Sponsorship Agreement

Effective date: October 18, 2026
Last updated: October 18, 2026

This Corporate Sponsorship Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into between the Photonics Society of Chinese Heritage, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation and a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, with its principal executive office in Chino Hills, California (“PSC,” “we,” “us”), and the organization submitting a Corporate Sponsorship Application (“Sponsor,” “you”).

Acceptance. Sponsor accepts this Agreement by checking the “I agree to the PSC Sponsorship Agreement and Privacy Policy” checkbox (presented with links to both documents) and submitting the sponsorship application, and by completing payment. PSC retains a record of the Agreement version in effect at acceptance, the acceptance timestamp, and the submitting account/email. The individual accepting represents that they are authorized to bind Sponsor to this Agreement.

1. Sponsorship Tiers and Fees

Tier	Annual Fee
Gold	$750.00
Platinum	$1,500.00
Titanium	$3,000.00
Diamond	$10,000.00

Fees are due annually, in advance, for a 12-month sponsorship term beginning on the Activation Date (defined in Section 3).

2. Sponsorship Benefits

In exchange for the applicable fee, PSC will provide Sponsor the following benefits for the sponsorship term, per tier:

Gold

• Recognition on the PSC website, event materials, and publications
• Sponsor recognition slide at the PSC annual workshop
• One exclusive gold-colored PSC Sponsor Lapel Pin, available only to PSC sponsors
• Up to 5 job postings and 2 complimentary banquet tickets in total

Platinum — all Gold benefits, plus:

• VIP seating at the PSC annual workshop and banquet
• Special acknowledgment during workshops and webinars
• Poster display at in-person workshops
• Sponsor acknowledgment on the PSC website
• Up to 10 job postings and 2 complimentary banquet tickets in total

Titanium — all Platinum benefits, plus:

• Dedicated sponsor profile page on the PSC website
• Up to 15 job postings and 3 complimentary banquet tickets in total

Diamond — all Titanium benefits, plus:

• Exclusive appreciation dinner with the PSC committee
• Up to 20 job postings and 5 complimentary banquet tickets in total

Quantitative benefits (job postings, complimentary banquet tickets, and similar countable benefits) stated for a higher sponsorship tier replace, rather than add to, the corresponding quantitative benefits stated for lower tiers. For example, a Diamond Sponsor receives up to 20 job postings and 5 banquet tickets in total for the term — not the sum of the figures listed for Gold, Platinum, Titanium, and Diamond.

Website and workshop acknowledgments consist of the display of Sponsor’s name, logo, website address, and a non-promotional slogan. PSC may update the specific format of a benefit (e.g., placement of a logo, design of the lapel pin) without changing the tier fee, provided the substance of the benefit is preserved. Complimentary banquet tickets and job postings not used within the sponsorship term do not carry over or convert to cash value.

Benefits are subject to the applicable event occurring, Sponsor’s timely submission of required materials, venue and platform limitations, and reasonable scheduling by PSC. Unless expressly stated otherwise, benefits do not guarantee exclusivity, minimum impressions, attendance, placement position, speaking time, or any particular commercial result.

Materials deadlines. Sponsor must provide logos, acknowledgment content, job postings, attendee names, and other required materials by the deadlines reasonably communicated by PSC. PSC is not responsible for a benefit that cannot be delivered because Sponsor failed to submit usable materials on time; such benefits are not refundable and do not carry over.

Job postings. Job postings are provided in furtherance of PSC’s educational and professional-development mission. PSC may reject or require reasonable modification of postings that are unlawful, misleading, discriminatory, unrelated to photonics or related professional fields, or inconsistent with PSC’s mission or published posting standards. Unless otherwise stated by PSC, each job posting will remain active for the period specified in PSC’s posting guidelines. Unused job-posting privileges expire at the end of the sponsorship term and have no cash value. PSC does not verify or guarantee the accuracy, continued availability, compensation, immigration-sponsorship status, or other terms of positions submitted by Sponsor, and PSC does not guarantee any number of applications, interviews, or hires.

3. Payment and Activation

3.1 Application. Sponsor submits the Corporate Sponsorship Application with accurate organization and primary contact information.

3.2 Payment methods. Sponsor may pay by (a) credit card / ACH via a Stripe-hosted invoice or checkout link, or (b) check mailed to the address shown on the sponsorship application and on the Sponsorship Payment Information page.

3.3 Activation. Sponsorship benefits begin on the date PSC confirms receipt of payment (“Activation Date”) — typically within 1–2 business days for Stripe payments and 2–5 business days after a mailed check is received. Sponsor’s account and public-facing benefits (e.g., logo placement) are not activated until payment is confirmed.

3.4 No card data retained by PSC. Card and bank details are processed directly by Stripe; PSC does not receive or store full payment card numbers. Stripe’s own terms and privacy policy govern that processing.

4. Term and Renewal

4.1 The sponsorship term is 12 months from the Activation Date.

4.2 Sponsorships do not renew or charge automatically. Prior to expiration, Sponsor may renew for a new 12-month term from the sponsor account (/sponsor-renew/) by completing payment for the new term by one of the methods in Section 3.2.

4.3 If Sponsor does not renew, PSC will remove Sponsor’s name/logo and other recognition from active pages and materials within 30 business days of expiration, other than materials already printed or distributed (e.g., a past workshop program).

5. Use of Sponsor Name and Logo

5.1 Sponsor grants PSC a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use Sponsor’s name, logo, and a brief description of Sponsor’s organization, solely to provide the recognition benefits described in Section 2 (e.g., website listing, event materials, workshop slideshow, sponsor profile page), for the duration of the sponsorship term.

5.2 Sponsor is responsible for providing a usable logo file and confirming it may be displayed by PSC. PSC will use reasonable efforts to display the logo as provided but is not responsible for minor rendering differences across devices or print materials.

5.3 Sponsor may state publicly that it is a Gold, Platinum, Titanium, or Diamond Sponsor (as applicable to its tier) of the Photonics Society of Chinese Heritage, but may not otherwise imply PSC’s endorsement of Sponsor’s products, services, or statements without PSC’s prior written consent.

5.4 PSC’s name and logo remain PSC’s property. Nothing in this Agreement grants Sponsor rights to use PSC’s name or logo beyond identifying itself as a sponsor as described above.

6. Sponsor Responsibilities

Sponsor represents that the information provided in its application (organization name and contact details) is accurate, and will notify PSC promptly of any changes (e.g., a new primary contact). PSC may rely on the contact information on file to send invoices, renewal reminders, and communications about sponsorship benefits.

Sponsor further represents and warrants that it will comply with all applicable laws and regulations in connection with its sponsorship and its business activities, including any content it submits for display (e.g., logo, acknowledgment content, job postings).

7. Cancellations and Refunds

7.1 Sponsorship fees are non-refundable once the Activation Date has occurred, except as required by law or at PSC’s sole discretion.

7.2 If Sponsor cancels before the Activation Date (i.e., before payment is confirmed and benefits begin), Sponsor may request a full refund of any amount already paid by emailing photonicschinese@gmail.com.

7.3 PSC does not prorate refunds for early termination by Sponsor after activation.

7.4 If PSC suspends or terminates this Agreement under Section 12:

(a) Sponsor fault. Where termination is based on Sponsor’s violation of applicable laws or regulations, fraud, infringement, other serious misconduct, or Sponsor’s uncured material breach, sponsorship fees for the current term are non-refundable and any unused benefits are forfeited.

(b) No Sponsor fault. Where PSC terminates for reasons not arising from Sponsor’s fault (e.g., a change in PSC’s own programs or policies), PSC will refund a prorated portion of the fee for the unexpired term or, at Sponsor’s election, apply it as a credit toward a future term.

(c) Unconfirmed facts. Where the underlying facts are not yet reasonably confirmed, PSC may first suspend benefits pending review rather than terminate.

8. Independent Relationship

PSC and Sponsor are independent parties. Nothing in this Agreement creates a partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship between them. Sponsor’s payment is a sponsorship of PSC’s programs and does not purchase any ownership interest, governance role, or right to direct PSC’s activities.

Tax treatment. PSC is recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Sponsorship benefits may include admissions, meals, job-posting privileges, or other goods or services.

When required by law, PSC will provide Sponsor with a reasonable, good-faith estimate of the total fair market value of goods or services provided. Only the portion of a payment, if any, exceeding that estimated value may be eligible for treatment as a charitable contribution.

PSC does not guarantee the deductibility of any sponsorship payment. Sponsor should consult its own tax adviser.

9. Disclaimer of Warranties

Sponsorship benefits (e.g., attendance figures, publication reach, event timing) are provided on a reasonable-efforts basis. PSC does not guarantee specific business outcomes, leads, or exposure results from sponsorship.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, PSC’s total liability to Sponsor under this Agreement is limited to the sponsorship fee paid for the term in which the claim arises. Neither party is liable to the other for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages.

11. Indemnification

Sponsor will defend, indemnify, and hold harmless PSC and its directors, officers, volunteers, and agents from third-party claims to the extent arising from (a) Sponsor-provided content (e.g., logo, acknowledgment content, job postings), (b) Sponsor’s infringement or misappropriation of third-party rights, or (c) Sponsor’s material breach of this Agreement.

PSC must provide Sponsor prompt written notice of any such claim and reasonable cooperation in the defense. Sponsor may control the defense with counsel reasonably acceptable to PSC, but may not, without PSC’s prior written consent, settle a claim in a manner that admits wrongdoing by PSC, imposes nonmonetary obligations on PSC, or is not fully paid by Sponsor.

12. Termination for Cause

Either party may terminate this Agreement if the other party materially breaches it and does not cure the breach within 30 days of written notice.

PSC may also immediately suspend or terminate this Agreement and remove Sponsor’s recognition if PSC reasonably determines, based on credible information, that (a) Sponsor has violated applicable laws or regulations, or (b) continued association presents a material legal, safety, reputational, or mission-related risk to PSC. PSC will provide written notice describing the general basis for the decision, unless prohibited by law or reasonably necessary to protect safety or confidentiality. Section 7’s refund terms (including Section 7.4) apply to any suspension or termination under this Section.

13. Force Majeure; Event Changes

PSC may reasonably reschedule, relocate, modify, combine, or convert an event to a virtual or hybrid format due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control (e.g., venue unavailability, extreme weather, public-health events, government restrictions, speaker cancellations, or platform outages). PSC will use reasonable efforts to provide substantially comparable sponsorship value.

If PSC permanently cancels a material sponsored event and cannot provide substantially comparable substitute benefits, the parties will discuss in good faith an appropriate credit, extension of the sponsorship term, or proportional refund.

Neither party is liable for delay or failure to perform (other than payment obligations) caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control.

14. Governing Law; Venue

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. The state courts located in San Bernardino County, California, and the United States District Court for the Central District of California, will have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, and each party consents to personal jurisdiction and venue in those courts.

15. Entire Agreement; Changes

This Agreement, together with the sponsorship application and any tier description referenced on /membership-levels/, is the entire agreement between the parties regarding sponsorship and supersedes prior discussions on the subject. PSC may update this Agreement for future sponsorship terms; material changes will be posted here with an updated “Last updated” date and will not retroactively change benefits already paid for under a prior version.

16. Contact

Questions about this Agreement or an existing sponsorship: photonicschinese@gmail.com