Over the last 30 years we have sponsored everything from Newark Days, Fremont Festival of the Arts, to the Modesto Marathon and McHenry Bowl's annual Benefit Bowl. What we do is to donate the sponsor names on the shirt backs in lieu of sponsorship in the traditional manner. Supporting local events is a positive step toward community involvement, and in-kind donations I find are the easiest. One of my first sponsorships was Fremont Kiwanias Ducks For Bucks which raised over 100K it's first year.