The Sponsorship Committee Makes It Possible
Every scholarship, every program, every Section event – somewhere behind it, a small group of volunteers made a series of phone calls, sent carefully worded emails, and took lunch meetings. They ask people for money to support the IESNYC.
That's the Sponsorship Committee's job, and they're not shy about it.
Led by Committee Chair Colin Conroy, of WSP, the committee secures annual financial support from manufacturers, rep firms, lighting designers, and other stakeholders across the industry. What that funding makes possible is significant: a $25,000 annual scholarship for graduate-level lighting students, seed money for now-popular programs like Moonlighting, and the general operational foundation that allows the Section to try new things.
"The work that the sponsorship committee does," said Conroy, "allows the IESNYC to reach. We support our emerging professionals, academics, and professionals with networking and educational opportunities. And also make sure that the Section has the wherewithal to do more with our collective voice in the industry."
The Section's current ecosystem of large events tells part of that history: Moonlighting, the Student Lighting Competition, the Golf Outing. These got their start with general IESNYC funding. These grew successfully and are now self-sustaining, with their own sponsor relationships and revenue streams.
That kind of success has created a structural question the committee is navigating openly: as individual programs build their own fundraising, we find ourselves in competition with us. It's a natural consequence of growth and success, but the committee must stay nimble and keep refreshing its value proposition to sponsors. Making the case for Section-wide support remains distinct from the enthusiasm for supporting any one event.
The annual spokesperson (typically a designer) lends their credibility and inspiration. The theme gets refreshed each year, and the Section's marketing consultants provide support and materials as needed. This year's "Connect and Reveal" campaign highlights the work of the IESNYC to bring our community together and steer the future of our profession. The Board of Managers is working to thread that theme through Section priorities across the year.
The committee reaches out, with gratitude, to sponsors from previous years. People change jobs. Contacts move. Someone has to follow the thread. The committee members follow up personally, reaching out to friends and colleagues to communicate the mission most effectively. There is some cold-calling, and sometimes (not often) warm inquiries come in via the website.
Jessie Frias (Illuminico) joined the committee this year and now acts as Board Liaison. She puts the psychology of the ask plainly: "It's never easy to ask people to part with money. But it wasn't as difficult for me personally, because I’ve known a lot of these people for so long. And I know they care about the industry." When the relationship is already there, the conversation can be honest. "Who can say no to supporting students?" she asks.
When the relationship isn't there, yet, committee members investigate the potential sponsor’s personal and corporate interests in overall Section activities. “Explore how they care about the community first, then bring up the dollar amount second.”
The committee is small, and the work is specific, restricted to fall and winter. The members are candid about one thing: it's not the most sought-after volunteer assignment. It doesn't have the social draw of the Golf Committee or the hot-topic interest of Programs. But the work is meaningful. The people who volunteer tend to stay, because the stakes are real.
The programs that define the Section's identity, the scholarships that reach students who might not otherwise have access or awareness, and the important initiatives that haven't launched yet… They all start with the Sponsorship Committee. For those who know the industry and want to be part of what gets built next, this is where it starts.
