Nonprofits thrive on collaboration and the pursuit of constructive change. Nonprofit conferences function an important platform professionals from numerous organizations to come back collectively, share insights, and strategize on attaining each collective and particular person objectives..
Attending a nonprofit convention is likely one of the finest methods to develop professionally, make highly effective private {and professional} connections, and keep forward of the curve with the newest fundraising strategies and instruments.
On this information, we’ll discover the advantages of attending nonprofit conferences and supply our high suggestions for must-attend occasions. Right here’s what you’ll be able to count on:
When selecting which conferences to attend, it’s important to contemplate each your nonprofit’s aims and your private growth objectives. For example, are you aiming to boost your methods for company giving, leverage nonprofit know-how, or have interaction extra successfully with main donors? Maintain these objectives in thoughts as you browse the conferences on this listing to search out alternatives that align together with your pursuits and wishes.
The Fundamentals of Nonprofit Conferences
Use the solutions to those incessantly requested questions to assist information your seek for the perfect nonprofit conferences.
What are nonprofit conferences?
Nonprofit conferences function important gatherings the place nonprofit professionals come collectively to study, collaborate, and share finest practices. These occasions present a platform for networking and knowledge-sharing, empowering organizations to boost their affect and strengthen their connections throughout the sector.
Moreover, nonprofit conferences increase consciousness and assist for numerous causes by showcasing the work of nonprofits. They appeal to potential donors, sponsors, and volunteers, fostering private and organizational development. In the end, these conferences allow nonprofits to raised serve their communities and fulfill their missions.
Why are nonprofit conferences vital?
Attending a nonprofit convention requires an preliminary funding of your group’s time and sources. For instance, you’ll 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 value it for you and your group?
To assist reply this query, take into account a these advantages of attending a nonprofit convention:
- Keep updated with developments and improvements. Focused promoting, synthetic intelligence, social media developments, and livestreaming are only a few of the revolutionary technological concerns that nonprofit professionals are speaking about now. By attending nonprofit conferences, you’ll be able to keep on the leading edge of those new applied sciences and developments 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 lets you make skilled connections that may assist your group down the highway. You’ll be able to study 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 might help your group properly into the longer term as you proceed collaborating and sharing sources.
- Be taught fundraising finest practices. Whether or not the convention subjects embrace the advantages of company philanthropy for companies and nonprofits, revolutionary advertising and marketing methods, or insightful tips about partaking with totally different generations of donors, you’re sure to go away with new data in your pocket. You’ll be able to apply what you study to your group’s ongoing actions, packages, initiatives, and outreach methods.
Many nonprofit professionals discover that the worth of attending conferences usually 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 that you may match into your group’s price range.
The Greatest Nonprofit Conferences in 2024
Nonprofit conferences occur all year long at totally different places throughout the nation (and just about). Some occasions happen yearly, so for those who’ve missed one you have been on this 12 months, don’t fear! Verify the host’s web site to see in the event that they’ll have it once more subsequent 12 months.
Listed here are 12 of the perfect conferences to contemplate including to your 2024 calendars:
Double the Donation’s Fall 2024 Matching Present Summit for Nonprofits and Okay-12 Colleges
About this convention:
Matching items are an unbelievable but usually untapped supply of fundraising assist for nonprofits, universities, and different fundraising organizations. In matching reward packages, companies match the donations that their workers make to charitable organizations. In keeping with latest matching reward statistics, firms donate $2-3 billion yearly by means of matching reward packages, however an estimated $4-$7 billion is left unclaimed.
Double the Donation’s aim is to help organizations in securing the matching reward income obtainable to them. This contains by means of sources offered in our Matching Present Summit, matching reward automation platform, and extra.
Particularly, the Summit is devoted to sharing matching reward finest practices, sources, success tales, and extra to assist nonprofits and Okay-12 faculties handle this fundraising channel extra successfully. Attendees will study forming sturdy enterprise partnerships and incomes beneficial company sponsorships to assist their initiatives, occasions, packages, and extra. Plus, attendees have the chance to interact with fundraising friends in spherical desk discussions.
Date: September twenty ninth–October 1st, 2024
Location: Atlanta, GA
Registration: https://occasions.doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-summit-all-nonprofits-and-schools#/
Can’t wait? Try Double the Donation’s on-line Matching Present Academy to discover highly effective matching reward insights within the meantime.
What Fundraisers Are Saying:
“Double the Donation’s Matching Present Summit is invaluable for company philanthropy professionals. I’d suggest this occasion to anybody who’s serious about rising their matching reward fundraising. The Summit has served as an extremely useful useful resource for our crew as we now have carried out insights and learnings from the occasion into our matching reward fundraising technique.”
— Ariana Romanelli, Lead Affiliate, Company Partnerships at Save the Youngsters
Double the Donation’s Fall 2024 Matching Present Summit for Greater Training
About this convention:
For professionals within the greater training house, we provide one other convention that’s tailor-made to the precise and superior fundraising wants of those organizations. Matching items are an unbelievable supply of college funding. With 26 million people eligible for matching items, instructional establishments possible have alumni and different donors who’re eligible for these highly effective company giving alternatives.
Double the Donation’s strives to empower organizations to safe obtainable matching reward income by means of our highly effective matching reward automation platform, instructional sources, and our Matching Present Summit.
Much like our Summit for nonprofits and Okay-12 faculties, you’ll join with different greater ed professionals, hear success tales, uncover matching reward finest practices, and extra by means of highly effective roundtable discussions. Attendees will uncover easy methods to kind sturdy enterprise partnerships to assist their initiatives, occasions, packages, and extra. We’ll discover matching reward knowledge throughout high greater training establishments and useful subjects like messag methods to encourage alumni to finish their matching reward requests.
By the top of the convention, you’ll have the ability to handle this fundraising channel extra successfully at your establishment.
Date: October 1-3, 2024
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Registration: https://occasions.
Can’t wait? Try Double the Donation’s on-line Matching Present Academy to discover highly effective matching reward insights within the meantime.
Nonprofit Advertising and marketing Summit
About this nonprofit convention:
There are a number of advertising and marketing conferences on this listing, and for good cause. Digital instruments and techniques evolve consistently, making it crucial for nonprofit professionals to remain up to date on the newest developments.
That’s the place the Nonprofit Advertising and marketing Summit is available in. This digital convention brings collectively 30,000+ nonprofit advertising and marketing professionals that includes 75+ Excessive Affect Periods about new digital advertising and marketing methods. You’ll hear straight from essentially the most influential thought leaders within the house. 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: August 20-22, 2024
Location: Digital
Collaborative
About this nonprofit convention:
Collaborative is a digital and in-person convention run by Stylish, a web based fundraising software program platform. The convention is targeted on serving to nonprofit professionals perceive fundraising finest practices and easy methods to leverage nonprofit know-how successfully.
Because the convention’s title suggests, the occasion is targeted on bringing nonprofit professionals collectively in collaborative periods and workshops. The aim is to problem your considering, discover the way forward for fundraising, and keep on the slicing fringe of know-how. You’ll depart with new concepts to lift extra to your trigger.
Plus, audio system embrace leaders from a few of the most distinguished nonprofit organizations throughout the nation, connecting attendees straight with skilled leaders and influencers.
Date: Could 15-16, 2024 — keep tuned for 2025’s dates
Location: TBD for 2025
Nonprofit Expertise Convention
About this nonprofit convention:
From matching reward software program to constituent relationship administration methods (CRMs), nonprofit know-how is what retains the nonprofit sector in movement.
The Nonprofit Expertise 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 easy methods to use know-how to advertise change in your neighborhood.
Attendees embrace 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 periods, share sources with fellow attendees, and make long-lasting connections. Plus, the NTC is devoted to fostering an inclusive and accessible surroundings, with racial affinity areas, a dedication to accessibility for all, and extra.
Date: April 16–18, 2025
Location: Baltimore, MD and digital
AFP ICON
About this nonprofit convention:
AFP ICON is commonly thought of 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 periods embrace subjects like utilizing donor knowledge to enhance future fundraising efforts and ending psychological well being stigma within the nonprofit office.
Attending AFP ICON might help you set your self and your group as much as successfully sort out the most important fundraising challenges and alternatives for the 12 months forward.
Date: April 7-9, 2024 — keep tuned for 2025’s dates
Location: TBD for 2025
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 specialists to share sources and talk about each side of the nonprofit sector. Trigger Camp’s breakout periods transcend easy discussions to equip attendees with actionable insights and coaching supplies.
Moreover, contributors can browse a complete exhibit corridor to attach with distributors and study 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 surroundings.
Date: October 21-22, 2024
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Have interaction for Good
About this nonprofit convention:
Have interaction for Good hyperlinks nonprofit professionals with leaders from the company world whose organizations are devoted to furthering constructive social change. Attendees can take part in focused workshops and networking periods that convey collectively people who face related points or give attention to related matter areas.
As a nonprofit skilled, attending this convention will allow you to grasp company philanthropy from a enterprise perspective and make connections with potential company companions. Then, you’ll be able to return to your group with deeper insights that may optimize your company partnership technique.
Date: Could 14-16, 2024 — keep tuned for 2025’s dates
Location: TBD for 2025
Registration: TBA for 2025
Upswell Summit
About this nonprofit convention:
The Upswell Summit is an annual occasion for neighborhood changemakers who’re targeted on making their communities stronger and extra equitable. Organized by Impartial Sector, the occasion connects professionals from numerous sectors to handle urgent social points and drive constructive change. Extra info on audio system and panel subjects is to come back, so regulate the Upswell web site.
Date: Fall 2025
Location: Atlanta, GA
The Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit
About this nonprofit convention:
The Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit (NIO) is an annual convention targeted on equipping nonprofit organizations with the newest methods, instruments, and strategies for digital fundraising and advertising and marketing. Audio system embrace the main specialists in fundraising and advertising and marketing innovation, which means attendees can obtain insights into cutting-edge outreach strategies to raised have interaction their audiences.
As well as, nonprofit leaders can browse new know-how options in a sales-free surroundings to see which instruments may work finest for his or her organizations.
Date: September 18-19, 2024
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Nonprofit Storytelling Convention
About this nonprofit convention:
The muse of any highly effective fundraising or advertising and marketing initiative is compelling storytelling. A narrative might help construct a robust emotional connection together with your nonprofit’s supporters, inspiring them to help and assist your trigger.
The Nonprofit Storytelling Convention is designed to assist nonprofit professionals inform higher tales to lift extra donations. The convention presents three varieties of periods:
The “Important Stage Periods” are designed to reimagine the best way you join with donors by sharing groundbreaking methods and mind-bending ideas. The “Deep Dive Intensives” are 2.5-hour intensive workshops meant to present you a framework for main donor, unsolicited mail, occasion, and inventive fundraising campaigns. “Implementation Workshops” are 60-minute periods with small teams, and every workshop teaches a brand new storytelling and fundraising ability. Attendees will obtain customized assist making use of every new ability to their group.
Date: November 11-13, 2024
Location: Santa Ana Pueblo, NM
Good Tech Fest
About this nonprofit convention:
Good Tech Fest focuses on easy methods to use know-how and knowledge to make a constructive distinction on this planet. Periods are led by knowledge scientists, product managers, and fundraising and tech professionals. Attendees have the chance to study all the pieces from machine studying instruments and fairness points within the tech world to crypto philanthropy.
This 12 months, Good Tech Fest might be internet hosting three conferences on separate dates and in separate places.
Dates: October 7-8, 2024; April 28-Could 1, 2025; Could 20-21, 2025
Places: Nairobi (Fall 2024); Utah (April-Could 2025); Digital (Could 2025)
Bridge Convention
About this nonprofit convention:
The Bridge to Built-in Advertising and marketing & Fundraising Convention, often known as the Bridge Convention, is an annual gathering of nonprofit fundraising professionals, leaders, consultants, businesses, and different advertising and marketing professionals. The convention covers each revolutionary fundraising and advertising and marketing methods together with frequent points nonprofits have historically confronted, similar to easy methods to maintain donors engaged and rework them into recurring givers.
Date: July 31-August 2, 2024 — keep tuned for 2025’s dates
Location: TBD for 2025
Suggestions for Making the Most of Your Convention Attendance
Your convention preparation shouldn’t finish after you full the registration kind. 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 a plan of who you need to communicate with and what you need to do whereas on the convention.
Listed here are just a few ideas for taking advantage of your convention attendance:
- Do your analysis beforehand. Who might be on the convention? Who do you completely need to speak to earlier than the occasion concludes? How are you going to begin a pure dialog with these people that builds on issues you’ve in frequent? Make an inventory of people you’d like to attach with and some information you already learn about them.
- Determine 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 to your trigger and profit essentially the most from attending.
- Take part in all the pieces you’ll be able to. You most likely received’t have the ability to attend each single session or panel. Nevertheless, make an effort to attend a big selection of displays and discussions based mostly on the subjects that curiosity you essentially the most or that you just assume might be most helpful to your group. This lets you get essentially the most worth out of the occasion.
- Hunt down displays which can be exterior of your purview. Contemplate attending one or two periods or panels that don’t straight relate to what you do every day. These periods may find yourself being essentially the most beneficial, as a result of they present you a unique perspective or share details about one thing that you just aren’t very acquainted with.
- 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 nonprofit 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 for those who can schedule an in-person assembly or lunch with them to take care of the connection you’ve constructed.
- Share the data you’ve realized together with your crew. Create a brief presentation to your nonprofit’s different crew members who didn’t attend the convention. Summarize the important thing takeaways you obtained from the convention and any modifications or methods you assume the crew ought to implement going ahead. Let crew members chime in with their ideas and suggestions on any proposed modifications.
We additionally suggest carrying a folder and pocket book with you in the course of the convention to take notes and retailer enterprise playing cards, handouts, and different printed supplies.
A Remaining Notice About Nonprofit Conferences
When signing up for any nonprofit conferences, keep in mind to method these occasions with an open thoughts and a willingness to study. Be ready to interact in significant conversations, share your individual experiences, and study from others who’re equally captivated with creating constructive change.
For extra details about nonprofit conferences, bookmark the Double the Donation and NXUnite web sites. These websites supply 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.
