Sponsorship Development Program
Our Sponsorship Development Program creates added value for the institution and its community and ensures the university is realizing the maximum opportunity from every sponsorship agreement.
About Us
The University of Louisville is a nationally recognized metropolitan research university with a brand that conveys excellence in educational, social, healthcare, cultural, community and economic development. As such, the brand has significant value for both the university community and for external entities seeking to partner with the university.
The university recognizes that many of its activities and programs provide potential sources of revenue or non-financial benefits through the creation of private-sector partnerships and sponsorship opportunities. It’s also important to recognize that, as a public institution, the University of Louisville’s reputation and brand must be protected and that activities and organizations associated with the university must align with the university’s mission and pursuit of excellence and inclusiveness. The University has the right to and will refuse sponsorship from unacceptable sources, or entities wishing to communicate an unacceptable message.
The sponsorship development program is managed by the Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM) in cooperation with the Department of Purchasing, and with oversight by a Sponsorship Advisory Committee, which reviews program activities, processes and outcomes annually. Learfield Communications, Inc. is the exclusive sponsorship broker for the university and is responsible for development of sponsorship agreements and sponsorship activation management.
All current or future sponsorship marketing agreements, inclusive of extensions and renewal of grandfathered agreements, must be communicated to, reviewed by and approved by OCM. OCM is the only department with authorized signatory authority on sponsorship agreements. Individual units or departments should not contract directly (unless a policy exception is granted) with a sponsor on behalf of the university.
Any exceptions to the sponsorship policy must have prior approval from OCM. Such exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The sponsorship development program does not apply to non-university entities seeking support or funding from the university. Outgoing sponsorship and advertising opportunities are managed by OCM’s director of brand marketing.
Rationale
UofL has instituted a centralized sponsorship program to:
- Create added value for the institution and its community and ensure the university is realizing the maximum opportunity from every sponsorship agreement
- Maintain a central repository of all sponsorships to avoid legal conflicts or agreements that devalue the institution. Units entering into independent sponsorship agreements without prior approval from OCM and/or Purchasing may violate existing, university-wide contracts or sponsorship agreements.
- Protect the university from misrepresentation of its name and harm to its reputation; and safeguard the integrity of the UofL brand. This includes protection of our students by vetting companies that want to directly market to our campus community; and ensuring sponsorship partners align with the university and its values.
- Provide guidance to university units and programs; help prevent conflict-of-interest issues; and ensure compliance with university policies
Procedures
- All current or future sponsorship marketing agreements, inclusive of extensions and renewal of grandfathered agreements, must be communicated to, reviewed by and approved by OCM.
- Any activity that grants a non-university entity access to promote or share its name, products and/or services to the campus community—faculty, staff, students, alumni and visitors—must be communicated to, reviewed by and approved by OCM.
- OCM is the only department with authorized signatory authority on sponsorship agreements. Individual units or departments should not reach out to, or contract directly with, a sponsor on behalf of the university (unless a policy exception is granted by OCM).
- Units that are contacted by non-university entities seeking to partner with the university to sponsor programs or events; or market its name, products and/or services to the campus community should be referred to the university’s exclusive sponsorship broker, Learfield Communications.
- Agreements that provide marketing access to university audiences en masse—including students, faculty, staff, alumni and visitors—are managed and executed by OCM in partnership with the Department of Purchasing.
- OCM will be present on any department-specific Request for Proposals where sponsorship or marketing value could be a portion of agreement with the potential vendor, as determined by OCM and Purchasing.
- Anyone responsible for compliance of any type is responsible for notifying OCM of any prohibitions relative to sponsorship.
Explore University Partnerships
Sponsorship FAQs
Please see our rationale and procedures.
Sponsorship marketing – a business agreement and marketing strategy in which there is a mutual exchange of value (e.g. tactical efforts in exchange for cash or barter). To sponsor something is to leverage a property, event, activity, person/people or organization with the goal of meeting the sponsor’s marketing objectives and goals. A sponsor is the individual or group that makes that marketing investment.
Gift or donation – a contribution received by an institution for either unrestricted or restricted use in the furtherance of the institution for which the institution has made no commitment of resources or services other than, possibly, committing to use the gifts the donor specifies. The contribution is a nonreciprocal transfer in that there is no implicit or explicit statement of exchange, purchase of services, or provision of exclusive information. If the donor receives benefits in return for the contribution, the amount of the gift recorded and reported is reduced by the fair market value of all benefits given. The institution has no obligation to report to the donor how the gift is used or invested, but institutions are not prevented from providing such reports as part of donor stewardship.
Advertising – “Includes messages containing qualitative or comparative language, price information, or other indications of savings or value; endorsements; and inducements to purchase, sell or use the products or services” [IRS publication 598 (01/2015), Tax on Unrelated Business Income of Exempt Organizations]. OCM’s exclusive sponsorship broker works with non-university entities on sponsorship agreements where there is no arrangement or expectation sponsor will receive substantial return benefit other than the use or acknowledgement of the name and logo (or product lines) of the sponsor’s trade or business; and works to ensure sponsorships do not incorporate “call to action” advertising in marketing elements associated with sponsorship.
Please contact Kim Butterweck, kimberly.butterweck@louisville.edu or 852-5310.
Please either refer the interested company contact directly to John Penny at Learfield Communications/Louisville Sports Properties (jpenny@louisvillesportsproperties.com, 852-0858) or provide the company’s contact information to John for follow-up.
Leadership approved the centralized sponsorship development program and its related policy to: create added value for the institution; avoid legal conflicts or agreements that devalue the institution; and protect the university from misrepresentation of its name and harm to its reputation. Units entering into independent sponsorship agreements without prior approval from OCM and/or Purchasing will be in non-compliance with university policy and may violate existing, university-wide contracts or sponsorship agreements.
Any communication channel that reaches UofL’s students, faculty, staff, alumni and/or visitors may be considered a marketable asset. This includes, but is not limited to: presence/tabling or networking opportunities at university events; inclusion of a company’s logo or information on printed or electronic communications, including websites; advertisements in university materials or guidebooks; physical or digital signage; and social media channels.
Please John Penny at Learfield Communications/Louisville Sports Properties, jpenny@louisvillesportsproperties.com, 852-0858.
Learfield Communications is the exclusive sponsorship broker for the University of Louisville.
The sponsorship policy is monitored by OCM in cooperation with the Department of Purchasing. Any exceptions to this policy must have prior approval from OCM. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. OCM reserves the right to approve or deny any and all sponsorship contracts, whether written or verbal.
Please contact the Office of Communications and Marketing’s director of brand marketing.
Sponsorship partnerships can take time to put together. If there are events or activities you believe would be of value to a corporate partner please contact OCM or Learfield Communications. Sponsorship should not be viewed as a way to “pay for things.” Do not plan or make purchases with the hope that sponsorship will be the expected revenue. The market is only interested in assets that drive measurable value for their businesses. If you are seeking a philanthropic gift, contact University Advancement.
All revenues realized through sponsorship are received at the end of the fiscal year and disbursed in July. Departments that engage or are engaged in sponsorship will receive funds via internal transfer to the department’s Z account.
Please visit Purchasing’s Bids/RFP page for more information.
RSOs are prohibited from entering into sponsorships that would allow on-campus presence to competing organizations in direct conflict with the university’s exclusive partnerships. Although RSOs are subject to the student code of conduct and are able to receive some benefits at the university, these organizations are independent of the university, do not receive tax-exempt status and are not otherwise directly bound by the provisions of the university’s sponsorship policy. However, RSO initiatives and events that would allow a competing company presence on university property could put the university at risk for breach of contract.
Please contact Student Involvement for more information about student organizations. For information on the university’s current exclusive contracts, please contact the Communications and Marketing and/or Procurement offices.
A request for proposal was distributed and posted by the Department of Purchasing. Based on the necessary requirements and recommendations made by university officials, Learfield was chosen.
This policy supports the entire university and will work in tandem with all current compliance policies. Anyone responsible for compliance of any type is responsible for notifying the Office of Communications and Marketing of any prohibitions relative to sponsorship.