For two consecutive years, Meeting Professionals International (MPI) partnered with Gather Voices during WEC to transform their approach to foundation sponsor recognition and community storytelling. Each year, MPI uses the event as an opportunity to collect a wide variety of stories, including event highlights, member milestones, supplier and partner perspectives, and, most importantly, personalized thank-you messages from scholarship recipients to foundation sponsors. In 2024, MPI gathered 71 videos in three days. In 2025, that number grew to 138 videos in just two days. By scheduling scholarship recipients in advance, MPI streamlined the process, making it both smooth and efficient. These videos go far beyond statistics, offering sponsors compelling, human stories that demonstrate the true impact of their support.
Personal video messages from scholarship recipients created meaningful connections with sponsors and moved beyond a purely transactional relationship. These direct expressions of gratitude strengthened ongoing sponsor commitment.
In 2025, MPI more than doubled the previous year’s output by organizing participants ahead of time. This preparation allowed them to collect 138 diverse stories in only two days.
MPI built a year-round library featuring event highlights, member experiences, supplier and partner testimonials, and, most prominently, scholarship gratitude. This ensured the purpose and outcomes of foundation support remained visible throughout the year, proving that high-volume, high-impact content can be both efficient and sustainable.
Personal video messages from scholarship recipients created meaningful connections with sponsors and moved beyond a purely transactional relationship. These direct expressions of gratitude strengthened ongoing sponsor commitment.
In 2025, MPI more than doubled the previous year’s output by organizing participants ahead of time. This preparation allowed them to collect 138 diverse stories in only two days.
MPI built a year-round library featuring event highlights, member experiences, supplier and partner testimonials, and, most prominently, scholarship gratitude. This ensured the purpose and outcomes of foundation support remained visible throughout the year, proving that high-volume, high-impact content can be both efficient and sustainable.
MPI primarily relied on written testimonials and statistical reports to share the impact of MPI Foundation scholarships. Without a streamlined video collection process, foundation sponsors often received only numbers and general summaries rather than hearing directly from those whose careers had been transformed. Limited staff time and resources further restricted the ability to share authentic stories and heartfelt appreciation.
At WEC, MPI enhanced its storytelling strategy by:
MPI’s collaboration with Gather Voices demonstrates how strategic video storytelling can deepen the connection between scholarship recipients and foundation sponsors while advancing the organization’s mission. By integrating storytelling into the event experience and thoughtfully scheduling participants, MPI created an efficient, scalable model for expressing appreciation and sharing impact.
These videos give foundation sponsors the opportunity to hear directly from the people they support, making their contributions tangible and memorable. This approach strengthens sponsor loyalty and helps ensure ongoing funding, creating professional opportunities for future scholarship recipients.
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