Downtown Lynchburg Association
The Sponsor Program
Every business downtown gets our core services free — the directory, the promotion, the advocacy, the alerts. Sponsors are the reason it stays that way.
Two ways to be part of this
The benefits below come in two kinds. Some come from your address. Some come from your check. Knowing which is which is the fastest way to find your place in the table.
You're downtown
Most of this is already yours
If your business or organization has a downtown address, you're a Downtown Member today. There's nothing to sign and no dues. Sponsoring is how you add to it — and how you keep it free for the shop two doors down.
You're a friend of downtown
You don't have to be here to back it
Businesses based outside the downtown district sponsor at every level, and receive the sponsor benefits in full. A handful of items are tied to having a downtown address — they're marked ◆ in the table — and simply don't apply.
Every benefit, side by side
| Benefit | Member Free | Backer $500 | Supporter $2,500 | Partner $5,000 | Investor $12,500 | Champion $25,000+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listing in the downtown business directory (requires a downtown address) | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Eligible for coverage in content series and guides (requires a downtown address) | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Events and promotions on DLA site and newsletter (requires a downtown address) | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| New business welcome visit and promotion feature (requires a downtown address) | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Advocacy with the City on downtown-wide issues | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Downtown business alerts (closures, construction, event footprints) | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Invitations to downtown business meetups | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| State of Downtown annual report and its data | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Events and deals automatically posted for you (requires a downtown address) | Weekly | Twice a week | Daily | Daily | Daily | Daily |
| Recognized for supporting Downtown Member free DLA services | Not included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Annual impact one-pager (what your dollars funded) | Not included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Events and deals highlighted on DLA marketing | Not included | Not included | Included | Featured | Top billing | Top billing |
| Individual features per year (social + site) | Not included | Not included | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Recognized as a sponsor of community events | Not included | Not included | Not included | Featured | Top billing | Top billing |
| Recognized as a sponsor of signature events | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included | Featured | Top billing |
| Logo on event banners and signage | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included | Featured | Top billing |
| Logo in every public monthly newsletter (on rotation) | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included | Included | Included |
| Logo on event pages and calendar listings | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included | Included | Included |
| Booth at events | Not included | Not included | Not included | 1 | 2 | Included |
| Stage / emcee mentions at events | Not included | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included | Included |
| Feature in the State of Downtown annual report | Not included | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included | Included |
| Named sponsorship of one event | Not included | Not included | Not included | Not included | Featured | Top billing |
| Sponsor recognition at business meetups | Not included | Not included | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Category exclusivity (only one bank, for example) | Not included | Not included | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included |
Downtown Member is automatic and free for every business and organization located downtown. Nothing to join, no dues. These services are provided regardless of whether anyone at that address ever sponsors. Needs the full footnote from the sheet
◆ Items marked with a diamond depend on having a downtown address, so they don't apply to sponsors based elsewhere. Every sponsor benefit applies regardless of location.
Community events are DLA's smaller gatherings through the year; signature events are the big ones that draw the largest crowds. DLA sets which is which each season.
Featured and Top billing stand in for the sheet's ✓+ and ✓++. The wording is a placeholder until DLA decides what the real difference is at each level.
What a sponsorship actually pays for
The free services aren't free because they're cheap to run. All the advocacy the Downtown Lynchburg Association does is paid for by our sponsors.
Let's talk about the right level
Every sponsorship gets shaped around what the business actually wants out of it. Reach out to Stacy Garrett and we'll work out where you fit.
stacy@downtownlynchburg.comStacy Garrett · (434) 485-7251