Sponsorship & Donations: Company Policy

The issue of sponsorship and donations to charity is difficult for businesses everywhere. In most small companies, there is such a fine line between profit and loss that even an apparently modest 10% discount can wipe out 100% of the profit on a ticket. Furthermore, for every ticket that we give away, we must sell between 5 and 10 more at full price just to get back to par.

Every day, Adventures in Wonderland receives at least a couple of requests for cash donations, free gift vouchers or subsidised flights. If we were to accede to all such requests, we would give away at least $100,000 worth of cash and balloon rides each year, and almost certainly go out of business. Because ours is only a small company, we cannot afford to do that. Indeed, financial prudence demands that we presently give away no more than about $10,000 each year. Accordingly, we have a strict policy about whom we give to, and how often. Furthermore, instead of giving away cash, we prefer to donate gift vouchers each of which, when redeemed, usually attracts a second full fare which dilutes the impact on us of the donated fare. Indeed, whenever we give more than one ticket to an organisation, we now insist that they be sold or given away separately so that the financial pressure on us is more evenly spread.

Generally, we gladly support people, organisations and charities who

     • are known to us
     • are well established
     • have proven credentials
     • have no obvious political affiliations
     • live and work within our operational areas
     • have helped us
     • have patronised us
     • do charitible or community work for which we have personal empathy, and
     • present us with a well-considered proposition.

Unfortunately, we feel unable to help people or charities who

     • are not known to us
     • do not live and work within our operational areas
     • have not previously patronised us, and are unlikely to do so
     • cannot provide us with any publicity in return for our help
     • approach us with either no brief at all or a poorly-prepared brief
     • work with and on behalf of people who are already relatively privileged, and
     • treat us as just another name in the book without even knowing what we do.
     

If you represent an organisation or charity that meets our general guidelines above, please know that you are welcome to approach us for help. Although a phone call is often enough, a written proposition is better if we don't already know each other. Call us on 03-5444 4841, write to us at P.O. Box 627, Bendigo, Victoria 3552, or email us at funtimes@adventuresinwonderland.com.au. Even if we can't help you immediately, please feel free to approach us in future years if your organisation clearly meets our criteria.

For the record, during the 2001/02 financial year, Adventures in Wonderland supported

     • Hawthorn Football Club through our mutual sponsors AAPT
     • Rotary
     • Police Blue Light Discos
     • Bendigo Diggers Football Club
     • Boort Hostel for the Aged
     • Deniliquin Hospital
     • Ronald McDonald House
     • Maldon Incorporated, and
     • Woodend Hesket Football Club

Last updated: 22 July 2002