A Scrappy Sponsorship Model

Climate Pledge Arena

Delivering a ~1,000-person flagship client event on half the budget it required, by building a sponsorship model from scratch.

The Challenge

Compass set out to host a flagship client event at Climate Pledge Arena for roughly 1,000 attendees. Going in, I knew our allocated budget covered only about half of what the venue alone would cost.

Rather than scale down the event or the ambition, I built a sponsorship strategy to close the gap, one that didn't exist yet.

My Role

Sponsorship strategy and packaging
Vendor and partner negotiation
Budget management
Event design, working directly with the Climate Pledge Arena team on specs
Event logistics and on-site execution

The Approach

Traditional sponsorship, a logo on a banner, wasn't going to be compelling enough to raise real dollars fast. Instead, I built packages around specific, tangible value sponsors could see themselves in:

Partnerships

Photography and videography partnerships, in exchange for event placement, our photography and video partners covered the event in full

Ongoing Relationships

Value extended beyond the event itself, including sponsor social posts and dedicated slots in our in-person meetings, so sponsorship felt like an ongoing partnership, not a single transaction

Branding

I also designed the event myself, working directly with the Climate Pledge Arena team to navigate their venue specs, so sponsor placements, menus, and signage all felt cohesive and on-brand rather than bolted on.

Results

~1,000 attendees hosted at full scope, on budget, with no reduction in ambition
Full event budget closed entirely through sponsorship, covering the gap between allocated funds and actual venue cost
Zero-cost, professional-grade photography and videography secured through partnership, not spend
A reusable sponsorship model that extended value beyond the event itself into ongoing partner engagement