Nonprofits are all about bringing individuals collectively to battle for optimistic societal change and make their communities higher locations to reside. Nonprofit conferences purpose to realize the identical objectives by bringing collectively professionals from all forms of organizations to be taught from one another and determine methods to raised work towards frequent and particular person objectives.
Attending a nonprofit convention is among the finest methods to develop professionally, make highly effective private {and professional} connections, and learn to preserve your group on the reducing fringe of the newest fundraising strategies and instruments.
On this information, we’ll cowl the advantages of nonprofit conferences, together with our prime suggestions for conferences so as to add to your calendar. Right here’s what to anticipate:
When contemplating which conferences to attend, take your nonprofit’s objectives and your private growth objectives under consideration. For instance, are you seeking to enhance your method to working with company giving, utilizing nonprofit know-how, or participating together with your main donors? Hold your objectives in thoughts when searching the conferences on this listing to search out alternatives that match your pursuits.
Advantages of Nonprofit Conferences
Attending a nonprofit convention would require a bit of your time and your group’s sources to attend. You could have to dam out a piece day to take part, pay a registration charge, and journey to the convention location (if it isn’t a digital occasion). Contemplating all of these necessities, is attending a nonprofit convention actually price it for you and your group?
To assist reply this query, take into account a number of of the advantages of attending a nonprofit convention:
- Keep updated with tendencies and improvements. Focused promoting, synthetic intelligence, social media tendencies, and livestreaming are only a few of the revolutionary technological concerns that nonprofit professionals are speaking about now. By attending nonprofit conferences, you possibly can keep on the leading edge of those new applied sciences and tendencies to make sure your group is utilizing know-how to its full potential.
- Community with fellow nonprofit professionals. The networking side of most nonprofit conferences means that you can make skilled connections that may assist your group down the highway. You may find out about different organizations’ successes and failures and ask questions on how different nonprofits have tackled particular points that you just’re additionally going through. The relationships you construct with different nonprofit professionals will help your group properly into the long run as you proceed collaborating and sharing sources.
- Study fundraising finest practices. Whether or not the convention subjects embody the advantages of company philanthropy for companies and nonprofits, revolutionary advertising methods, or insightful tips about participating with totally different generations of donors, you’re sure to go away with new data in your pocket. You may apply what you be taught to your group’s ongoing actions, applications, tasks, and outreach methods.
Many nonprofit professionals discover that the worth of attending conferences typically makes up for the time and sources required to attend. Nonetheless, make sure to rigorously take into account whether or not convention attendance is one thing you could match into your group’s finances.
The Greatest Nonprofit Conferences in 2022
Nonprofit conferences occur all year long at totally different places throughout the nation (and nearly). Listed below are 12 of one of the best conferences to think about including to your 2022 and 2023 calendars:
Double the Donation’s Matching Reward Summit
About this nonprofit convention:
Matching presents could be an unbelievable, typically untapped supply of fundraising help for nonprofits, universities, and different fundraising organizations. In matching reward applications, firms match donations that their workers make to charitable organizations.
In keeping with Double the Donation’s matching reward statistics, about $2-3 billion is donated yearly by matching reward applications, however an estimated $4-$7 billion is left unclaimed. Double the Donation’s Matching Reward Summit is a convention devoted to sharing matching reward finest practices, sources, success tales, and extra to assist organizations handle this fundraising channel extra successfully. Plus, you’ll be taught extra about forming sturdy enterprise partnerships and incomes invaluable company sponsorships to help your tasks, occasions, and applications.
Date: October 2022 (Actual date to be decided. Bookmark the Double the Donation web site for updates.)
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Nonprofit Advertising and marketing Summit
About this nonprofit convention:
There are a number of advertising conferences on this listing, and for good purpose. Digital instruments and techniques evolve always, making it crucial for nonprofit professionals to remain up to date on the newest tendencies.
That’s the place the Nonprofit Advertising and marketing Summit is available in. This digital convention brings collectively nonprofit advertising professionals and consultants to share details about new digital advertising methods and listen to instantly from essentially the most influential thought leaders within the area. Plus, though this occasion is digital, there are many networking alternatives to benefit from, together with getting related on social media and becoming a member of a textual content neighborhood.
Date: The 2022 convention has already concluded. Verify the web site for updates on 2023 dates.
Location: Digital
Collaborative
About this nonprofit convention:
Collaborative is a digital and in-person convention run by Elegant, an internet fundraising software program platform. The convention is concentrated on serving to nonprofit professionals perceive fundraising finest practices and the right way to leverage nonprofit know-how successfully.
Because the convention’s identify suggests, the occasion is concentrated on bringing nonprofit professionals collectively in collaborative classes and workshops. Plus, audio system embody leaders from among the most distinguished nonprofit organizations throughout the nation, connecting attendees instantly with skilled leaders and influencers.
Date: October 6, 2022 (Keep tuned for dates and knowledge for the in-person model of Collaborative to be held in 2023)
Location: Digital and in-person
Nonprofit Know-how Convention
About this nonprofit convention:
Nonprofit know-how, from matching reward software program to constituent relationship administration techniques (CRMs), is what retains the nonprofit sector in movement.
The Nonprofit Know-how Convention (NTC) is an annual gathering hosted by NTEN, a company that unites nonprofit professionals to debate utilizing know-how for social good. This convention educates attendees on nonprofit tech finest practices and the right way to use know-how to advertise change in your neighborhood.
Attendees embody everybody from nonprofit workers members and volunteers to board members, consultants, and tech distributors. By attending, you’ll have the chance to take part in breakout classes, share sources with fellow attendees, and make long-lasting connections. Plus, the NTC is devoted to fostering an inclusive and accessible setting, with racial affinity areas, a dedication to accessibility for all, and extra.
Date: April 12-14, 2023
Location: Denver, Colorado
AFP ICON
About this nonprofit convention:
AFP ICON is commonly thought-about the most important fundraising convention on this planet. Hosted by the Affiliation of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), ICON options dozens of audio system protecting a variety of subjects. Previous classes embody subjects like utilizing donor knowledge to enhance future fundraising efforts and ending psychological well being stigma within the nonprofit office.
Attending AFP ICON will help you set your self and your group as much as successfully sort out the most important fundraising challenges and alternatives for the yr forward.
Date: April 16-18, 2023
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Trigger Camp
About this nonprofit convention:
Designated a “must-attend” nonprofit convention by Forbes, Trigger Camp is an annual gathering of nonprofit leaders, professionals, and trade consultants to share sources and focus on each side of the nonprofit sector. Trigger Camp’s breakout classes transcend easy discussions to equip attendees with actionable insights and coaching supplies.
Moreover, members can browse a complete exhibit corridor to attach with distributors and be taught extra about different nonprofit organizations in attendance. Plus, the convention’s enjoyable night gatherings permit attendees to get to know each other in a extra relaxed setting.
Date: September 14-15, 2023
Location: Higher Sandusky, Ohio
Interact for Good
About this nonprofit convention:
Interact for Good hyperlinks nonprofit professionals with leaders from the company world whose organizations are devoted to furthering optimistic social change. Attendees can take part in focused workshops and networking classes that convey collectively people who face related points or deal with related matter areas.
As a nonprofit skilled, attending this convention can help you perceive company philanthropy from a enterprise perspective and make connections with potential company companions. Then, you possibly can return to your group with deeper insights that may optimize your company partnership technique.
Date: Could 16-18, 2023
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Upswell Summit
About this nonprofit convention:
The Upswell Summit is an annual digital occasion for neighborhood change-makers who’re centered on making their communities stronger and extra equitable. The occasion builds on discussions from earlier Upswell occasions and can embody discussions in regards to the affect of the present political panorama on native communities. Extra data on audio system and panel subjects is to return, so regulate the Upswell web site.
Date: November 2022
Location: Digital
The Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit
About this nonprofit convention:
The Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit ensures all attendees go away with methods and recommendation for rising their on-line fundraising. Audio system embody the main consultants in fundraising and advertising innovation, which means attendees can obtain insights into cutting-edge outreach strategies to raised interact their audiences.
As well as, nonprofit leaders can browse new know-how options in a sales-free setting to see which instruments may work finest for his or her organizations.
Date: September 20-23, 2022
Location: Kansas Metropolis, Missouri
Nonprofit Storytelling Convention
About this nonprofit convention:
The muse of any highly effective fundraising or advertising initiative is compelling storytelling. A narrative will help construct a robust emotional connection together with your nonprofit’s supporters, inspiring them to assist and help your trigger.
The Nonprofit Storytelling Convention is designed to assist nonprofit professionals inform higher tales to boost extra donations. The convention provides three forms of classes. The “Elevate Cash At present” classes will assist members select the fitting story to inform. The “Get it Accomplished” classes deal with crafting fundraising communications, equivalent to fundraising enchantment letters and new donor welcome messages. Lastly, the “Have to Know” classes assist members sort out frequent fundraising challenges.
Date: October 27-29, 2022
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Good Tech Fest
About this nonprofit convention:
Good Tech Fest focuses on the right way to use know-how and knowledge to make a optimistic distinction on this planet. Classes are led by knowledge scientists, product managers, and fundraising and tech professionals. Attendees have the chance to find out about all the things from machine studying instruments and fairness points within the tech world to crypto philanthropy.
Date: Good Tech Fest 2022 already came about, however regulate the web site for updates in regards to the 2023 convention.
Location: Digital
Bridge Convention
About this nonprofit convention:
The Bridge to Built-in Advertising and marketing & Fundraising Convention, also referred to as the Bridge Convention, is an annual gathering of nonprofit fundraising professionals and nonprofit leaders together with consultants, businesses, and different advertising professionals. The convention covers each revolutionary fundraising and advertising methods together with frequent points nonprofits have historically confronted, like the right way to preserve donors engaged and remodel them into recurring givers.
Date: August 2-4, 2023
Location: Nationwide Harbor, Maryland
Ideas for Making the Most of Your Convention Attendance
Your convention preparation shouldn’t finish after you full the registration type. Conferences are concentrated, action-packed occasions that appear to fly by when you’re there. That’s why it’s vital to go in with an motion plan of who you wish to communicate with and what you wish to do whereas on the convention.
Listed below are a number of ideas for profiting from your convention attendance:
- Do your analysis beforehand. Who will likely be on the convention? Who do you completely wish to discuss to earlier than the occasion concludes? How are you going to begin a pure dialog with these people that builds on issues you might have in frequent? Make an inventory of people you’d like to attach with and some details you already find out about them.
- Resolve who will attend the convention. Ought to a gaggle of workers members out of your nonprofit attend the convention or only one or two people? Decide who would be the finest representatives on your trigger and who will profit essentially the most from attending.
- Take part in all the things you possibly can. You in all probability gained’t be capable of attend each single session or panel. Nonetheless, make an effort to attend a big selection of displays and discussions primarily based on the subjects that curiosity you essentially the most or that you just suppose will likely be most helpful on your group. This lets you get essentially the most worth out of the occasion.
- Hunt down displays which might be outdoors of your purview. Take into account attending one or two classes or panels that don’t instantly relate to what you do every day. These classes may find yourself being essentially the most invaluable as a result of they present you a unique perspective or share details about one thing that you just aren’t very aware of.
- Acquire enterprise playing cards. Collect enterprise playing cards for organizations and people that you just work together with and comply with up with them after the convention. In these messages, thank them for his or her dialog or presentation and ask any follow-up questions you’ll have considered since. If the person lives close by, see should you can schedule an in-person assembly or lunch with them to take care of the connection you’ve constructed.
- Share the knowledge you’ve realized together with your group. Create a brief presentation on your nonprofit’s different group members who didn’t attend the convention. Summarize the important thing takeaways you obtained from the convention and any adjustments or methods you suppose the group ought to implement going ahead. Let group members chime in with their ideas and suggestions on any proposed adjustments.
We additionally advocate carrying a folder and/or pocket book with you in the course of the convention to take notes and retailer enterprise playing cards, handouts, and different printed supplies.
Wrapping Up
Conferences could be invaluable studying experiences that assist you enrich your nonprofit with one of the best practices and techniques you find out about. In addition they provide the chance to have interaction together with your fellow nonprofit professionals and make highly effective, mutually-beneficial partnerships.
For extra details about nonprofit conferences, bookmark the Double the Donation and NXUnite web sites. These websites provide ongoing updates on nonprofit webinars, panels, and conferences that any nonprofit skilled can be a part of to develop their ability set and fundraising data.
