an event, project, program, service or corporate asset and is eligible for a Charitable Tax Credit under the Income Tax Act.

Naming rights: a type of sponsorship in which a sponsor purchases the exclusive right to name an asset. The naming right is sold or exchanged for cash or other revenue support. This arrangement may be documented in an agreement signed by the interested parties for a specific period of time.

Sponsorship: is a mutually beneficial arrangement between the town and an external party (individual, company, vendor or organization) wherein a party contributes funds, goods or services to an event, project, program, service or corporate asset in return for recognition, or other promotional consideration.

Forms of Sponsorship:

• Cash: a sponsorship received in the form of money.
• In-kind: a sponsorship received in the form of goods or services of value to the town.