Testimonials

Following are what some of our clients are saying about us and the products and services we have delivered to them:

On behalf of the entire Saskatchewan Roughriders front office staff we would like to congratulate you and the Partnership Group for a job well done. Through your innovative ideas and dedication to the success of this project, you and your staff were able to deliver the results that we were looking for with this project.

We are entering into a new era with our organization and improving our sponsorship program seemed like the right step to take. Through this new program, you were able to more than triple our existing sponsorship inventory. We have a real market value on our property now, and with this, we will be able to help our sponsors generate good Return on Investment (ROI), something that they have been pushing us to do over recent years.

Steve Mazurak
Marketing Director
Saskatchewan Roughriders Football Club

I wanted to take a moment to thank you Brent and your company the Partnership Group for mentoring me for this past year. You taught me to be creative and to think outside the box which is something I was aware of but having you reinforce it brought me back on track again.

Using the skills you taught me and the sponsorship inventory your company help set up, I was able to bring a number of new sponsors onboard with the Federation of Calgary Communities. Most recently, I was able to sign a Credit Union up for a Platinum Sponsorship of $10,000 per year for six years. This particular sponsorship will have long lasting benefits for the communities we serve as there will be spin offs from this sponsorship over the next 6 years.

Thank you once again Brent. I will miss our monthly chats.

Phyllis Snider
Fund Development Officer
Federation of Calgary Communities

At a time when the competition for sponsorship dollars has never been more apparent, the annual Enerflex Super Cities WALK for MS made the decision to invest in restructuring old ways of doing new business. By teaming up with the Partnership Group, we were able to understand the true value of our event through building and valuing our event inventory. As a result we were able to create tangible returns for sponsors that chose to align their organization with our event. Since implementing this process, the Enerflex Super Cities WALK for MS was able to successfully secure a 5 year title sponsorship at an increased financial commitment totaling $250,000.

We can only describe our overall experience with the Partnership Group as being smooth, enlightening, educational and rewarding.

Sherry Kerunsky
Senior Coordinator
Enerflex Super Cities WALK for MS
MS Society of Canada, Calgary Chapter

As CEO for the 2005 Canada Summer Games Host Society, I wanted to thank you Brent and your team for your assistance with the sponsorship program for the Regina 2005 Canada Summer Games. Our entire executive, management team and staff were very pleased with the outcomes. The Games were proclaimed the most successful games ever and also left a multi million dollar facility, human and a $3.4 million dollar financial legacy that will benefit the City of Regina and region for years to come.

It was through integrated precise planning with the Host Society, development of a real market valued inventory of benefits and customized proposal development delivered by the Partnership Group that we were able to exceed our overall sponsorship outcomes for the Games.

Your direction, guidance and building of the Sponsorship program were essential to our overall success. Your experiences lead us to key opportunities at levels of investment we had not thought achievable. The Games secured over 125 sponsors that varied from local to national sponsors and at investment levels from $500 to over $750,000.

Once again, thank you, we could not have done it without the services of the Partnership Group.

John D Lee
CEO Regina 2005 Canada Summer Games
Host Society

As a small non-profit with a big vision for the future, Brent has helped us develop effective strategies to involve corporate support in ways that we had not considered before. Brent's professionalism and knowledge of his craft is impressive and we have found it to be very helpful in the development of our organization's promotional activities.

Kim Veness
CEO
Light Up The World Group

On behalf of the MacEwan Front and Centre Campaign and the rest of the Fund Development staff we would like to thank Brent Barootes and the Partnership Group for your expertise. The “Naming Valuation Report” you completed for our new Centre for the Arts and Communication is an important first step for our college in valuing all our properties.

We look forward to a continued relationship with the Partnership Group in valuing, packaging/bundling all our properties, selling them and then of course helping us celebrate our success.

Dale Bayley
Vice President Fund Development
Grant MacEwan College

Our organization was drifting with no approach to sponsorships and exactly what we had to offer. The Partnership Group became a great fit for our void and they have assisted us to develop a strategy for dealing with this complicated area. We have much more confidence in understanding what we could and should ask for based on an extensive inventory of opportunities we have learned we possess. In addition to these tremendous tools for our organization, we were able to create templates that will be available to our member organizations and associated teams. This will give each of these teams much needed resources to achieve their goals as well. We are very appreciative of the skills and resources we have secured through our contract with the Partnership Group. We have no problem in recommending them to other organizations and businesses in the sports world!

Kevin Kvame
President Alberta Amateur Baseball Council

Regina Palliative Care Inc. embarked on a new endeavour in 2006 to raise dollars and awareness toward the development of a Bereavement Centre of Excellence. Venturing forward with a 3.5 million campaign goal was uncharted water this volunteer board. The Partnership Group are respected, well connected and have a demonstrated, proven track record of achievement and success in our community. The RPCI Board express their appreciation for the knowledge, commitment and leadership demonstrated by Partnership Group. Partnership Group in conjunction with Ross W Marsh & Associates designed the campaign roadmap and has provided the necessary leadership and mentoring to ensure a successful campaign. We look forward to their continued leadership as we collectively proceed.

Velda Clark
Executive Director
Regina Palliative Care Inc (RPCI)

Tourism Regina hosts an annual conference targeted at the meeting and event planner. Each year we bring in speakers who can assist organizers in the planning of their conferences.

Three years ago we brought in Brent Barootes of the Partnership Group to discuss sponsorship for events. We thought this would be a good fit as the Partnership Group was consulting in sponsorship for the 2005 Canada Summer Games in Regina. His presentation brought the delegates a totally new set of ideas in the area of sponsorship. He really made our delegates think outside the traditional box in their sponsorship plans.

Our follow up surveys with the delegates were so outstanding for his presentation that we decided to bring him back again in 2005. And again, his presentation was so well received that we again brought him back in 2006. Now…we have not yet made decisions about speakers for our 2007 conference, but our delegate surveys would say…bring him back again.

Gayle Zimmerman
Director of Communications and Conference Services
Tourism Regina

Working with The Partnership Group has taken our Association to the next level of growth and development. We are now organized and efficient in sponsorship and can have all our events sponsored. This has enabled HRAC to partner with several different organizations in Calgary giving us the exposure and revenue we needed.

Jeanelle Crosser
Manager, Member Services
HRAC

Although we are still in early days of working with the Partnership Group, Brent's enthusiasm and cogent analysis are proving invaluable for us as an organization.

Like many 'young' non-profits, we are in transition. Our original mandate, set in November 2003, was mainly to provide travel grants and support for emerging mountain athletes on Vancouver Island. The last 18 months has seen a broadening of this mandate to include the construction of two buildings at Mt. Washington, devoted to mountain sports/fitness and Strathcona Provincial Park respectively.

This ambitious project is a P3 which requires a significant infusion of private capital, and Brent is proving to be a great resource and source of motivation for us to move ahead.

Anya Macleod
Administrator
Vancouver Island Mountain Sports Society

Globe Theatre offers sponsorships for its IPSCO Main Stage season, Shumiatcher Sandbox season, Globe Theatre School's five programs and numerous special events. These sponsorships were introduced at different times under different circumstances. Developing a comprehensive inventory, rationalizing specific value and managing the fulfillment process became a whole lot easier with advice from The Partnership Group. Their insight, experience and industry knowledge has put our sponsorship program on a much more solid footing and we're raising more money for theatre goals and objectives as a result.

Peggy MacDonald, MBA, CFRE
Development, Marketing and Brand Manager
Globe Theatre

“After attending the Western Sponsorship Congress in October 2005 in Calgary, I realized that the Canadian Cancer Society was missing a huge opportunity, and didn't have the expertise to capitalize on it. As a result, we hired the Partnership Group, and Brent started working with us this past November, tackling our inventory and walking us through discovery sessions for sponsorship. Brent's guidance and professionalism has been an invaluable resource as he is always available to help us with 'one-off' partnerships where we have needed immediate advice. Although we have done sponsorship in the past, the knowledge we have gained so far has been enlightening, and we look forward to final stages of implementation of the management system and building internal capacity within our staff.”

Nora Bakken
Director, Revenue Development
Canadian Cancer Society - Saskatchewan

In the competitive world of business advantages over your competitors can be hard to come by. For The Fire Within that advantage is Brent Barootes and The Partnership Group. Brent's contribution to The Fire Within has helped us reduce risk increase ROI and above all maximize value to our sponsors.

Chad Sartison
Chair, President - The Fire Within

We became excited about the potential for growth in funding after attending the Western Canada Sponsorship Congress in 2005. Shortly after, we began to work with The Partnership Group. We never imagined how large and meaningful our inventory was! Today, we are seeing not only increased revenue but stronger partnerships. Our new relationships with sponsors provide mutual benefit as they become more engaged with the Youth Emergency Shelter Society's mission. It's rewarding to see our staff grow in this area and utilize their skills in a new direction. Our next step is the implementation of their Sponsorship Management System which will enhance stewardship.

Throughout this process, Brent Barootes and the Partnership Group has shown real passion and commitment in seeing YESS succeed. I'd like to express our appreciation for the mentorship we've received and wish the Partnership Group continued success as they help other organizations grow!

Deb Cautley
Executive Director – Youth Emergency Shelter Society (YESS)

Over the past year the Canadian Red Cross, Saskatchewan has had the pleasure to work closely with Partnership Group. Our goal is to increase fundraising initiatives throughout the province of Saskatchewan and at the same time review the sponsorship opportunities that we as an organization have to offer.

Through the sponsorship audit of our programs we have realized that the Canadian Red Cross has much to offer growing organizations across Saskatchewan. We have unique opportunities for such companies to market their names and products through our programs and services as we work closely with many of their potential clients. Not only are these companies meeting their goals through sponsorship agreements, but at the same time they are investing in programs and services offered by the Red Cross that help and assist people across our great province.

This has been, and continues to be, an exciting venture for the Red Cross. We look forward to our continued and valued relationship with the Partnership Group.

Daryl Silzer
Manager, Financial Development
Canadian Red Cross

One of the most difficult tasks in assessing the feasibility of bidding to host a major event is validating assumed revenue streams, specifically those revenues attributed to corporate sponsorship. The experience, network, and professionalism that The Partnership Group brings to the table in assessing value of sponsor potential, as well as building a sponsor program, is probably the best in Canada. I would recommend this organization to anyone seeking to build a dynamic and profitable sponsor program for their event.

Marco De Iaco,
Senior Manager, Sport & Major Events
Calgary Sport Tourism Authority