Nonprofits are all about bringing individuals collectively to battle for constructive societal change and make their communities higher locations to dwell. Nonprofit conferences goal to attain the identical objectives by bringing collectively professionals from all varieties of organizations to study from one another and establish methods to higher work towards frequent and particular person objectives.
Attending a nonprofit convention is without doubt one of the finest methods to develop professionally, make highly effective private {and professional} connections, and learn to maintain your group on the chopping fringe of the most recent 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 improvement objectives into consideration. For instance, are you seeking to enhance your method to working with company giving, utilizing nonprofit expertise, or participating along with your main donors? Hold your objectives in thoughts when looking the conferences on this checklist to seek out alternatives that match your pursuits.
Advantages of Nonprofit Conferences
Attending a nonprofit convention would require a piece of your time and your group’s sources to attend. You will have to dam out a piece day to take part, pay a registration payment, 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, contemplate just a few of the 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 innovative of those new applied sciences and developments to make sure your group is utilizing expertise to its full potential.
- Community with fellow nonprofit professionals. The networking facet of most nonprofit conferences permits you to 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 simply’re additionally dealing with. The relationships you construct with different nonprofit professionals might help your group properly into the long run as you proceed collaborating and sharing sources.
- Be taught fundraising finest practices. Whether or not the convention matters embrace the advantages of company philanthropy for companies and nonprofits, revolutionary advertising methods, or insightful recommendations on participating with completely different generations of donors, you’re certain to depart with new data in your pocket. You may apply what you study to your group’s ongoing actions, packages, tasks, 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, you’ll want to fastidiously contemplate whether or not convention attendance is one thing that you would be able to match into your group’s price range.
The Greatest Nonprofit Conferences in 2024
Nonprofit conferences occur all year long at completely different places throughout the nation (and nearly). Listed here are 12 of the perfect conferences to think about including to your 2024 calendars:
Double the Donation’s Matching Present Summit
About this nonprofit convention:
Matching items could be an unimaginable, but usually untapped supply of fundraising help for nonprofits, universities, and different fundraising organizations. In matching reward packages, companies match donations that their workers make to charitable organizations. In keeping with current matching reward statistics, $2-3 billion is donated yearly by means of matching reward packages, however an estimated $4-$7 billion is left unclaimed.
Double the Donation’s purpose is to help organizations in securing the matching reward income out there to them. This contains by means of sources offered in our Matching Present Summit, matching reward automation platform, and extra.
Particularly, the Summit is an unique, invite-only convention devoted to sharing matching reward finest practices, sources, success tales, and extra to assist the most important nationwide nonprofits handle this fundraising channel extra successfully. Attendees will find out about forming robust enterprise partnerships and incomes helpful company sponsorships to help their tasks, occasions, packages, and extra. Plus, have the chance to interact with fundraising friends in spherical
Date: Might sixth – eighth, 2024
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Registration: https://occasions.doublethedonation.com/2024-Matching-Present-Summit-High-Nationwide-Nonprofits
Can’t wait? Take a look at Double the Donation’s on-line Matching Present Academy to discover highly effective matching reward insights within the meantime.
Nonprofit Advertising Summit
About this nonprofit convention:
There are a number of advertising conferences on this checklist, and for good purpose. Digital instruments and methods evolve always, making it crucial for nonprofit professionals to remain up to date on the most recent developments.
That’s the place the Nonprofit Advertising Summit is available in. This digital convention brings collectively nonprofit advertising professionals and specialists to share details about new digital advertising methods and listen to immediately from probably the most influential thought leaders within the area. Plus, though this occasion is digital, there are many networking alternatives to reap the benefits of, together with getting related on social media and becoming a member of a textual content group.
Date: The 2023 convention has concluded, however you’ll want to test the web site for upcoming dates.
Location: Digital
Collaborative
About this nonprofit convention:
Collaborative is a digital and in-person convention run by Elegant, a web-based fundraising software program platform. The convention is concentrated on serving to nonprofit professionals perceive fundraising finest practices and learn how to leverage nonprofit expertise successfully.
Because the convention’s title suggests, the occasion is concentrated on bringing nonprofit professionals collectively in collaborative classes and workshops. Plus, audio system embrace leaders from among the most distinguished nonprofit organizations throughout the nation, connecting attendees immediately with skilled leaders and influencers.
Date: The 2023 convention has concluded, however you’ll want to test the web site for upcoming dates.
Location: Digital and in-person
Nonprofit Expertise Convention
About this nonprofit convention:
Nonprofit expertise, from matching reward software program to constituent relationship administration methods (CRMs), is what retains the nonprofit sector in movement.
The Nonprofit Expertise Convention (NTC) is an annual gathering hosted by NTEN, a corporation that unites nonprofit professionals to debate utilizing expertise for social good. This convention educates attendees on nonprofit tech finest practices and learn how to use expertise to advertise change in your group.
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 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: The 2023 convention has concluded, however you’ll want to test the web site for upcoming dates.
Location: Denver, Colorado
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 masking a variety of matters. Previous classes embrace matters like utilizing donor information 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 deal with the largest fundraising challenges and alternatives for the yr forward.
Date: The 2023 convention has concluded, however you’ll want to test the web site for upcoming dates.
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 business specialists to share sources and talk about each facet of the nonprofit sector. Trigger Camp’s breakout classes 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 setting.
Date: The 2023 convention has concluded, however you’ll want to test the web site for upcoming dates.
Location: Larger Sandusky, Ohio
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 classes that convey collectively people who face comparable points or concentrate on comparable matter areas.
As a nonprofit skilled, attending this convention can permit you to perceive 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: The 2023 convention has concluded, however you’ll want to test the web site for upcoming dates.
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Upswell Summit
About this nonprofit convention:
The Upswell Summit is an annual digital occasion for group change-makers who’re targeted on making their communities stronger and extra equitable. The occasion builds on discussions from earlier Upswell occasions and can embrace discussions concerning the impression of the present political panorama on native communities. Extra info on audio system and panel matters is to return, so control the Upswell web site.
Date: The 2023 convention has concluded, however you’ll want to test the web site for upcoming dates.
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 embrace the main specialists in fundraising and advertising innovation, which means attendees can obtain insights into cutting-edge outreach strategies to higher have interaction their audiences.
As well as, nonprofit leaders can browse new expertise options in a sales-free setting to see which instruments would possibly work finest for his or her organizations.
Date: The 2023 convention has concluded, however you’ll want to test the web site for upcoming dates.
Location: Kansas Metropolis, Missouri
Nonprofit Storytelling Convention
About this nonprofit convention:
The inspiration of any highly effective fundraising or advertising initiative is compelling storytelling. A narrative might help construct a powerful emotional connection along with your nonprofit’s supporters, inspiring them to help and help your trigger.
The Nonprofit Storytelling Convention is designed to assist nonprofit professionals inform higher tales to boost extra donations. The convention gives three varieties of classes. The “Elevate Cash At this time” classes will assist contributors select the precise story to inform. The “Get it Completed” classes concentrate on crafting fundraising communications, equivalent to fundraising attraction letters and new donor welcome messages. Lastly, the “Must Know” classes assist contributors deal with frequent fundraising challenges.
Date: The 2023 convention has concluded, however you’ll want to test the web site for upcoming dates.
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Good Tech Fest
About this nonprofit convention:
Good Tech Fest focuses on learn how to use expertise and information to make a constructive distinction on this planet. Periods are led by information 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: The 2023 convention has concluded, however you’ll want to test the web site for upcoming dates.
Location: Digital
Bridge Convention
About this nonprofit convention:
The Bridge to Built-in Advertising & 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 learn how to maintain donors engaged and rework them into recurring givers.
Date: The 2023 convention has concluded, however you’ll want to test the web site for upcoming dates.
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 need to converse with and what you need to do whereas on the convention.
Listed here are just a few suggestions for taking advantage of your convention attendance:
- Do your analysis beforehand. Who can be on the convention? Who do you completely need to speak to earlier than the occasion concludes? How will you 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 find out about them.
- Resolve who will attend the convention. Ought to a bunch 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 probably the most from attending.
- Take part in all the things you’ll be able to. You most likely received’t have the ability to attend each single session or panel. Nonetheless, make an effort to attend a big selection of displays and discussions based mostly on the matters that curiosity you probably the most or that you simply suppose can be most helpful on your group. This lets you get probably the most worth out of the occasion.
- Hunt down displays which are outdoors of your purview. Think about attending one or two classes or panels that don’t immediately relate to what you do every day. These classes may find yourself being probably the most helpful as a result of they present you a distinct perspective or share details about one thing that you simply aren’t very accustomed to.
- Acquire enterprise playing cards. Collect enterprise playing cards for organizations and people that you simply 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 in case you can schedule an in-person assembly or lunch with them to keep up the connection you’ve constructed.
- Share the data you’ve realized along with your workforce. Create a brief presentation on your nonprofit’s different workforce members who didn’t attend the convention. Summarize the important thing takeaways you obtained from the convention and any modifications or methods you suppose the workforce ought to implement going ahead. Let workforce members chime in with their ideas and suggestions on any proposed modifications.
We additionally advocate carrying a folder and/or pocket book with you throughout the convention to take notes and retailer enterprise playing cards, handouts, and different printed supplies.
Wrapping Up
Conferences could be helpful studying experiences that aid you enrich your nonprofit with the perfect practices and methods you find out about. In addition they provide the chance to interact along 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 part of to develop their ability set and fundraising data.
