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Sponsorships and Funding
As a self-sustaining center, we depend on our stakeholder partnerships to power our research, education programming, and outreach. Support from individuals and organizations sustains the work we do that informs brand protection, anti-counterfeiting, and illicit trade opposition around the world.
Research Funding
The A-CAPP Center’s research is supported through a combination of gifts and sponsored research contracts. These funding mechanisms allow the Center to pursue applied, interdisciplinary research projects that address real-world brand protection and anti-counterfeiting challenges. Research funding may support specific projects, longer-term initiatives, or broader areas of inquiry aligned with the Center’s mission.
Organizations interested in supporting the Center’s research can engage through project-based funding, general research support, or collaborative research agreements.
For MSU’s Policies on Sponsored Research, Gifts and Fee for service activities, please visit this link.
The A-CAPP Center’s research is supported through a combination of gifts and sponsored research contracts. These funding mechanisms allow the Center to pursue applied, interdisciplinary research projects that address real-world brand protection and anti-counterfeiting challenges. Research funding may support specific projects, longer-term initiatives, or broader areas of inquiry aligned with the Center’s mission.
Organizations interested in supporting the Center’s research can engage through project-based funding, general research support, or collaborative research agreements.
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Support Our Education Programs
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Our Impact
The Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection (A-CAPP) at Michigan State University has had a significant impact on both academic scholarship and industry practice in the field of anti-counterfeiting and brand protection. As a global leader in evidence-based research, the Center produces interdisciplinary scholarship that shapes how academics, policymakers, and practitioners understand the dynamics of illicit trade, consumer behavior, and enforcement strategy. Its work has been cited in high-level policy contexts, including congressional testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on the challenges of online counterfeiting, drawing on A-CAPP’s research and engagement with over 500 brand protection organizations to inform discussions on legislation related to trademark counterfeiting. Additionally, its cutting edge work on the impact and behavior of consumers in the context of online sales has garnered wide interest and support.
A-CAPP also serves as a model for university-industry collaboration, bringing together faculty, students, large and small corporations, law enforcement, e-commerce platforms, and government agencies through its Industry Advisory Board and Brand Protection Councils and Summit. These partnerships not only steer research agendas toward real-world problems.
By integrating rigorous academic research with industry insights and public policy outreach, A-CAPP exemplifies how higher education can co-produce knowledge that advances scholarship, influences policy, and delivers actionable tools for practitioners facing evolving counterfeiting threats.
The Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection (A-CAPP) at Michigan State University has had a significant impact on both academic scholarship and industry practice in the field of anti-counterfeiting and brand protection. As a global leader in evidence-based research, the Center produces interdisciplinary scholarship that shapes how academics, policymakers, and practitioners understand the dynamics of illicit trade, consumer behavior, and enforcement strategy. Its work has been cited in high-level policy contexts, including congressional testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on the challenges of online counterfeiting, drawing on A-CAPP’s research and engagement with over 500 brand protection organizations to inform discussions on legislation related to trademark counterfeiting. Additionally, its cutting edge work on the impact and behavior of consumers in the context of online sales has garnered wide interest and support.
A-CAPP also serves as a model for university-industry collaboration, bringing together faculty, students, large and small corporations, law enforcement, e-commerce platforms, and government agencies through its Industry Advisory Board and Brand Protection Councils and Summit. These partnerships not only steer research agendas toward real-world problems.
By integrating rigorous academic research with industry insights and public policy outreach, A-CAPP exemplifies how higher education can co-produce knowledge that advances scholarship, influences policy, and delivers actionable tools for practitioners facing evolving counterfeiting threats.
Research Independence
The A-CAPP Center maintains full academic and research independence regardless of dunning source. While the Center raises funds through gifts and contracts as a self-sustaining unit at Michigan State University, it does not accept funding that would require promoting a specific viewpoint, outcome, or commercial interest.
All research conducted by the A-CAPP Center is guided by academic integrity, transparency, and relevance to the broader brand protection community, ensuring that findings remain credible, unbiased, and applicable across industries.
The A-CAPP Center maintains full academic and research independence regardless of dunning source. While the Center raises funds through gifts and contracts as a self-sustaining unit at Michigan State University, it does not accept funding that would require promoting a specific viewpoint, outcome, or commercial interest.
All research conducted by the A-CAPP Center is guided by academic integrity, transparency, and relevance to the broader brand protection community, ensuring that findings remain credible, unbiased, and applicable across industries.
Student sponsorships
Ways to Give - Education
Student Internships
At the A-CAPP Center, we strive to develop the future leaders in the world of anti-counterfeiting and brand protection. Our students are exposed to research on brand protection and anti-counterfeiting, outreach projects, education projects and more through our internship program.
Community Outreach & Education in Brand Protection Fellowship
The A-CAPP Center is committed to furthering the advancement within the field of brand protection. This fellowship provides funding to an MSU student coming from across the University’s broad spectrum of experiences and identities who will enrich the brand protection profession and help educate the MSU community on critical brand protection issues.
Matthew R. Maher Fellowship
In memory of a previous student intern, the A-CAPP Center awards MSU students interested in exploring a career in brand protection. The goal of the fellowship is to provide a tailored internship experience that combines practical learning, networking and mentorship with academic work for a unique professional development experience. An individual research project is highly recommended though not required.
Sponsorship levels can be applied to the A-CAPP Center general student program or fellowships.
Leadership Sponsor
$20,000
- Support for 2 students for the academic year.
- Recognition on all student program materials.
Impact Sponsor
$15,000
- Support for 1 student for the academic year and another student for one semester.
- Recognition on all student program materials.
Support Sponsor
$10,000
- Support for 1 student for the semester.
- Recognition on all student program materials.
Semester Sponsor
$5,000
- Support for 1 student for one semester.
- Recognition on all student program materials.
Event Sponsorships
Ways to Give - Event Sponsorship
Brand Protection Strategy Summit
The A-CAPP Center’s annual two and half day summit brings together key stakeholders for both closed and open interactive discussions through panels, hot topic sessions, high top talks, and strategy sessions that focus on the four strategic initiatives of the A-CAPP Center around brand protection and anti-counterfeiting.
Diamond Sponsor
$50,000 –1 Spot Available
- Brand recognition on all marketing and Summit App.
- Feature banner in the Summit App attendee screens (home, agenda, profile).
- Sponsor page with profile and two custom uploads in the Summit App.
- 5 Summit event registrations.
- 4 named invitations to the reception held exclusively for A-CAPP Center team, Advisory Board members, BP Council members, and Research Council members.
- 2 named invitations to a lunch held exclusively for A-CAPP Center team, Advisory Board members, BP Council members, and Research Council members.
- Swag on sponsor tables.
Platinum Sponsor
$35,000 –2 1 Spot Available
- Brand recognition on all marketing and Summit App.
- Feature banner in the Summit App attendee screens (home, agenda, profile).
- Sponsor page with profile in the Summit App.
- 4 Summit event registrations.
- 3 named invitations to the reception held exclusively for A-CAPP Center team, Advisory Board members, BP Council members, and Research Council members.
- 1 named invitation to a lunch held exclusively for A-CAPP Center team, Advisory Board members, BP Council members, and Research Council members.
- Swag on sponsor tables.
Gold Sponsor
$20,000
- Brand recognition on all marketing and Summit App.
- Sponsor page with profile in the Summit App.
- 3 Summit event registrations.
- 2 named invitations to the reception held exclusively for A-CAPP Center team, Advisory Board members, BP Council members, and Research Council members.
- 1 named invitation to a lunch held exclusively for A-CAPP Center team, Advisory Board members, BP Council members, and Research Council members.
- Swag on sponsor tables.
Silver Sponsor
$10,000
- Brand recognition on all marketing and Summit App,
- Sponsor page with profile in the Summit App.
- 2 Summit event registrations.
- 1 named invitations to the reception held exclusively for A-CAPP Center team, Advisory Board members, BP Council members, and Research Council members.
- Swag on sponsor tables.
A La Carte Sponsorships - All sponsorships have one spot available unless otherwise noted
Annual Reception Sponsor
$15,000
- Brand recognition on all marketing and Summit App.
- Feature banner on agenda item in Summit App.
- Sponsor page with profile in the Summit App.
- 2 Summit event registrations.
- 1 named invitations to the reception held exclusively for A-CAPP Center team, Advisory Board members, BP Council members, and Research Council members.
- 1 named invitation to a lunch held exclusively for A-CAPP Center team, Advisory Board members, BP Council members, and Research Council members.
- Swag on sponsor tables..
Welcome Reception Sponsor
$8,000
- Brand recognition on event marketing and Summit A.
- Feature banner on agenda item in Summit App.
- Sponsor page with profile in the Summit App.
- 1 Summit event registration.
- 1 named invitations to the reception held exclusively for A-CAPP Center team, Advisory Board members, BP Council members, and Research Council members.
- Swag on sponsor tables.
Newcomer Breakfast Sponsor
$3,000
- Brand recognition on event marketing and Summit A.
- Feature banner on agenda item in Summit App.
- Swag on sponsor tables.
Internship Lunch Sponsor
$2,000
- Brand recognition on event marketing and Summit A.
- Feature banner on agenda item in Summit App.
- Swag on sponsor tables.
Event Sponsorships
Brand Protection Mini-Summits
The A-CAPP Center hosts one day regional mini-summits open to all stakeholders that will focus on specific themes around brand protection and anti-counterfeiting.
Reception Sponsor
$8,000
- Brand recognition during reception
- Brand recognition in Director’s welcome
Lunch Sponsor
$6,000
- Brand recognition during lunch
- Brand recognition in Director’s welcome
Breakfast Sponsor
$4,000
- Brand recognition during breakfast
- Brand recognition in Director’s welcome
Registration Sponsor
$2,000
- Brand recognition at registration
- Brand recognition in Director’s welcome
Break Sponsor
$1,000
- Brand recognition during break
- Brand recognition in Director’s welcome
General Gifts
Organizational Structure & Programs
The A-CAPP Center is thankful to receive support in the form of gifts, which are used to support our organizational structure and various programs. Gifts, in any amounts, can be directed toward a specific program in general, specific initiative within a program, or given to the Center overall. Please contact our director, Kari Kammel at kkammel@msu.edu prior.
Additional Support Opportunities
If you are interested in providing tax-deductible support to the Center in other ways not detailed above, please contact, Kari Kammel at kkammel@msu.edu.
Questions on payment options other than credit card links below, please contact Sara Heeg at heegsar1@msu.edu.
Organizational Structure & Programs
The A-CAPP Center is thankful to receive support in the form of gifts, which are used to support our organizational structure and various programs. Gifts, in any amounts, can be directed toward a specific program in general, specific initiative within a program, or given to the Center overall. Please contact our director, Kari Kammel at kkammel@msu.edu prior.
Additional Support Opportunities
If you are interested in providing tax-deductible support to the Center in other ways not detailed above, please contact, Kari Kammel at kkammel@msu.edu.
Questions on payment options other than credit card links below, please contact Sara Heeg at heegsar1@msu.edu.