Master the Timing That Gets Collabs Funded

Learn how brand budgets actually work and how to land your collab in the plan

You ever pitch a brand and get hit with, “We love it, but budgets are already locked.”

It feels like rejection, but that’s really just bad timing. And it kills more collabs than bad ideas ever will.

If you’re thinking that when you send a brand your pitch that they’ll fund it, think again. They fund ideas when they plan their year.

To get in the game, you gotta make it on the whiteboard. Simple as that.

So if you’re tired of “maybe next year,” here’s how to make sure next year says yes by learning how brands actually budget.

Do This Instead: Pitch with the Planning Cycle in Mind

Most brands follow a fiscal year, a financial calendar that resets annually and often has nothing to do with January 1.

Their marketing, sponsorship, and collab budgets are locked during a specific window before that fiscal year begins.

If your pitch lands after that window, it’s not getting funded. You might get praise, maybe even a screenshot shared on Slack…but no green light.

So how do you find the right window?

Use This System to Pitch at the Right Time

1. Know When the Money Resets

Every brand has a fiscal year and it’s not always the calendar year.

• Nike: June 1 – May 31

• Adidas, New Balance, LEGO: January 1 – December 31

If you’re not sure, ask ChatGPT or Gemini: “When does [Brand]’s fiscal year start and end?”

Or check earnings reports and investor sites for clues.

2. Know When They Lock Their Budgets

Product driven collabs take 18 to 24 months to develop on average. That means brands fund them well in advance, often a full year before go-to-market.

Here’s what that looks like right now:

• Nike has already locked its FY2026 budget (June 2025 – May 2026). To land a collab in FY2027, your pitch needs to hit between December 2025 and April 2026.
  

• Adidas, New Balance, LEGO will finalize their 2026 budgets between July and October 2025. To be considered for anything launching in 2027, you need to be pitching during that window.
  

Pitching after the budget’s closed? You’re not getting in, no matter how strong the idea is.

3. Don’t Guess, Ask

Not every brand’s cycle is public. That’s fine, just ask.

Reach out to someone at the brand or agency side and say: “If I want to be considered for your next planning cycle, when should I reach out?”

One question can save you twelve months. Most people don’t ask it. You will.

4. Respect the Lead Time

If you’re aiming to launch a product collab in 2026, you’re already too late. Those budgets are locked.

Product timelines are in motion. Retail partners are briefed. 2026 is closed. Start pitching now for 2027.

That means getting in before brands finalize their 2026 budgets, between July and October 2025.

What to Do Next

• Pick 1–3 brands you actually want to pitch

• Find out when their fiscal year starts

• Count back 3–6 months

• That’s your pitch window for getting into the plan

Put it in your calendar. Don’t wait until you feel ready. Get in early or you’re already late.

Remember This

It's not just about what you're selling, but where it fits. Because ultimately, that system runs on budgets, timing, and lead time, not vibes, not talent.

Late ideas get shelved. Timely ones get signed.

Cousins

Now that you know the timing, what’s really stopping you from pitching your collab?

Bimma

The Voice of Collabs