Conference Sponsorship

Conferences can have financial or technical sponsors.

• Financial sponsors have financial responsibility for the conference, including bank accounts, contracts, deficits, surplus, and other financial obligations.
• Technical sponsors do not have financial responsibility. They actively participate in the conference technical-program committee but accept no financial or legal liability for the conference.

Depending on whether the IEEE organization has financial or technical sponsorship, you can have:

• sole sponsorship;
• co-sponsorship;
• technical co-sponsorship.

In a sole sponsorship, one IEEE OU has complete responsibility for the financial, technical, publicity, and administrative running of the conference. In a sole sponsorship, the rights to the conference name, slogan, copyright for publications, and/or logo are owned by IEEE.

The sole sponsor:

• approves the conference;
• receives the entire portion of the surplus or is liable for the deficit resulting from a conference;
• is responsible for assuring the timely resolution of any legal issues;
• is responsible for issuing any loans that the conference might need and assuring subsequent repayment;
• is responsible for proper usage of the IEEE name and logo;
• is responsible for defining the scope of the conference and managing the technical program.

In a co-sponsorship, an IEEE organizational unit shares significant responsibility for the financial, technical, publicity, and administrative running of the conference. Co-sponsored conferences are entitled to IEEE services at the non-profit rate. The relationship between sponsoring organizations should be explicitly defined in terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The IEEE co-sponsor:

• approves the conference;
• receives a portion of the surplus or is liable for a portion of the deficit resulting from a conference;
• is responsible for assuring the timely resolution of any legal issues;
• is responsible for issuing any loans that the conference might need and assuring subsequent repayment;
• is responsible for proper usage of the IEEE name and the IEEE logo;
• is responsible for defining the scope of the conference and managing the technical program;
• requires specific approvals from IEEE;
• can use the IEEE logo in all conference publications and announcements.

An IEEE organizational unit has direct and substantial involvement in the development, organization, and running of the technical program but no financial involvement in the conference. The relationship between sponsoring organizations should be explicitly defined in terms of an MOU.

The IEEE technical co-sponsor:

• is responsible for defining the scope of the conference and managing the technical program, including oversight of the program development and review process and participating in peer reviews;
• requires specific approvals as indicated in IEEE Policy 10.1.4.

For conferences where IEEE is the technical co-sponsor, the organization that has financial sponsorship of the conference must be explicitly identified in the supporting documentation and promotional material for technical co-sponsorship to be granted.

Organizations can support an IEEE conference in ways other than sponsorships, including as:

• partners;
• contributors;
• patrons;
• supporters.

This support can take the form of direct grants, paid advertising in the event program, services provided in exchange for brand exposure, underwriting a specific activity (breaks, lunch, etc.), and providing attendee gifts, among other ways. These supporters should be noted separately on the conference materials and Web site to distinguish them from financial and technical sponsors.

IEEE is ready to help. If you have questions about conference sponsorship, please contact Conference Services.

Do you have other questions about organizing a conference? Please see IEEE Conference Organizer Contacts.

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