How​ ​to​ ​Start​ ​and​ ​Maintain​ ​a​ ​Sponsorship​ ​Program for a Student Chapter

Of all the ways to generate income for your student chapter, corporate sponsorships may be the most worthwhile. Although creating membership dues, fundraising, or applying for grants may be easier, corporate sponsorships are unique in how they help to build, maintain, and legitimize partnerships with companies. Generally, there are two parts to using corporate sponsorships for your AIChE student chapter: starting and maintaining the sponsorship program.

Sponsorship is a partnership

If your AIChE Student Chapter is interested in starting a sponsorship program, the leadership team and chapter advisor should discuss the type of sponsorship program they want to build. This includes brainstorming how both the student chapter and the sponsors can benefit from the program. Often, student chapters primarily focus on bringing in money and providing professional development opportunities, and companies focus on easing access to students in your chapter and receiving recognition. A catchy phrase to remember is that “sponsorship is a partnership,” meaning that both participants, the student chapter and the company, should work together to benefit mutually from the sponsorship. General meetings, info sessions, and plant tours are a few examples of events your student chapter can offer in exchange for a company’s sponsorship. It is also important to include opportunities the sponsor can take advantage of without having to visit campus. A virtual workshop, for example, is an event that a sponsor can host from any location.

Create sponsorship levels

Creating sponsorship levels is a helpful way to easily define the perks a company can receive from its sponsorship. For example, a bronze sponsor at $XXX support may earn the company the privilege of featuring its logo on the chapter T-shirt, a space on a school bulletin board, and an info session. A higher level sponsor like silver at >$XXX may receive additional benefits such as more events or an article in your student chapter’s newsletter. Carefully choose the minimum amount of financial support required for each level. Larger student chapters may be able to ask for more money than a smaller student chapter for the same amount of support per student ($/person). When determining sponsorship levels, consider the size of your chapter, how active your chapter is, and the value of events that are offered.

Finding sponsors

Once the sponsorship program has been defined, it is time to publicize and promote your program to prospective companies. This is almost always done through a sponsorship letter sent to company contacts. If your student chapter is lacking in contacts, you can reach out to chapter alumni or ask your chapter advisor for help. Don’t be afraid to “cold call” companies or speak with companies at your school’s career fairs. Remember to include smaller and/or local companies. The letter should describe the student chapter, including chapter size, typical events, goals, and recent accomplishments. The sponsorship letter should be concise (strive for no more than two pages) but still provide the reader a strong idea of what your student chapter is like and why it is a good investment. It is recommended that the letter explicitly outline the benefits sponsors may receive. At a bare minimum, the letter must include the defined sponsorship levels or tiers (if applicable) and how to become a sponsor. It’s important to make the process to become a sponsor quick and easy. Avoid making it a time-consuming task for the prospective sponsor. The completed letter should be sent out in the early summer so that companies can see it before the end of their fiscal year.

Maintain relationships with your sponsors

After a sponsorship program has been started, it is important to maintain relationships with your sponsors. Don’t forget about them after you get their money! If needed, follow up with your sponsors and remind them of the benefits they can take advantage of. Keep sponsors updated throughout the academic year on what your student chapter is doing. If your student chapter has a newsletter, share it with your sponsors. After a sponsor-funded event, reach out to the sponsor to convey how both the student chapter and the sponsor benefited from the event. This can be done by sending a handwritten letter. At the end of the academic year, summarize the entire year to your sponsors. An end-of-year recap serves as a reminder of how the company has benefited from its sponsorship before you ask for their continued support for the next academic year.

Implementing a sponsorship program into your student chapter will bring in additional income as well as possible opportunities to work with companies. Starting a sponsorship program may not be easy, but if you define the program well and maintain relationships with your sponsors, it can become the most worthwhile way to generate income.

The Executive Student Committee (ESC) is here to help! If you have any questions or want to talk about your student chapter’s sponsorship program, please reach us at aiche.esc@gmail.com.