Sponsorships

 

The Port of Los Angeles receives hundreds of requests annually for financial and in-kind support of events, activities and programs. In all cases, approval follows Harbor Department staff, City Attorney and City Controller review.
 
Funding in excess of $50,000 or for periods of more than one year must be approved by the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners.

 

Port sponsorship may take a variety of forms including, but not limited, to:

1. Purchase of tickets, a table at an event, advertising, educational exhibits, sponsorships, which include combinations of benefits, or other activities through which the Port’s initiatives may be publicized.
 
2. In-kind assistance in the form of staff expertise, staff time, printing, photography or other resources, as available and appropriate.
 
3. Providing one-time use of meeting space or other Port property or facilities at reduced or no cost.
 
4. Providing matching funds for a particular program or purpose.
 
5. Participating in local community or business events at which the honoree is related to Port business or international trade as a customer or tenant, employee, maritime industry leader, City of Los Angeles official, legislator or regulatory agencies that interact with the Port.
 
6. Hosting or sponsoring events, programs, conferences, or partnering sessions on topical issues, environmental initiatives, trade trends, job opportunities or industry roundtables, which serve to educate industry members and business groups regarding international trade or technical subjects of importance to the Port.
 
7. Support of maritime related educational or artistic endeavors directly related to the Port and/or international trade curricula, but which do not duplicate already established and recognized educational efforts and programs.
 
8. Financial sponsorship of major community events intended to promote maritime tourism, use of attractions on Port properties or awareness of the Port as a regional destination and/or economic asset.

Sponsorship for charitable, business or civic events must meet the following basic criteria. The amount of the approved financial or in-kind support is at the discretion of the Executive Director and is commensurate with the benefits to be accrued to the Port.

1. Recipients of community outreach dollars must show evidence of their status as a tax-exempt organization as described in Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c)(3).
 
2. The event or promotion is targeted at customers and/or civic, community, business and/or government leaders and will provide a means for the Harbor Department to increase awareness of Port programs, goals or activities.
 
3. Recipients are NOT:
 

4. Requests for sponsorship cannot be initiated by a Department employee, member of the Board of Harbor Commissioners, or City employee if he or she acts in a decision-making capacity regarding Harbor Department sponsorship.
 
5. Retirement events are not eligible for sponsorship unless the beneficiary is an organization whose mandate falls within Tidelands Grant and City Charter restrictions. (For example, Port funds cannot be used in the purchase of tickets or sponsorship of an event honoring a long-time City employee or commissioner.  However, such sponsorship may be considered if the retiree is the honoree at an event hosted by the Maritime Museum to benefit a youth sailing training program.)
 
6. Approval of sponsorship funds, or the funding level of those approvals shall be considered as one-time approvals unless other stipulated by action of the Board of Harbor Commissioners.  Neither the Department nor requesting agencies shall assume that funding is pre-approved for subsequent years or amounts unless so stated in Board of Harbor Commissioners’ actions.

The Department and its employees are prohibited from official participation in political fund-raisers, according to City Ethics Commission (Penal Code Section 424; Government Code Section 3205 and Municipal Code Section 47.03).  In addition, support for charities or events benefiting organizations such as health related associations are not deemed appropriate uses of Harbor Department funds, based on City Charter Section 656 (b) (1).  This prohibition includes memorial contributions to such organizations.
 
Note: Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 21.49(c) requires that all firms engaged in any business activity within the City of Los Angeles are required to have a Business Tax Registration Certification (BTRC). Non-profit organizations seeking sponsorship of events and programs from the Port of Los Angeles are required to have a BTRC exemption number. For more information, please contact the City's Tax Exemption Unit at (213) 978-3050, or view available forms with the Los Angeles Office of Finance.