In-Person Conferences Are Back!

The pandemic changed everything about everything, not the least of which being how we approach our professional lives. In the shift to a virtual existence, we all became instant experts in Zoom meetings, Slack chats, and Google Doc collaborations. Even conferences moved online. While some nonprofit professionals preferred the virtual conference format because it enabled them to reduce their carbon footprint while saving on travel expenses, others found themselves longing for the bygone days of munching on a cheese Danish while rubbing elbows with colleagues or firing off questions at a poster session.

If you find yourself in the cheese Danish, poster session camp, fret not: The in-person conference is back! Let’s take a look at a few fall events that will get you excited about professional development again.

September 2022

Nonprofit Management Institute

Stanford, CA, U.S.A, and virtual – September 13 to 15, 2022

Not only did the pandemic bring about a shift in our work habits, but it also exposed and widened existing societal chasms. This year’s Nonprofit Management Institute looks at how the nonprofit community can help bring people back together. Hosted by the Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR), the conference is focused on the theme, “Bridging the Divide”. It aims to “empower and inspire leaders of social change to bridge real or perceived divides of all types, whether it is within your organization, your community, or society at large.”

The 2022 conference will be a hybrid event, featuring live presentations and in-person workshops alongside guest speakers beamed in virtually. Attendance is also hybrid, meaning participants may attend in Stanford, California, or opt for a virtual experience. Over the course of three days, in-person participants have access to a wide range of lectures and workshops on topics ranging from “Fearless Conversations in Divided Times” to “Cultivating Compassion, Belongingness and Health in Teams”. The schedule for virtual attendees includes the morning lectures, but not the afternoon workshops. Reduced pricing for those attending online is reflective of the wider offering for in-person attendees.

The Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit

Kansas City, MO, U.S.A. – September 20 to 23, 2022

The Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit bills itself as “the premier conference for online fundraising and digital marketing.” The main conference takes place from September 21 to 22 in Kansas City, Missouri, with additional sessions available on the days bookending the conference.

Under the theme “The Wizard of Optimization”, it features experts in marketing and online fundraising speaking about content marketing, mobile donation pages, recurring giving, and more. Most events consist of talks on the main stage, with additional activities such as networking breakfasts, innovation showcases, a cocktail hour, and even a party.

Those choosing to go beyond the core conference can choose to add on a pre-summit certification workshop (Year-End Fundraising for Online Fundraisers or Why Should I Give to You?) or a post-summit workshop.

October 2022

Qgiv Conference

Orlando, FL, U.S.A. – October 2 to 4, 2022

The Qgiv Conference invites participants: “Pack your bags and grow your fundraising program!” Held in Orlando, Florida, in early October, this conference features 27 sessions, three learning tracks, and the opportunity to participate in hands-on workshops and networking opportunities.

Many of the sessions are focused on mastering the Qgiv fundraising platform, as made evident by the citrus-themed learning tracks: Lemon Track (Mastering Your Qgiv Potential), Lime Track (Fundraising Strategies with Qgiv), and Orange Track (Fundraising Best Practices). Following the keynote address by Rachel Muir on October 3, titled “The Future of Fundraising”, participants can take part in breakout sessions such as “What Hollywood Screenwriters Can Teach Us About Fundraising”, “Optimize Your Year-Round Giving Forms”, or “Getting Meaningful Data Out of Qgiv”. As an added bonus, all breakout sessions enable participants to earn CFRE credits.

International Fundraising Congress (IFC) 2022

Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands, and virtual  – October 18 to 21, 2022

For those looking to venture a bit further afield, the International Fundraising Congress (IFC) in the Netherlands offers the opportunity for fundraisers to attend plenaries, big debates, workshops, and masterclasses centered around the theme “Shaping Our Future Together”. Noting the accelerated pace of change since the onset of the global pandemic, the IFC website states, “In this 40th year of IFC, we need to ask ourselves not what the next 40 years will look like, but the next three. We need to challenge ourselves on our duty, our roles, and our impact, and consider how we accelerate change.” Individual sessions explore topics including multi-generational philanthropy, data-driven engagement, and crypto philanthropy in fundraising, among others.

This event is hosted by The Resource Alliance and takes place from October 18 to 21 in Noordwijkerhout in the Netherlands. For those unable to travel to Europe, the IFC also offers an online-only option at a greatly reduced rate. Bursaries are also available.

The Alliance for Nonprofit Management Annual Conference

New York, NY, U.S.A.; Chicago, IL, U.S.A.; Washington, D.C., U.S.A.; Orlando, FL, U.S.A.; San Francisco, CA, U.S.A; and virtual – October 27 to 28, 2022 and November 10, 2022

Nonprofit capacity builders should consider taking part in The Alliance for Nonprofit Management Annual Conference. This year’s conference will take place from October 27 to 28, 2022, simultaneously in several locations across the U.S. In addition, a fully virtual day will happen on November 10, 2022.

It will explore the theme “Disruption + Transformation”, looking at how to build new futures in the “new normal” created by the constant disruption of the last few years. The conference “is intended to enhance the work of virtually any nonprofit capacity builder, including consultants, coaches, capacity-building organizations, organizations that support nonprofits, foundations and funders, academics, researchers and graduate students.”

Nonprofit Storytelling Conference

San Antonio, TX, U.S.A, and virtual – October 27 to 29, 2022

The end-of-year giving season is nearly upon us, and, as the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference website points out, “You're just one powerful story away from raising more money and growing your supporter base.” If you are looking to hone your narrative skills while boosting revenue, consider a trip to San Antonio, Texas, in late October to attend this event, or participate virtually.

The conference features three types of sessions: Raise Money Today Sessions to craft your story, Get It Done Sessions to write donor communications materials, and Need to Know Sessions to learn storytelling strategies. Participants will learn how to customize their stories for different audiences, such as major and monthly donors, and will build their knowledge of writing for specific formats, including newsletters and fundraising appeals.

November 2022

Grant Professionals Association Annual Conference

Louisville, KY, U.S.A. and virtual – November 2 to 5, 2022

If you work in the grant profession, the can’t miss event of the fall is the Grant Professionals Association Annual Conference. Held in early November in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as online, this conference offers educational and networking opportunities to grant professionals of all experience levels. The conference includes professional development sessions, Discussion Dens online networking sessions, access to sponsors and exhibitors, and even a GPA spelling bee. Best of all, participants can earn GPCI education points and CFRE CEUs.

As one participant writes, "GPA Annual Conferences can feel like a professional development vaccination—something that can protect that enthusiasm and boost your immunity to professional burnout."

ARNOVA Annual Conference

Raleigh, NC, U.S.A. – November 17 to 19, 2022

Are you interested in exploring the latest research pertaining to the nonprofit sector? If so, you should add the ARNOVA Annual Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, to your fall calendar. Put on by the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), this conference “is designed to create a public conversation on, as well as opportunities for presenting research about, pressing issues and vital opportunities facing the voluntary or nonprofit sector. It is both a showcase for the best and most current research, as well as a seed bed from which new research is born.”

These are just a few of the conferences on offer for nonprofit professionals this fall. While the in-person conference has definitely made a comeback this year, it also looks like the virtual ones are here to stay. For a more comprehensive listing of both in-person and online conferences, visit GrantStation’s PathFinder library of professional development resources, and click on Conferences in the Browse Library section of the site.