The OpenWater Blog

11 Ideas for Awards Program Sponsorships

Sponsors want to matter to your members, just like you do. They don’t want to be known only as advertisers and salespeople. They rather be known as industry experts and partners who work alongside members to advance the industry—and who work alongside you to deepen both your connections with members.

If they had their pick, sponsors would focus on associating with the cream of the membership crop. And who better than your association’s award winners?

Why offer awards program sponsorships?

You’re thinking your awards program is just fine. Why complicate things by getting sponsors involved?

Marketing boost. Sponsors can help promote the awards program to their customers and anyone else on their email lists and in their networks. Ask sponsors to run social, digital, and print advertising to encourage award entries. Their promotions could even attract the attention of other prospective sponsors.

Connections. Sponsors know potential applicants, judges, and media contacts who aren’t on your radar.

Revenue. Sponsorships help subsidize program costs. Extra revenue means you can explore new possibilities for your awards program—like awards management software for next year!

Think about sponsorship differently this year. Don’t treat it merely as a transaction: you give us X dollars and get this in return. Treat sponsorship as a partnership that benefits all parties: your association, the sponsor, and your members.

Aim for a year-round relationship in which you both help each other achieve goals. Sponsors are more than salespeople. Your awards program offers many opportunities for them to contribute their expertise and demonstrate their commitment to the industry and community.

How do sponsors benefit?

When associated with the prestige of your awards program, sponsors get noticed by an influential audience of decision-makers and industry movers and shakers.

The new sponsorship opportunities we describe below allow them to have deeper conversations and connections with award winners.

What’s in it for the award winners?

Sponsorships make it possible for award winners to receive more publicity and participate in more awards-related events. Sponsors can also subsidize the cost of participation for members with limited financial resources.

Making the deal with sponsors

Dedicate a page on your awards website to sponsorship or corporate partnership. Describe the opportunities available and the benefits of getting involved. In future years, collect testimonial quotes and videos from past sponsors for the website.

Meet individually with your target list of sponsors to discuss their marketing goals and how awards program sponsorship could help them achieve those goals. Include awards program opportunities in a year-round sponsorship package or recruit program-only sponsors, either as part of a larger events package or as a stand-alone opportunity.

Only select sponsors who are willing to help you promote the program and assist with post-program content and publicity. They’re paying for involvement, not just advertising.

Awards program sponsorship opportunities

When brainstorming and researching ideas for sponsor involvement, ask sponsors for their suggestions too. Here are some ideas to get you started.

#1: Sponsored award or category

Be discriminating. Only allow a company to sponsor an award or category if it aligns with their brand or market segment. This is a big dollar deal.

#2: Promotions and advertising

Sell advertising in the gala program, if you have one, and in awards program promotional emails.

For every ad you sell to sponsors, require them to place an ad for the program either on social, digital, or print media, or send a promotion to their mailing list.

#3: Travel scholarships

Remove barriers to entry for applicants with low budgets who normally can’t afford to travel to the awards gala. Members apply for this scholarship as part of their application.

#4: Prize packages

Enhance the value of your awards with sponsored prizes: cash, conference registration and travel funds, or an online learning subscription.

#5: Winner videos

Sponsors often have access to high-quality production resources. Partner with sponsors to create videos about each major award winner. One sponsor could be responsible for all videos or you could assign sponsors by their preferred award category or type, whichever makes sense.

To give sponsors more exposure, record interview-style videos. Besides the typical video made for a gala audience, consider making some for educational purposes—a resourceful way to repurpose awards content.

Awards gala

Showcase sponsors in a variety of ways at the awards gala.

#6: VIP tables.

Sponsors pay for the tickets of VIP guests or purchase a table as part of their sponsorship package.

#7: Winners circle reception.

If you announce winners in advance, sponsors pay for a reception before the gala. Or they sponsor an invitation-only reception for past and present award winners at your conference.

#8: Branded bar menu.

Sponsors pay for a signature cocktail, mocktail, wine, and/or beer option on the drinks menu at the gala.

#9: Branded goodie bags.

Like the Oscars, winners take home a swag bag full of desirable goodies. Again, be discriminating. Attendees get a modest gift.

#10: Gala experiences.

In these dedicated spaces, attendees connect with each other and with the sponsor.

• Headshots
• Fun photo booths with props—you’ve seen them at weddings
• Games
• Exclusive product samples or demonstrations

#11: Post-program content creation.

Sponsors help design and moderate educational events featuring award-winning projects. For example, host winner roundtables and webinars that are focused on common challenges and innovative accomplishments.

Sponsors contribute articles or host podcast episodes about winning initiatives. This post-program content also gives extra recognition to award winners.

Improve sponsor retention

Staff liaisons keep in touch with sponsors throughout the year, notifying them of additional marketing opportunities and getting their feedback on their experience and ideas for future involvement.

If you’d like a refresher on other aspects of your awards program, check out our Ultimate Guide to Awards Management.

Debbie Willis

Debbie Willis is the VP of Global Marketing at ASI, with over 20 years marketing experience in the association and non-profit technology space. Passionate about all things MarTech, Debbie has led countless website, SEO, content, email, paid ad and social media marketing strategies and campaigns. Debbie loves creating meaningful content to engage and empower association and non-profit audiences. Debbie received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing Information Systems from James Madison University and a Masters of Business Administration in Marketing from The George Washington University. Debbie is a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority, American Society of Association Executives and dabbles in photography.

G2 Names OpenWater a Winter 2025 Leader in Awards and Scholarship Management