Sponsorship Proposal Template
Board-ready proposal for sponsor presentations
DEVILS LANDING
Corporate Sponsorship Proposal
Supporting Veterans Through Outdoor Experiences
Executive Summary
DEVILS LANDING is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing outdoor recreational experiences that deliver measurable mental health outcomes for veterans. Founded by a disabled Marine who healed himself through extreme outdoor challenges, we have grown from 4 Marines in 2021 to 63 veterans in 2024—over 150 veterans served across five years on 42 acres of Maine wilderness.
The Mission: Reconnect and Mental Reset
The Model: Zero member fees. Fully sponsor-funded. Peer-led brotherhood.
The Proof: Our founder, Rick Haskell, tested the model on himself first.
The Problem
After military service, veterans face a crisis of connection. The brotherhood disappears. The accountability vanishes. Civilian life does not understand what veterans carry.
Traditional mental health support helps, but it is not enough. Veterans need more than talk therapy. They need action. They need environment. They need challenge.
The statistics:
- 17 veterans die by suicide every day (VA, 2023)
- 30% of post-9/11 veterans experience PTSD
- Veterans report isolation and loss of purpose as primary mental health barriers
Corporate America responds with veteran hiring programs and donations to large national organizations. These efforts matter. But they often lack one critical element: authenticity.
Veterans can tell the difference between real support and veteran washing.
The DEVILS LANDING Solution
We provide what clinical therapy cannot: outdoor experiences that force focus, demand presence, and restore purpose.
What we do:
- Fishing trips
- Hunting expeditions
- Camping experiences
- Wilderness skill-building
- Brotherhood reconnection
What we do not do:
- Structured programming
- Clinical therapy
- Charity handouts
- Hero worship
How it works: Veterans show up. They fish. They hunt. They talk when they need to and shut up when they do not. The environment does the work. The brotherhood provides the accountability.
The outcome: Mental reset. Reconnection. Proof that disabilities do not define limits.
Proof of Concept: The Rick Haskell Story
In 2017, after being rated permanently disabled by the VA, Rick Haskell was in a dark hole. Depression, isolation, a brain working against him. He received mental health help from VA counselors, but he needed more. He needed to prove to himself that his disabilities did not define his limits.
So he forced himself into the hardest thing he could find. November 2017: a five-man arctic tent near the Canada border, alone, hunting whitetail in freezing conditions. The next year: 26 days alone in the Allagash, subzero temperatures, snowstorms, a gravity-fed diesel heater, a shower he built himself.
It worked. The environment forced focus. The difficulty demanded presence. His mental health responded to the challenge, not the comfort.
In 2020, he bought a cabin on 42 acres with a remote pond. In 2021, he invited Nick Savage, a Marine he served with from 1991 to 1995. What they experienced that week was unlimited. They made a decision: bring the other brothers in.
Fall 2021: 4 Marines Fall 2024: 63 veterans Total served: 150+ veterans over five years Member cost: $0 (100% sponsor-funded)
Rick Haskell is living proof that the model works. DEVILS LANDING exists because he tested it on himself first.
Why DEVILS LANDING is Different
| Other Veteran Organizations | DEVILS LANDING | |----------------------------------|-------------------| | Structured programming | Authentic outdoor experiences | | National scale (100,000+ members) | Intentionally small (100 active members) | | Founded by executives or non-profits | Founded by a disabled Marine | | Clinical therapy model | Mental reset through action | | Charity framing ("heroes," "giving back") | Brotherhood framing (peers supporting peers) | | Membership dues or federal grants | 100% sponsor-funded, $0 member cost | | Urban/suburban programs | 42 acres of Maine wilderness |
The difference is authenticity. You cannot manufacture credibility with veterans. DEVILS LANDING has it because we live it.
Impact to Date (2021-2025)
- 150+ Veterans Served
- 60+ Veterans Per Event (Fall 2024)
- 1,200+ Community Members
- 42 Acres of Healing Space
- 7 Years of Operations
- $0 Member Cost (100% Sponsor-Funded)
Sponsorship Opportunities
DEVILS LANDING is seeking corporate partners who want to support veterans authentically. Your sponsorship funds outdoor experiences that work. We have the proof.
Tier 1: Basecamp Sponsor — $2,500/year
Ideal for: Local Maine businesses seeking community goodwill and brand visibility
Benefits:
- Logo on DEVILS LANDING website (sponsor page)
- Recognition in quarterly member newsletter (1,200+ subscribers)
- Social media shoutout (Facebook group, email list)
- "Proud Sponsor of DEVILS LANDING" digital badge for your marketing
- Invitation to annual sponsor appreciation event
Your ROI: Be seen as a community pillar. Support Maine veterans authentically.
Tier 2: Brotherhood Sponsor — $7,500/year
Ideal for: Mid-to-large Maine employers with veteran workforces (defense contractors, logistics firms, law enforcement agencies)
Benefits:
- All Basecamp Sponsor benefits, PLUS:
- Corporate Sponsor Day: Send 4-6 employees (preferably veterans) for a guided DEVILS LANDING outdoor experience
- Featured sponsor story in annual impact report (distributed to 1,200+ community members + media)
- Quarterly impact updates (# veterans served, testimonials, event highlights)
- Logo on event signage and materials
- Co-branded press release announcing partnership
Your ROI: Turn your donation into a retention and morale tool. Your veterans already work for you. We help them stay whole.
Tier 3: Founding Sponsor — $20,000+/year
Ideal for: Large corporations, foundations, and CSR programs requiring measurable impact reporting
Benefits:
- All Brotherhood Sponsor benefits, PLUS:
- Founding Sponsor designation (exclusive, limited to 3 sponsors)
- Dedicated impact dashboard access (real-time metrics: veterans served, events held, mental health outcomes)
- Quarterly strategy calls with Rick Haskell (founder) and board leadership
- Custom CSR report for your stakeholders (data + veteran testimonials)
- Naming rights opportunity (e.g., "The [Company Name] Fishing Derby")
- Priority consideration for new program sponsorship (regional expansion, new event types)
- Full-page feature in annual report + website homepage logo placement
Your ROI: Fund transformation at scale. Get board-ready CSR data. Associate your brand with the most authentic veteran support program in New England.
What Your Sponsorship Funds
Every dollar goes directly to veteran experiences:
- Outdoor gear and equipment (fishing rods, hunting supplies, camping gear)
- Property maintenance (42-acre facility upkeep, cabins, trails)
- Event logistics (food, transportation, permits)
- Safety and training (wilderness first aid, guides, liability insurance)
- Community building (newsletters, events, member communications)
What sponsorship does NOT fund:
- Salaries (DEVILS LANDING is volunteer-led)
- Marketing overhead (grassroots, organic growth)
- Administrative bloat (lean operations, no bureaucracy)
Next Steps
DEVILS LANDING is seeking [NUMBER] sponsors in 2025 to serve [NUMBER] veterans across [NUMBER] events.
To discuss sponsorship opportunities:
Rick Haskell Founder, DEVILS LANDING Email: [INSERT EMAIL] Phone: [INSERT PHONE] Website: www.luckydevildog.chat
Board Contact: [INSERT BOARD CONTACT IF APPLICABLE]
Testimonials
[INSERT 2-3 VETERAN TESTIMONIALS HERE - Examples:]
"DEVILS LANDING gave me back what I lost after I got out. The brotherhood. The accountability. The understanding that I don't have to explain myself to people who already know." — [Veteran Name, Branch, Years Served]
"Rick's story is my story. A lot of us were in that dark hole. DEVILS LANDING pulled me out. Not through talk therapy. Through action." — [Veteran Name, Branch, Years Served]
"I showed up to fish. I stayed for the brotherhood. DEVILS LANDING is the real deal." — [Veteran Name, Branch, Years Served]
About Our 501(c)(3) Status
DEVILS LANDING is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
EIN: [INSERT EIN]
Thank you for considering DEVILS LANDING as your veteran support partner.
Together, we fund transformation.
This proposal is valid for [DATE RANGE]. All sponsorship tiers are subject to availability.