IR Conference Resource Hub 2025: Sponsors, Speakers & Events Directory

If you’re in institutional research, you already know the pressure that haunts you with conferences and events. It’s not just about data or programming - it’s about finding the right sponsors to make these events possible.

Without sponsors, even the most well-planned conference struggles to take off. But here’s the problem: there’s no single playbook for discovering, approaching, and managing them.

The Sponsorship Struggle

IR event organizers face unclear sponsor pipelines and rely on outdated contacts or scattered emails. There’s no central list of sponsors open to supporting research events. Even when sponsors are secured, managing their diverse needs is complex. Without strong sponsor backing, committees are forced to scale back or cancel plans.

Why Sponsorship Really Matters for Institutional Research

Visibility: Sponsors elevate the profile of IR conferences, signaling importance to attendees and university leadership.

Networking: Sponsored events create key opportunities to connect with peers, vendors, and collaborators.

Professional Development: Sponsors underwrite training, keynotes, and travel, expanding learning opportunities for IR staff.

Program Quality: Adequate sponsorship allows full-scale programming rather than scaled-back sessions.

Sustainability: Reliable sponsor support ensures future events remain viable and strengthens IR communities.

The Ultimate Resources You Need for Conference Success

Many IR offices try to adapt general event planning tools or rely on personal networks. The result? A scattered process that feels like reinventing the wheel every single year.

What’s missing is a set of reliable directories that help you connect with sponsors, showcase credible speakers, and plan conferences in a way that naturally attracts support.

Here are four resources that can help - plus one that’s designed especially with sponsors in mind.

BlockSurvey Sponsor Directory

If your top concern is finding and managing sponsors, this is where you should begin. BlockSurvey Sponsor Directory is built to simplify sponsorship discovery for institutional research and academic events.

Why it matters:

• A dedicated space to find sponsors interested in research and education. 
• Clean, easy-to-browse format saves hours of chasing contacts. 
• And if you also need tools for sponsor feedback, event registration, or attendee surveys, BlockSurvey can help.

UC Research Directory

Sponsors want to see substance. They want to know the events they’re backing highlight real expertise. The University of Cincinnati’s Research Directory helps you find and showcase faculty research that sponsors may want to align with.

Why it helps:

• Browse faculty by discipline or expertise.
  

• Identify potential speakers who add credibility.
  

• Strengthen your pitch to sponsors by pairing them with relevant research.
  

• Connect with researchers who already collaborate with industry.
  

• Build a knowledge-driven program that attracts sponsor attention.
  

• Saves time when curating your conference agenda.
  

While it’s not a sponsor directory, it gives you a powerful way to show sponsors why your event matters.

Society Speaker Directory (SpeakerHub)

Sponsors are more likely to commit when they see your event has compelling speakers. The Society Speaker Directory on SpeakerHub makes it easier to find the right voices.

Why it supports:

• Wide range of professional speakers across industries.
  

• Ability to search by expertise ensures relevance.
  

• Speaker credibility makes your event more attractive to sponsors.
  

• Ratings and profiles make selection easier.
  

• Quick booking streamlines planning.
  

• Helps build programs that feel fresh and engaging.
  

For IR officials, a strong speaker lineup doesn’t just serve the audience - it gives sponsors confidence that the event will be well attended and respected.

A bonus directory to save you time - Events in America: Convention & Conference Venues: If you’re also handling venues, this is a handy tool. It lists top convention centers and conference hotels across the U.S., making it easier to compare and shortlist options without endless searching.

Pulling It All Together

As an institutional research official, you’re not just supporting academics - you’re also helping ensure your events are sustainable. That means making them attractive to sponsors.

If you’re planning a research conference or academic event, don’t waste time piecing together sponsor outreach. Start with the tools that make the process easier.

Explore our Sponsor directory today and make finding sponsors simple. With AI-powered surveys, BlockSurvey also helps you handle feedback, registrations, and more - all in one place.

Sign up now!