Sponsorships Decline in 2009, But Not For Associations

Money spent on sponsorships for events and meetings declined 1 percent in 2009 in the United States, to $16.5 billion. There's good news, however, for association meeting planners: Spending on association events actually increased last year and is expected to climb again in 2010, according to the IEG Sponsorship Report, published by IEG Sponsorship Consulting, Chicago.