Donations, Sponsorships & Fundraiser Requests

Finding our business does not create an obligation

If you have never previously done business with Cape to Cake and have simply found us through Google, social media, a referral, community group, event organiser, or because someone supplied you with our contact details, this does not create an obligation for Cape to Cake to donate products, provide sponsorship or offer discounted goods.

We understand that schools, charities, community organisations, sports teams, individuals and fundraising initiatives often approach local businesses for assistance. Unfortunately, as a small business, we are not in a position to financially support every organisation that contacts us.

Exposure is not payment

Cape to Cake regularly receives requests asking us to provide cakes, cupcakes or other products free of charge in exchange for advertising, social-media exposure, logo placement or promotion to guests attending an event.

Being told that Cape to Cake will be marketed to 50, 100, 200 or more fundraiser guests does not guarantee that even one of those guests will become a paying Cape to Cake customer.

The product being requested from us, however, has an immediate and measurable cost to our business.

When we provide an order free of charge, we do not only absorb the cost of making that product. We may also lose the opportunity to accept a paying order during the same production period.

For a small, hands-on business, that is lost revenue.

A fundraiser does not automatically create a donation obligation

We fully respect the work involved in organising fundraising, charitable and community events.

However, the fact that an event is raising money for a good cause does not mean that another small business is automatically in a financial position to contribute towards it.

Cape to Cake has its own operating expenses, suppliers, production commitments and financial responsibilities. Our ability to remain in business depends on the products we make being sold.

We therefore ask organisers not to assume that a business should provide free products simply because a request is connected to a fundraiser or charitable initiative.

Our donation and sponsorship policy

Cape to Cake does not ordinarily provide the following upon unsolicited request:

Discount requests

Cape to Cake does not offer discounts simply because an order is associated with a fundraiser, school, organisation, event, large guest list or potential audience.

Any special pricing or discount arrangement must be agreed to in advance.

Special pricing may occasionally form part of a prior commercial arrangement with a company or individual with whom Cape to Cake has already conducted business.

Having previously ordered from Cape to Cake does not automatically create an entitlement to a discount, sponsorship or donation. Any such arrangement remains entirely at Cape to Cake's discretion.

Existing business relationships

There may occasionally be circumstances where Cape to Cake chooses to support a particular client, company, organisation or initiative.

These arrangements are normally based on an established relationship, previous business dealings or a specific agreement made directly with Cape to Cake.

An arrangement made with one organisation or individual should not be interpreted as a general sponsorship programme or as a precedent for future requests.

Please respect our decision

We understand that organisers may approach a number of businesses in the hope of securing assistance.

However, repeated requests, pressure, promises of exposure or statements regarding how many guests will see our business name do not change the financial cost of providing products free of charge.

Declining a donation or sponsorship request is a business decision. It should not be interpreted as a lack of support for a particular organisation, fundraiser or cause.

It simply means that Cape to Cake must protect the revenue, time and production capacity that allow our small business to continue operating.