Donation and sponsorship policy
Introduction
This policy applies solely to Sollio Agriculture and does not apply to Sollio Cooperative Group or any of its other divisions. It establishes how donation and sponsorship applications are assessed based on Sollio Agriculture’s values and guiding principles, through a process of weighting various tangible and intangible criteria.
1. Sollio Agriculture: Vision and DNA
Our vision
We’re committed to being a partner of choice to Canadian farming families, amplifying the value they create by providing inputs that meet their expectations and delivering innovative, sustainable and effective solutions for the future.
Our DNA
Caring
We’re borrowing the land from future generations, so we need to take care, in everything we do.
Down to earth
We’re all about being concrete, authentic and real.
Achievers
We achieve our goals because we do things right.
2. Goals
Sollio Agriculture wants to work with organizations, events and/or facilities that operate at a provincial or national scale, through donations and/or sponsorships that help the cooperative achieve its business goals:
Support farmers and the next generation by backing initiatives that build more resilient communities for the farmers of today and tomorrow.
Forge stronger business relationships by building ties with agricultural sectors where Sollio Agriculture does business and sees strong growth potential, with the aim of enhancing the customer experience.
Encourage employees to volunteer in their communities to enhance employee engagement and the employee experience.
Deliver a brand experience that reflects the organization’s vision and business model.
3. Guiding principles
The following principles guide all of Sollio Agriculture’s investment decisions, including donations and sponsorships.
3.1 Economic development
Help drive agricultural growth in the most promising sectors and regions and be an agent of progress in agricultural practices.
3.2 Farmer prosperity
Promote agriculture as an exciting industry and increase the prosperity of farmers and their communities.
3.3 Innovation and technology
Work to develop and implement innovative solutions for the farmers of today and tomorrow.
3.4 Sustainable and responsible agriculture
Promote efforts to develop and implement sustainable farming contributing to the farm’s prosperity.
4. Target audience
Farmers
Sollio Agriculture wants to work with major properties where farmers are front and centre, get directly involved, and enjoy concrete benefits that help their farm businesses thrive.
The next generation
Sollio Agriculture prioritizes investments that help the farmers of tomorrow grow and thrive, particularly young farmers aged 18 to 40.
5. Types of support
Sollio Agriculture’s corporate giving comes in various forms, including financial and material contributions and industry expertise. These generally fall into four main types of donations and sponsorships:
Partnerships
Sollio Agriculture partners with organizations, events and facilities that help it realize its vision, achieve its goals, and reach its target audience in ways that align with its guiding principles.
Partnerships must include an activation component where Sollio Agriculture or one of its retailers (depending on the scope of the partnership) can be in direct contact with its audience and use that contact to promote the organization.
Financial support
Sollio Agriculture makes financial contributions to organizations that apply for sponsorships and meet the policy criteria.
Dons
Sollio Agriculture reserves the right to make financial or material donations to organizations that reflect its vision and values.
Retailers: Sollio Agriculture also reserves the right to financially support its retailers with sponsorships of provincial scope but local reach, in accordance with the organization’s goals and guiding principles.
Expert involvement
Sollio Agriculture may also help other organizations expand or improve their operations by volunteering employees to provide expert advice and consulting.
This can take the form of a board member or expert representing Sollio Agriculture and sharing knowledge, expertise and/or time.
Emergency fund
Sollio Agriculture sets aside an emergency fund for contributions to any unforeseen social and/or environmental cause that aligns with its vision and values.
6. Applicant obligations
In order to be processed, all donation and sponsorship applications must be submitted via the Sollio Agriculture donation and sponsorship application form, which can be found online at sollio.ag.
Applications must be submitted no later than three months (90 days) prior to the start of the event or partnership in question.
Sponsorships granted for one year are not automatically renewed the following year. The application must be resubmitted each year.
Sollio Agriculture evaluates all applications and reserves the right to reject any application for which it deems the investment to be unreasonable or for which it does not have the available budget.
7. Exclusions
Sollio Agriculture will automatically reject all applications that are:
Related to a political party or candidate.
Related to a partisan lobby or special interest group.
Related to a religious group.
Related to a social club.
Individual, personal or private in nature or involve only a small group of individuals (e.g., sports teams, proms).
Already subsidized by Sollio Cooperative Group or one of its other divisions.
Not submitted within the timeframe specified above.
Related to a project in another country.
8. Criteria
Applications for donations and sponsorships are evaluated based on Sollio Agriculture’s values and guiding principles, through a process of weighting various tangible and intangible criteria.
Sponsorship and partnership applicants
Submit a proposal that aligns with Sollio Agriculture’s goals and guiding principles.
Complete a detailed online application at least three months before the event.
Represent a group.
Be planning an initiative in a community where Sollio Agriculture is based or operates.
Provide Sollio Agriculture with considerable visibility, at least equivalent to its contribution, in accordance with a visibility plan.
Allow Sollio Agriculture to promote its brand and operations.
Allow Sollio Agriculture to maximize its association with the applicant organization.
Donation applicants
Submit a proposal that aligns with Sollio Agriculture’s goals and guiding principles.
Be an officially registered charity.
Represent a group.
Be planning an initiative in a community where Sollio Agriculture is based or operates.
Sollio Agriculture
Issue a tax receipt for the full amount of the donation.
Demonstrate sound management of funds and ensure that administrative costs are reasonable (allocate no more than 30% of its budget to administrative and financing costs).