carolina day school

Challenge 

Carolina Day School already had an impressive track record engaging donors and sponsors. After hearing Parker Harrington present at a statewide nonprofit conference, the school reached out for focused guidance on refining its community and business partnership programs—specifically how to elevate ideas that had been piloted on a smaller scale into clearer, more consistent sponsorship opportunities.

The goal was not to review major gifts or overhaul donor strategy. Instead, leadership wanted practical support strengthening business-facing sponsorships tied to events and ongoing engagement, while ensuring opportunities reflected the caliber of the school and remained realistic for staff to manage.

Compounding this work were real-world constraints, including limited staff capacity and disruptions caused by a major hurricane, which required flexibility, focus, and steady guidance over time.

Approach

The Parker Circle partnered closely with school leadership through a series of working sessions to conduct a targeted deep dive into existing community and business sponsorship structures.

Rather than starting from scratch, the work focused on refining and scaling what already existed. This included:

• Reviewing and revising sponsorship grids for two signature events
   
• Creating a new annual sponsorship opportunity to complement event-based support
   
• Clarifying sponsor definitions and levels so distinctions felt meaningful and intentional
   
• Expanding benefits beyond logo placement to include relationship-driven value, such as networking opportunities and tailored recognition
   
• Advising on category exclusivity and identifying untapped industries aligned with the school’s community
   
• Exploring national partnership concepts that leveraged vendor relationships without increasing administrative burden
   

Proposals were redesigned to be flexible and easily tailored, helping staff match opportunities to the right partners rather than offering every level to every prospect. Regular advisory calls—initially planned and later extended—provided space to regroup, test ideas, and adjust strategy as circumstances evolved.

Throughout, guidance remained grounded in practicality, ensuring recommendations aligned with the school’s capacity and priorities.

Impact

Carolina Day School emerged with a more confident, cohesive approach to community and business sponsorships—one that better reflected the school’s reputation and values while strengthening relationships with partners.

Staff gained clearer tools, language, and frameworks for approaching sponsors thoughtfully, while leadership developed a stronger understanding of how to scale sponsorship opportunities without sacrificing quality or adding unnecessary complexity.

The work reinforced a repeatable process: refine what exists, listen first, and build partnerships that feel aligned and sustainable—laying the groundwork for continued growth and deeper community connection.