14.5. Sponsor Recognition
When planning an event, sponsor recognition needs to be built into several aspects of your event. Sometimes, it may be appropriate to simply mention your sponsors during a closing speech at the event or to note their donation beside a prize or in-kind item that they donated – other times, larger gestures are required.
Some simple, yet effective ways to recognize sponsors include (but are not limited to):
- Website – providing links to sponsor’s website, providing a company bio, highlighting their sponsorship or donation, including business logo
- Program – providing an advertisement for the sponsor’s company in your program, including their logo within the program, having a page which lists and acknowledges sponsors within the program.
- T-Shirts – placing the sponsor’s logo on event T-shirts
- Preferred seating – having a special table for sponsors during dinners and events
- Free tickets – let sponsors attend your event for free
- Podium address – thank your sponsor during a large podium address and mention their donation
- After event-gift and follow-up letter – formally thank your sponsor and send them a token of your appreciation.
This article by Jenny Shupert (2025) highlights some great ideas to improve sponsor recognition.
