Getting local businesses in your community to sponsor rewards

Districts across the country have found that inviting local businesses and community partners to donate rewards on Hilight leads to a meaningful boost in staff engagement. When teachers and staff are recognized not just by their colleagues, but by the broader community, it sends a powerful message: you are valued, appreciated, and supported — both within our district and by the community beyond it.

This simple best practice reinforces Hilight’s core mission of building a culture of appreciation. It also strengthens community ties and brings new visibility to the incredible work happening in your schools every day.

Below, you’ll find an email template you can use to reach out to local businesses. We’ve made it quick and easy to personalize — so you can invite your community to join in the joy, without adding to your plate.

Copy, paste, and personalize the email below to invite local businesses to show
their appreciation and give rewards on Hilight!

EMAIL TEMPLATE:

Subject: Join Us in Celebrating [Community Name]'s Educators!
Body:

Dear [Business Name],

At [District Name], we're doing something special this year: making sure every teacher, bus driver, custodian, and staff member feels seen and appreciated — every single week.

We’re using an exciting new tool called Hilight that lets our staff celebrate one another with shoutouts and stories — and when they do, they earn points they can use to redeem small rewards. That’s where you come in!

We’d love to partner with [Business Name] as a local hero by offering a simple reward like:

• A handful of gift cards
• A “free coffee / drink with any purchase” deal
• A discount code just for our staff
• Dinner for two at your restaurant
• Haircut or spa treatment gift certificate
• Free oil change or car wash at your shop
• Custom merch for your business
• Discounted catering for a school appreciation event
• A few dozen donuts or pizzas delivered to a school staff room

Your contribution would be displayed on our district-wide Hilight platform for every single staff member across our district to see and choose to redeem - reminding them how much community members like you value the hard, heart work they do every day.

If you’re interested, just fill out this short, initial form or reply to this email.
Thank you so much for your consideration in supporting the incredible people who keep our schools running.

Warmly,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[School District]