History Main / TheTeamBenefactor

* ''Anime/ProjectAko'': Mr. Daitokuji uses his wealth to supply Graviton City's defense force with advanced aircraft and mecha, in exchange for their help in trying to stop [[ExtraordinarilyEmpoweredGirl his daughter]] [[PersonOfMassDestruction and A-ko]] from demolishing the city during their fights.

* In ''VideoGame, SuperRobotWarsX'', [[Anime/TheBraveExpressMightGaine Might Senpuuji]] has his ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsV V]]'' perks intact, continuing his President skill usage of earning free Tac points just by deploying him. Along with his ''[[MassTeleportation entire district]]'' surrounding his Senpuuji Railroad Aoidou Division plant transported to the world of Al-Warth, his plant serves as the oasis for unit repairs and upgrades, along with some sanity for pilots who were homesick for some contemporary stuff. Might lampshades his gratitude with this outcome, otherwise it’ll be hard for his employees to survive in the primitive world such as Al-Warth.

Characters who provide money might be an example of UnclePennybags or SpoiledSweet. A [[TheChosenOne character with some sort of destiny]] in this position might be TheChosenZero if they don't provide anything but their status as such. A character who merely gives the heroes what they need and sends them on their way (without joining them) is some form of BigGood rather than this trope. If this character joins the group as TheSixthRanger then they might be a MysteriousBacker or an AnonymousBenefactor. They often appear in a CaperCrew. Compare PlotTailoredToTheParty where it is contrived so each character can overcome an obstacle. See also CrimefightingWithCash (for when this trope is a superpower).

* The [[GameBreaker most broken class]] there is in ''TabletopGame/BleakWorld''. To be specific, a human with 10 points in Funding will be able to buy the most expensive weapon in the game 10 times over. [[ScrappyMechanic Too bad there isn't much else to buy]].

* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Bulma and her family fund and personally build the ludicrously expensive operations of building interstellar spacecraft, time machines, and the copious amounts of food that Saiyans eat. Ox King and Hercule do too, to a lesser extent.

* ''Manga/HighschoolOfTheDead'': While [[CloudCuckoolander Shizuka]] may initially seem like TheLoad, the group's survival is largely due to her contributions:

* Angel acted in this capacity when he was with the Champions. He funded the group as well as being on the team. He also funded and led ''ComicBook/TheDefenders'', turning them into an actual team instead of a non-team.
** On the ComicBook/XMen he also sometimes provided funds, although at least at the beginning they mostly came from Charles Xavier, whose "old money" family fortune also included the Xavier Mansion and its spacious grounds and enough money to have his X-Men ride into action in Rolls-Royces from the first issue.
** Nighthawk (the Creator/MarvelComics version of Batman) provided funds for the Defenders while he was on the non-team, and they met at his ranch estate.

** On the ComicBook/{{X-Men}} he also sometimes provided funds, although at least at the beginning they mostly came from Charles Xavier, whose "old money" family fortune also included the Xavier Mansion and its spacious grounds and enough money to have his X-Men ride into action in Rolls-Royces from the first issue.
** Nighthawk (the MarvelComics version of Batman) provided funds for the Defenders while he was on the non-team, and they met at his ranch estate.

* King Hayden from Frelia in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'' is this to Princess Eirika when the game starts, giving her war funds and allowing some of his vassals to join her after Renais is invaded and this kicks off war across Magvel. Later in the game, [[spoiler: Pontifex Mansel of Rausten]] fulfills the same role.

* A BBC adaptation of ''TheLostWorld'' had the protagonist secure his place on the trip by having his employers help fund it.

* The protagonist (a journalist) of ''TheLostWorld'' is essentially on the trip to authenticate everything they find (since the professor has been ridiculed for years for his theories).

* Toad from Kenneth Grahame's ''TheWindInTheWillows'' starts out as this. He provides the caravan for their trip but doesn't really give much else to the team apart from that and his dangerous, endless desire for adventure. He becomes pretty resourceful past the halfway mark of the novel, though.

* ComicBook/Deadpool ends up being this to [[Comicbook/UncannyAvengers the second incarnation of the Uncanny Avengers.]] His being an In-universe CashCowFranchise provides the team with funds to carry out their missions.

* While it's most likely GameplayAndStorySegregation, in ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX, all of the party members' equipment comes out of Rook's pocket.

* In early installments of ''Franchise/{{Noob}}'', members of the titular guild consider thelselves stuck with their incompetent healer due to the alternative being having no healer at all. They eventually get a second one, but she's not that much more competent and the idea of getting rid of either healer gets dropped at some point.

[[folder: Western Animation

* Have some sort of connection to someone who fits one of the above, who agrees to help on the condition that this character can travel with the group (e.g. the representative of a company who's funding an expedition or the son of a king who lent the group a ship).

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[[AC: Film]]
* Ruben in ''Film/OceansEleven''. All he does is provide the initial investment and snark.
* ''{{Film/Inception}}'': Saito, a [[FictionFiveHundred ludicrously wealthy]] CEO, hires the team to perform the inception, and insists on going with them to protect his investment. He buys an entire airline to make it easier for them to get to their target, but isn't much use after that.
* ''Film/TheLifeAquaticWithSteveZissou'' has the "bond company stooge" who (if I remember correctly) is an accountant who joins the crew to report back to their benefactors and make sure they stay within budget.
* Villainous example: the Neimoidian race from ''Franchise/StarWars'' is cowardly and lacks military expertise, but their participation in the Separatist Confederacy provides it with resources, since they control [[MegaCorp the Trade Federation]]. In [[Literature/RevengeOfTheSith the novelization]] of ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', the Neimoidian viceroy Nute Gunray tries to call [[GeneralRipper General Grievous]] out, pointing that all of Grievous's success is funded by Neimoidian money. Grievous is not impressed.
* ''Film/FightClub'': The narrator is an example of this, since he blackmails his boss at a large automobile company into funding Fight Club, and presumably later Project Mayhem. [[spoiler: Of course, also being Tyler, the same person provides all the leadership and creative force behind those operations too, but he is not aware of that at the time.]]
* Eduardo Saverin in ''Film/TheSocialNetwork''. He's the team member who repeatedly steps in with the cheque book before the money starts rolling in.

[[AC: Literature]]

[[AC: Live Action Television]]
* In ''Film/PrisonBreak'' one character invokes this trope to keep himself useful by memorising and destroying a map the rest of the cast are following.
* In season two of ''Series/{{Nikita}}'', Birkhoff provides the money, the home base, and is the team's invaluable TechnoWizard.
* A BBC adaptation of ''TheLostWorld'' had the protagonist secure his place on the trip by having his employers help fund it.

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[[AC: Western Animation]]

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* Villainous example; The Neimodian race from ''Franchise/StarWars'' is cowardly and lacks military expertise, but their participation in the Separatist Confederacy provides it with resources, since they control [[MegaCorp the Trade Federation]]. In the novellization of ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', the Neimodian viceroy Nute Gunray tries to call [[GeneralRipper General Grievous]] out, pointing that all of Grievous' sucess is funded by Neimodian money. Grievous is not impressed.

* The mysterious "Fourth Man" of {{Planetary}}.

* The ''ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist'' would sometimes fund the ''ComicBook/HeroesForHire'' group if ''LukeCage'' was hardup for cash.

* [[GreenArrow Oliver Queen]] funded the JusticeLeagueOfAmerica in their early days, and [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Bruce Wayne]] has also given them money to ensure they [[SupermanStaysOutOfGotham keep their massive supervillain battles away from Gotham.]]

* ''{{Smallville}}'': [[GreenArrow Oliver]] provides the money that keeps his team stocked with whatever they need, and rebuild the Watchtower when it, its windows, or the various technology in it is inevitably damaged every other week. In Season Ten with [[spoiler: Tess Mercer]]'s HeelFaceTurn, the team gains the financial backing of [=LuthorCorp=] as well.

'''Tony:''' Actually, [Steve]'s the boss. I just pay for everything and design everything and... make everyone look cooler.

* This is how Steve Dayton AKA Mento got involved with the DoomPatrol, going so far as to [[CrimefightingWithCash buy himself a psychic-power-enhancing helmet]] and join the team all so [[StalkerWithACrush he could be close to Rita Farr]].