VetTOC Sponsorship Policy

Purpose and scope#

This policy explains how organizations and individuals can financially support VetTOC ("the Site") and what they receive in return. It protects the Site's readers, its editorial integrity, and its sponsors by setting clear expectations up front.

It applies to every form of paid or in-kind support, including:

• Site-wide sponsorships and logo placements
• Sponsored pages, sections, newsletters, or resource listings
• Event, webinar, or campaign sponsorships
• In-kind contributions (software, services, hosting, or products) given in exchange for recognition

General donations with no recognition or benefits attached fall outside this policy, unless the donor asks to be publicly credited.

Guiding principles#

Every sponsorship decision is tested against four principles. If a proposed arrangement conflicts with any of them, VetTOC will decline it.

1. Reader trust comes first. Readers rely on VetTOC for accurate, unbiased information. No sponsorship may compromise that.
2. Editorial independence. VetTOC alone decides what it publishes, links to, ranks, or recommends.
3. Transparency. Readers must always be able to tell what is sponsored and who paid for it.
4. Mission alignment. Sponsors should share, or at least not conflict with, the Site's mission of serving its audience.

Sponsorship tiers and benefits#

VetTOC offers three standard tiers. Custom packages can be arranged, but they remain subject to every other section of this policy.

No tier includes the right to review, approve, or edit VetTOC content before it is published. Placement, sizing, and design of sponsor recognition follow the Site's standard layout.

Eligibility#

VetTOC welcomes sponsors whose products, services, or causes are lawful, reputable, and relevant to its audience. VetTOC reserves the right to decline any sponsor for any reason.

VetTOC will not accept sponsorship from organizations or individuals that:

• Promote illegal products, services, or activities
• Sell tobacco, vaping products, firearms or weapons, adult content, or gambling services
• Offer predatory financial products (for example, payday loans or high-fee benefit-claim services)
• Make unproven health, medical, or financial claims
• Promote hate, discrimination, harassment, or violence against any group
• Are partisan political campaigns, parties, or PACs
• Are subject to active regulatory action or credible public allegations of fraud or misconduct
• Would create a conflict of interest with resources VetTOC lists or reviews, unless that conflict is fully disclosed

VetTOC may run a brief background check (public records, reviews, regulatory databases) before approving any sponsor.

Editorial independence#

Sponsorship buys visibility, not influence. Specifically:

• Sponsors have no right to review, approve, edit, or delay any VetTOC content.
• Sponsorship does not affect a sponsor's ranking, listing, or description in any VetTOC directory, guide, or table of contents.
• VetTOC may publish neutral or critical information about a sponsor, its industry, or its competitors.
• VetTOC will not remove or alter content at a sponsor's request, except to correct a verified factual error, which is handled the same way as any reader's correction.
• Staff and volunteers who write or edit content will not be paid by, or receive gifts from, sponsors in connection with that content.

Any attempt by a sponsor to pressure VetTOC's editorial decisions is grounds for ending the sponsorship (see Section 11).

Disclosure and labeling#

All sponsored material is labeled clearly and placed where readers will see it before they engage with the content.

VetTOC also keeps a public Sponsors page listing every current sponsor and links to this policy. Labels follow the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's endorsement guidelines and any other disclosure laws that apply.

Sponsor content and creative standards#

Sponsors supply their own logos and approved copy. VetTOC reviews everything before it goes live and may ask for changes or refuse it.

Sponsor material must:

• Be truthful, accurate, and supportable; no exaggerated or unverified claims
• Not imitate VetTOC's own editorial style in a way that could confuse readers
• Not use VetTOC's name or logo to imply endorsement, except as "Proud sponsor of VetTOC" with prior written approval
• Meet accessibility basics: alt text for images, readable contrast, no auto-playing audio or video
• Contain no pop-ups, tracking pixels, or scripts unless VetTOC approves them in writing

File specs: logos as SVG or PNG (at least [400 px] wide, transparent background); copy no longer than [50] words for listings and [800] words for sponsored pages.

Privacy and data#

VetTOC does not sell, rent, or share readers' personal information with sponsors.

• Sponsors may receive aggregate, anonymous reporting only: page views, impressions, and link clicks.
• No sponsor tracking code runs on the Site without written approval and an update to the Site's privacy policy.
• Any reader who chooses to contact a sponsor does so directly; that relationship is between the reader and the sponsor.

Application and approval#

A sponsorship goes live only after a signed agreement and the first payment are received. The steps:

1. Inquiry. The prospective sponsor emails [[email protected]] with their organization name, website, desired tier, and intended message.
2. Review. VetTOC checks eligibility (Section 4) and responds within [10] business days.
3. Agreement. Both parties sign a written sponsorship agreement that references this policy, the tier, term, price, and deliverables.
4. Materials. The sponsor submits logos and copy; VetTOC reviews them against Section 7.
5. Payment. The sponsor pays the first invoice.
6. Launch. VetTOC publishes the recognition within [5] business days of receiving approved materials and payment.

If this policy and a signed agreement conflict, this policy controls unless the agreement explicitly states otherwise.

Payment, term, and renewal#

• Invoicing. Sponsorships are billed [monthly / quarterly / annually] in advance. Payment is due within [30] days of the invoice date.
• Late payment. If payment is more than [15] days late, VetTOC may pause the sponsor's recognition until the account is current.
• Term. Each tier has the minimum term listed in Section 3. The term begins on the launch date.
• Renewal. Sponsorships do not renew automatically. VetTOC will contact the sponsor [30] days before the term ends.
• Cancellation by the sponsor. A sponsor may cancel with [30] days' written notice. Fees already paid for the current billing period are non-refundable.
• Taxes. [VetTOC's tax status, e.g., "VetTOC is not a 501(c)(3); sponsorship payments are not tax-deductible charitable contributions."] Sponsors should consult their own tax advisor.

Termination#

VetTOC may end a sponsorship immediately, with written notice, if the sponsor:

• Breaches this policy or the sponsorship agreement
• Tries to influence VetTOC's editorial content
• Becomes ineligible under Section 4, or its conduct could harm VetTOC's reputation or readers' trust
• Fails to pay within [30] days of the due date

If VetTOC ends a sponsorship for reasons unrelated to the sponsor's conduct, it will refund the unused, prepaid portion of the fee. If termination is caused by the sponsor's breach, no refund is owed.

Policy review and contact#

VetTOC reviews this policy at least once a year and may update it at any time. Changes apply to new and renewing sponsorships; current sponsors will be notified at least [30] days before a change affects them.

Questions about sponsorship or this policy: [email protected]