Imagine this—actually, doing what people want! I have always believed that it is important to listen. It is even more important to listen and then act based on the knowledge acquired. Three years ago, we did some key research on Canada’s leading sponsorship conference, the WSC®  The research told us that, after ten years, it needed to move away from just being in Calgary alone. It said we needed to be more regionalized. We learned that people wanted it to travel across the country instead of people having to travel to it. They also told us they wanted it to be smaller and more intimate, versus the 250 to 300 to which it had grown. Many respondents noted that it should be multiple events in multiple markets annually—as we had done with our one-day training workshops. So, we listened, and we acted.

In 2016 and 2017, Timewise Event Management acquired the rights to the WSC® in Alberta and hosted the WSC® Alberta Forum in Edmonton. Over the past two years or so, we have also been talking with organizations to acquire the rights and operate the WSC® in other markets, including Victoria, Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Brantford, Ottawa, Fredericton, and Halifax.

The goal is to provide the best in sponsorship professional development coast to coast. The objective is to provide cost-effective local regionalised sponsorship training, best practices, and networking in multiple markets. The mandate is to provide this training and professional development because that is what the industry has asked for; because that is what the industry wants and needs.

Here is what we have been able to provide to the sponsorship industry to fill the void in high quality, cost effective, and applicable content and networking. I am excited to announce these events.

1. WSC® in the 613 – Capitalizing on Sponsorship in Canada’s Capital will join the annual showcase of WSC events on September 10-11, 2018 in Ottawa and will be licensed to and operated by iSPARK.

2. WSC® – Alberta Forum is back and will take place in November 2018 in Calgary and again will be licensed to and operated by Timewise Event Management .

3. WSC® – Atlantic will join the fold as an annual event April 10-12, 2019 in Halifax and is licenced to and operated by SOK Associates Inc.

4. WSC® – Vancouver Island will take place in Victoria BC and become part of the annual team in February 2020. It will be licenced to and operated by the AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) Vancouver Island. Details to follow soon but mark your calendar now!

Stay tuned for more details and information on dates and locations when it is posted to at  www.sponsorshipcongress.ca. It is a great day for sponsorship professional development in Canada!

© 2018. All rights reserved.