I get asked this a lot: “How do you get sponsors for your user group?”
The truth is, getting sponsorships isn’t just about covering pizza or swag. It’s about building a sustainable, community-first program, where the money supports the people who show up, not just the logo on a slide.
Let’s talk about how I approach sponsors, how I use the funds, and why it matters if you’re trying to run a tech meetup or user group that actually serves the community.
Key Takeaways
✅ Sponsor for the Year, Not Just the Night
Per-event sponsorships work, but annual deals give you stability and room to plan ahead.
✅ Be Transparent With the Money
Sponsor funds should flow back into the community. Think food, video editing, swag, or scholarships, not your pocket.
✅ Net Neutral Should Be the Goal
You don’t need to turn a profit. You do need to run a group that sustains itself and creates opportunity.
✅ Know What You’re Signing Up For
Sponsorship comes with expectations. If you take the money, follow through.
Annual Sponsors vs. Per-Event
When you’re just getting started, it’s easy to think about sponsorship on a per-event basis. But over time, I’ve found that yearly sponsors are a better fit:
- You reduce the administrative burden (no chasing invoices for each event)
- You can forecast your budget and spend intentionally
- You build stronger, more consistent relationships with sponsors
And here’s the kicker: most companies want that kind of stability too. You can always add per-event sponsors based on additional budget needs and communicating with your sponsors the desire to bring others on.
Where To Find Sponsors
You will be surprised to learn it’s pretty easy to find interested companies who want to be connected.
Word to the wise, don’t sign up sponsors that compete.
Make sure to get approval from your incumbent sponsors before making it official!
Services
Best place to start is who are the Service Integrators or consulting companies that align with your tech. For example, here is an exhaustive list of Microsoft Partners or IBM Partners based on location and competency.
Is there a big Conference that aligns with your technology like Microsoft FabCon, Microsoft Power Platform Community Conference, or IBM TechXchange? Go look at their most recent sponsor list and take your pick.
Make sure to connect with representatives of these companies on LinkedIn who are local. You will have a better chance securing their sponsorship if they have local boots on the ground that can attend your events!
Recruiters
Recruitment firms that focus on staffing for your technology are always a hit as a sponsor. You can typically do a quick Google search: “insert technology” + “geography” + “staffing and recruitment” and there is your list!
You can only have one recruiter sponsor given finding two that don’t compete is slim. Also, having a recruiter sponsor helps with fending off other recruiters that like to join user groups simply to poach people and market. I have seen time and time again user groups that devolve to hungry recruiters and job seekers… They are an important component to the community but shouldn’t be the only reason people show up!
Product Companies
In my experience these are the hardest type of sponsors to commit to sponsorship, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try! If there are product companies you have come across that either directly integrate with your respective tech or complement well then they are worth reaching out to.
Like I mentioned about Services partners, go check out a recent Conference and pick the product companies that sponsored most recently.
What the Funds Actually Pay For
I’m crystal clear about where the money goes:
- Graphic Design – Odds are someone in the community is an artist, start there and pay them a small royalty for their time to design your community logo.
- Food & Drinks – People are giving you their time. Feed them and quench their thirst. If it isn’t too much trouble, a little alcohol goes a long way but be responsible!
- Video Editing – If you want to reach beyond the room, you need quality recordings and a YouTube channel to publish them to.
- Swag – stickers are a MUST! If you can purchase swag relevant to your tech that is also a plus to use as giveaways.
- Training – Anything leftover goes into things that help the people in the room. Training access for those who can’t afford it shows how the community has their back.
This isn’t a profit center. It’s an engine for community opportunity.
Sponsorship = Responsibility
Here’s the thing most people don’t think about:
Once you take a sponsor’s money, they expect you to show up.
If you cancel events, delay content, or stop communicating, they’re not just disappointed. They’re out cash. That’s why I tell people: don’t take money until you’re ready to commit.
Trust is hard to win and easy to lose.
So yes, take the money. But treat it with the respect it deserves.
Final Thoughts: Run It Like It Matters
At the end of the day, sponsors enable you to do more. But they don’t define your group.
You define it.
So make it count. Build something that helps people break in, level up, or reconnect. Use the funding to remove friction and make space for people who otherwise wouldn’t be there.
That’s how community works.
Want to Build a Stronger User Group?
If you’re running a community, user group, or local meetup and want help thinking through sponsorship, structure, or scaling, I’m always happy to share what’s worked (and what hasn’t).
Let’s build something that lasts.
