On paper, sponsorships are partnerships between organizations. But people make those partnerships work.

Technically, a sponsorship usually comes from a company, a brand, or some other corporate entity.

But in practice? Sponsorships come from people. Someone forwarded your email. Someone brought up your name in a meeting. Someone decided—against inertia, and maybe against precedent—that your event was worth the effort.

That person is your internal champion. And if you’ve ever had a sponsorship go well, there’s a good chance it’s because someone like that made it happen.

The person who carried it across the finish line

Most companies don’t have a big green “yes” button for sponsorships. What they have are departments with protocols, colleagues with opinions, and systems built to say no. So when a sponsorship comes through, it usually means someone pushed.

Your internal champion—whether they’re in marketing, HR, or community relations—typically doesn’t have sole authority to cut a check. They can’t just decide to sponsor you and be done with it. What they can do is make the case inside their organization.

They can help find the right budget line. They can explain why you are a good fit. They chase the paperwork, navigate approvals, and get the right people to sign off. They do the critical behind-the-scenes work to make your event a “yes.”

Their reputation is on the line—so make them look good

When someone inside a company sticks their neck out for you, they’re taking a risk. Not necessarily a dramatic one—but a real one. They’re vouching for you and spending their political capital on the idea that working with your organization is a smart move.

They’re just as invested in your success as you are—because when you deliver, it affirms the decision to back you. Which means your job isn’t just to deliver for the company—it’s to deliver for them.

Be organized. Know what you need and when you need it. Make your process predictable, your materials clear, your deadlines firm but fair. Don’t leave them chasing loose ends two days before the event. Don’t put them in the awkward position of having to explain your last-minute scramble to their team.

Think of your champion as your customer. The more you protect their time and reputation, the more likely they are to go to bat for you again.

A good champion is worth their weight in gold

Sometimes your contact is in a role where sponsorships are part of the job. Sometimes they’re just the person who saw the value and decided to advocate for you.

Your champion doesn’t have to be a VP or department head. In fact, mid-level staff are often the strongest advocates. They may have more bandwidth, more day-to-day involvement, and a real stake in making it go well—because helping this sponsorship succeed might matter more to their career than it would to a senior executive’s.

Whatever their title, the role is the same: they make it easier for the company to say “yes” to a partnership.

And when the time comes to grow your board, they just might be the right person to ask.

Take care of your champion

If you’re lucky enough to have someone advocating for you inside a company—treat that relationship with care.

Check in after the event. Ask what worked and what didn’t. Make sure they feel proud of the partnership. Then when it’s time to talk about next year, you aren’t starting from scratch—you’re starting with a relationship you’ve already built.

And if you don’t have a champion yet, nurture the relationship with your point of contact so they become one. Make it easy for them to see the value, to advocate internally, and to want to stay involved.

Sponsorships aren’t just about funding. They’re about trust, timing, and the people who help move things forward when no one’s watching.

One of the best ways to make a partnership that lasts is to identify and take care of those people.

If you want to secure more lasting sponsorships—and make life easier for your internal champions—I’d be glad to help. Let’s talk about how to sharpen your process, strengthen your materials, and build the kind of partnerships that make it easy to say “yes.” Reach out for a free consultation and let’s get started.