Share Your Expertise, Inspire Change: Submit a Session Proposal
October 27 – 29, 2025 | Atlanta
Together We Build Collective Power
At the heart of Independent Sector’s mission is a commitment to strengthening the health and vitality of the charitable sector. By supporting nonprofits and philanthropy, we amplify our collective ability to drive meaningful change. Independent Sector’s National Summit 2025 reflects this vision through a year-round engagement strategy designed to create lasting impact.
Our strategic goals—building capacity, enhancing knowledge sharing, fostering collaboration, expanding networking, and supporting advocacy—empower nonprofit and philanthropy professionals. Strengthening their skills equips organizations to address complex social challenges and achieve sustainable outcomes.
Seize this opportunity to connect with nonprofit and philanthropic leaders from across the country. Be a voice advancing the charitable sector toward a more just and equitable society. Submit a session proposal that promotes continuous learning, collaboration, and the sharing of best practices, with an emphasis on equity and community-driven solutions.
Why Present at the Summit?
- Join a distinguished community of thought leaders driving sector transformation.
- Share your expertise with an engaged audience of decision-makers.
- Contribute to strengthening sector-wide capacity and knowledge.
- Network with peers and potential collaborators.
- Receive special recognition and speaker rates to the summit.
Session Topics
We seek session proposals on a range of areas that strengthen the collective power of nonprofits and philanthropy and advance the health of the charitable sector. Topics include:
- Thriving Workforce: Strategies for equitable workforce development and sustainability.
- Financially Robust Organizations: Maintaining financial health for long-term success.
- Trusted Voices: Building community trust through authentic partnerships.
- Active Advocates: Using collective power to advance policies for a just nation.
- Strategic Volunteer Engagement: Activating volunteers to strengthen organizational capacity.
- Artificial Intelligence: Navigating AI’s ethical and practical implications in the charitable sector.
- Equitable Community Development: Building inclusive and sustainable communities.
- Education Policy: Shaping future-ready learning environments.
- Transformative Philanthropy: Aligning values, policy awareness, and inclusive practices to maximize funding impact and build stronger communities through intentional giving.
Guiding Principles
Sessions should foster collaboration, encourage innovation, and promote inclusivity. Focus on practical solutions, share lessons learned, and ensure diverse representation of voices. We seek sessions that drive meaningful change and provide actionable insights.
How to Submit Your Session Proposal
Ready to share your expertise and contribute to the conversation? Follow these steps to submit a session proposal:
Confirm session alignment with summit topics
Review evaluation criteria and scoring rubric
- Provide session title and description.
- Outline learning objectives and intended audience.
- Share names of speakers (maximum of 3 presenters).
- Detail session format and engagement strategy.
- Share equity integration approach.
Check out our guidance on Sample Session Ideas and Session Formats
- Designate a session point of contact who will be responsible for the submission
- Create an account in our submission portal
- Complete all required fields
- Upload supporting materials
- Submit by March 31, 2025
Please note that the application does not save, so it is advised to draft responses externally and submit in the portal when ready.
Key Dates
- Proposal Submission Deadline: March 31, 2025
- Proposal Review Period: April–May 2025
- Notification of Proposal Status: By June 30, 2025
- Co-Create Period to Finalize Session: July–August 2025
- Speaker Materials Due: September 2025
- Summit Dates: October 27–29, 2025
Selection Process
Proposals will be reviewed by a volunteer working group, and we will notify successful submissions by June 30, 2025. Sessions will be selected based on the following rubric:
- Alignment to the aims of the summit.
- Innovative session design and interactive engagement.
- Practical application and implementation of learnings.
- Equity integration across content and delivery.
- Insights from field experience.
Get a detailed understanding of the evaluation criteria.
Speaker Benefits
- Complimentary pass to the summit for the day of your presentation, with the option to attend the full summit at a 50% discount off the early bird rate.
- Special recognition in summit materials.
- Access to speaker preparation resources.
- Networking opportunities with fellow presenters.
Please note that speakers are responsible for their own travel expenses.
Questions
Please reference our FAQs for more details. If you have further questions, please reach out to summit@independentsector.org.
