Summary of Attracting, Retaining, and Diversifying Sponsors for Refugees in Community Sponsorship Programmes

This report identifies factors that contribute to hindering recruitment and retention of sponsors, offers different ways to promote recruitment and retention, and discusses considerations that can promote growth and sustainability of sponsorship programmes beyond programme design questions, outreach, and tools to support sponsors. Based on original research of sponsorship programmes in Belgium, Germany, and Ireland, the study finds that sponsor recruitment and retention are among the primary obstacles to the growth and sustainability of sponsorship programmes. The report discusses ways to promote sponsor recruitment and retention by diversifying the sponsor network through broadening outreach efforts and redesigning programme structures to reduce tasks imposed on them.