SponsorConnect

SponsorConnect is a web platform that connects sponsors with individuals or organizations seeking sponsorship. The platform facilitates seamless interactions between sponsors and seekers, making it easier to create, manage, and respond to sponsorship opportunities.

Features

For Sponsors

• Create and manage sponsorship listings
• Browse through sponsorship requests
• Track sponsorship history and transactions
• Manage company profile and budget
• View and interact with potential sponsorship candidates

For Sponsorship Seekers

• Create detailed sponsorship requests
• Showcase projects or events needing sponsorship
• Track received sponsorships
• Manage personal/organization profile
• Direct interaction with potential sponsors

Technology Stack

• Backend: Node.js with Express.js
• Frontend: EJS templating engine with vanilla JavaScript
• Database: MongoDB
• Authentication: Passport.js
• Styling: Custom CSS with responsive design
• Icons: Font Awesome

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v14 or higher)
• MongoDB (v4.4 or higher)
• npm (Node Package Manager)

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/sponsorconnect.git
cd sponsorconnect

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Create a .env file in the root directory and add the following:

PORT=3001
MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/sponsorconnect
SESSION_SECRET=your_session_secret_here

4. Start MongoDB service:

mongod

5. Run the application:

npm start

The application will be available at http://localhost:3001

Project Structure

sponsorconnect/
├── app.js              # Application entry point
├── models/             # Database models
│   ├── User.js
│   ├── Listing.js
│   └── Sponsorship.js
├── routes/            # Route handlers
│   ├── auth.js
│   ├── dashboard.js
│   └── profile.js
├── views/             # EJS templates
│   ├── dashboard.ejs
│   ├── profile.ejs
│   └── ...
├── public/            # Static files
│   ├── css/
│   └── js/
└── config/           # Configuration files
    └── passport.js

Features in Detail

User Management

• User registration and authentication
• Role-based access (Sponsor/Seeker)
• Profile management
• Session handling

Listing Management

• Create, read, update, and delete listings
• Filter and search functionality
• Status tracking (Active/Pending/Closed)
• Automatic default listing creation for new users

Profile Features

• Detailed user profiles
• Transaction history
• Statistics dashboard
• Profile editing capabilities

Security Features

• Password hashing
• Session management
• Protected routes
• Input validation

API Endpoints

Authentication Routes

• POST /auth/signup - User registration
• POST /auth/login - User login
• GET /auth/logout - User logout

Profile Routes

• GET /profile - View profile
• POST /profile/update - Update profile
• POST /profile/listing - Create listing
• PUT /profile/listing/:id - Update listing
• DELETE /profile/listing/:id - Delete listing

Dashboard Routes

• GET /dashboard - View dashboard
• GET /dashboard/listings - View all listings
• POST /dashboard/sponsor - Create sponsorship

Deployment

MongoDB Atlas (Free Tier)

1. Create a free account at MongoDB Atlas
2. Set up a new cluster (select the FREE tier)
3. Create a database user with a password
4. Get your connection string and update your .env file

Render (Free Tier)

1. Create a free account at Render
2. Connect your GitHub repository
3. Create a new Web Service with the following settings:
   • Build Command: npm install
   • Start Command: node app.js
4. Add environment variables from your .env file
5. Deploy!

No credit card required for either service!

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Support

For support, please email support@sponsorconnect.com or open an issue in the GitHub repository.

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to all contributors who have helped shape SponsorConnect
• Special thanks to the open-source community for the tools and libraries used in this project