School games and activities level-up in excitement when a familiar name brand company is involved. Seeing signage from a recognized brand along the stadium infield or hanging from the gym rafters lends a bit of glitz, almost like that brand is cheering on the home team.
Partnerships aren’t limited to sports though. There are an endless array of programs that can support schools and teachers with cash or donated products.
Our organization manages brand partnerships and scholastic marketing activations in support of schools. To help your school community tap into brand partnerships, here are some brand partnerships schools can access along with advice about making the best use of partnerships.
Health and wellness
Health and wellness is a great category to explore for the sheer number of national programs and the ability to tap into local resources. Local food vendors or grocery stores can support students on walk-a-thons with snacks and water or make a contribution in exchange for branding.
Local hospitals, dentists, and healthcare organizations have educational programs available in their communities. They can send speakers for career days or wellness fairs, or supply toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste, or other health supplies.
A national program with Planet Fitness gives free summer passes to high school students. So far, they have given 3.5 million summer passes to their fitness centers, encouraging students to pursue a healthy lifestyle and get exercise.
National brands like Jersey Mike’s and the Harlem Globetrotters have bridged health and fitness with creative arts by supporting the “Court of Creativity” national art contest which gives the winning school a personal visit by the Harlem Globetrotters.
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The Kids Mental Health Foundation sends out classroom kits with classroom activities, parent letters, and other supplies to help teachers cover a range of student wellness topics like how to recognize emotions, anxiety,and bullying. There are also lessons to teach kindness and goal setting. The packets arrive each month and teachers can sign up for free here.
Athletics
School sports are ideal for engaging local businesses or national brands. The brands typically receive visibility on signs around the athletic field, on the game ticket app or in event promotions. Having a strong booster organization is essential in these efforts and many pull in significant amounts of cash to pay for bus transportation, uniforms and sporting equipment.
Not all donations need to be cash, though. National brands like Under Armour and Nike donate equipment and clothing in exchange for brand exposure. Big 5 has donated 1 million tickets for school athletic events to people in the school’s community—a win-win on several levels. The program is easily replicated on a local, regional or national level and is a terrific way to build long-term partnerships.
Teacher recognition
Teaching is a rewarding career, but teachers can always benefit from donated supplies and acknowledgment for their hard work and positive influence on children’s lives. Brand partnerships are ideal here and allow nearly any company to get involved.
There are several high-profile recognition programs including the Milken Educator Awards and the National Teacher Awards sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers. Local and regional awards programs can also be found through the teacher’s union, county office of education or service groups like the Rotary.
In the national Kleenex Heroes of the Classroom program, over $30,000 in cash awards were given away to worthy teachers in 2024. Ten finalists and each nominator received $1,000 Costco Shop cards. The national winner received $5,000 for her, $5,000 for her school, and a year’s supply of Kleenex. There was local and national media coverage, which was exciting for the school, the community, and each of the finalists.
Where to find brand partnerships and how to make them successful
Whether setting up a partnership with a local company or organization, here’s additional advice for brand partnerships and scholastic marketing.
- Sign up two or three staff members from your school for every national program you can find and make them responsible for monitoring the opportunities showing up in their inboxes. Educators can sign up to be notified when our national programs open up. There are others. Look at the local United Way and the Boys and Girls Club to see what is being offered in your community. Two other good sources include:
- NAEIR—the National Association for the Exchange of Industrial Resources. Membership for teachers is free. Click on the “Join Teacher’s Program.”
- Kids in Need Foundation for a variety of programs giving teachers and students needed supplies. Teachers can apply here.
- Take lots of photos and videos of donations in action and share them with the sponsoring brand. Brands are more likely to continue their school programs when they can show how donated equipment was used or how cash was applied. Take close-up, high-resolution photos capturing the students whenever possible and always follow the parental permission forms, knowing who can and can’t be included in photos.
Before, during, and after receiving donations, leverage your social properties and school website to thank donors. Write a press release or pull in your district public information officer so that they can contact local media.
Many communities have The Patch and small local newspapers that hunger for photos and facts about their community schools. On social properties like Facebook and Instagram, tag the company and individuals who supported the effort. This extra effort can keep the brand partner engaged with your school long-term and help when you ask other brands for help.
