Nonprofit Organizations at the AES Annual Meeting

The American Epilepsy Society welcomes its members and the broader epilepsy community to the AES Annual Meeting. We are pleased to provide opportunities for nonprofit organizations to participate as attendees, exhibitors, advertisers, and sponsors.

While the primary purpose of the event is to provide top-quality medical education, share the latest scientific findings, and provide other career-building opportunities for epilepsy clinicians and researchers, AES shares many of the same goals and challenges as other nonprofit organizations working to improve outcomes for epilepsy patients.

In general, both nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies are subject to the same exhibitor benefits, policies, and pricing at the AES Annual Meeting. In some cases, we are pleased to provide special discounts to nonprofit organizations. For example, we offer exhibit booths to nonprofits in the Epilepsy Resource Area at a fraction of the cost of a commercial booth, and nonprofits enjoy discounted registration rates.

How Nonprofits Can Be Involved at AES

AES provides an Epilepsy Resource Area for nonprofit organizations involved in advocacy, patient outreach, non-clinical patient services, and research funding. Only organizations working in these areas may qualify for reduced-rate booths. If you are interested in being in the Epilepsy Resource Area, you are encouraged to apply and AES will review your application to determine your eligibility.

Qualifying nonprofit organizations and networks are welcome to:

Secure a booth either in the Epilepsy Resource Area or the general exhibit floor HERE (note: in Nashville, the Epilepsy Resource Area will consist of 10x10 booths)
Participate in AES education and networking activities
Engage in relationship building, stewardship, and marketing activities with donors and supporters, provided these activities do not compete with or detract from AES programming and fundraising
Launch special outreach and/or messaging campaigns during the week of the AES Annual Meeting, provided AES is a partner in the campaign. The AES contact for organizations interested in launching a campaign is Anne Gramiak

Nonprofit organizations and networks may not:

Hold any meetings or events during the AES Annual Meeting that have not been approved by AES
Organize events or engage in solicitation activities that compete with or detract from AES programming and fundraising
Sell any items through the exhibit booth or at meetings or events, per AES guidelines for all exhibitors
Provide ribbons or pins or other designations for AES attendees that identify them as donors to a nonprofit organization other than AES

General Guidelines for Nonprofit Participation at the AES Annual Meeting

Nonprofit exhibitors: must observe all exhibitor rules. Most nonprofit exhibitors are located in the Epilepsy Resource Area. AES makes every effort to provide equitable space and clear guidelines to support the nonprofit community that shares the Epilepsy Resource Area.
Meetings, receptions, press conferences, and other events: during the one-week period that begins on the Tuesday before the start of the event and continues to the last day of the event on the following Tuesday, any meetings or events that include Annual Meeting attendees may be held only if they are approved by AES. AES reserves the right to decline any request for an event or meeting involving Annual Meeting attendees.
Virtual or in-person media events: Virtual, digital, or streaming media events—including but not limited to podcasts, social media events, and radio broadcasts do not need AES approval. These events may not originate from the AES Annual Meeting exhibit hall or other AES spaces. They may not use any AES logos or graphics. Speakers and guests who are AES members may mention that they are AES members and are participating in the AES Annual Meeting. AES will consider partnering with other nonprofits on selected events. The AES contact for organizations interested in partnering on an event is Nicole Rodriguez.
Messaging: any messaging at booths or tables, or in any materials or any other event-related outreach done pre- or post-meeting must conform to all AES messaging guidelines, which can be found HERE; or in the exhibitor prospectus.
Sponsorship and advertising: AES ads and sponsorships may be purchased by nonprofit organizations. Organizations with total revenue of $1 million or more in their last fiscal year must have an exhibit booth to purchase these products. Organizations with total revenue under $1 million in their last fiscal year may purchase these products whether or not they are exhibitors. Details on all opportunities can be found HERE.
Video and photography: AES policies for video and recording apply to all exhibitors and participating organizations.
Registration category: staff of epilepsy-related nonprofit organizations and individuals with epilepsy and family members or caregivers may register for the AES Annual Meeting in the Advocate category. Physicians (those with MD, DO, MBBS) may not register for this category. AES conducts a post-event category audit and if appropriate, invoices are sent to attendees who register in incorrect categories.
Corporate recognition by nonprofit organizations: while the display of corporate recognition from nonprofits and organizations other than the American Epilepsy Society is generally discouraged, AES will permit exhibitors to display such recognition in a modest fashion.

Compliance with all AES policies and guidelines, in the spirit of supporting the AES commitment to opportunities that are fair and equitable to all stakeholders and to ensure an optimal attendee experience, is expected and appreciated.

AES reserves the right to limit or decline requests from noncompliant organizations for participation in future AES events.

Special Opportunities for Epilepsy Leadership Council (ELC) Members:

Complimentary full-meeting registration: each organization that is a member in good standing of the Epilepsy Leadership Council (ELC) will receive one complimentary full meeting registration. This is in addition to the complimentary exhibit hall-only registrations they receive based on the type of their booth.
Special offers: organizations that are members of the Epilepsy Leadership Council (ELC) may from time to time receive special offers and pricing on selected opportunities to support their participation in the AES Annual Meeting. These offers will not be available to non-members of the ELC. Any special opportunities will be sent directly to the organization’s representative/s on the ELC.
Virtual tote bag: TBD (Each ELC member organization may be offered the opportunity to submit a complimentary item. The item must comply with specifications and deadlines provided by AES and must be approved by AES.)
Logo in printed in program book: logos of ELC member organizations are displayed all together on a single page in the AES Annual Meeting program book in a four-color advertisement.
Hoyer Lecture: ELC organizations are offered the opportunity to include a slide in the Hoyer Lecture walk-in slides that are rotated during the convening of the Hoyer Lecture at the AES Annual Meeting. These slides typically feature information about each organization’s research program.

Recognition for AES Annual Meeting Participation and Support

AES recognizes exhibitors based on their total expenditure with AES on a specific list of items. Nonprofit organizations with booths either in the Epilepsy Resource Area or the general exhibit floor are part of the AES exhibitor recognition system.

What’s included for recognition purposes: AES will total each organization’s entire spend on booth, sponsorship, event advertising, and Epilepsy Currents advertising to determine an organization’s recognition level
What’s not included: research grants, registration fees, audiovisual, and other expenditures are not included in an organization’s total for AES recognition purposes.
Benefits based on level: nonprofit organizations receive the same benefits that commercial supporters receive at each recognition level except for invitations to AES private events. Details on these benefits can be found in the exhibitor prospectus.

Recognition for Grant Support

AES frequently collaborates with nonprofit organizations on research funding, grantmaking, grant administration, and special projects to support epilepsy research programs.

Grant support recognition: grants from and collaboration with nonprofit organizations are recognized in multiple ways in the AES guidebook, on signage, and from the podium at AES events.
Complimentary registrations: in appreciation for grant support and collaboration, AES provides one complimentary full-meeting registration to each partner organization that makes a grant or grants through AES in a given year.