BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The 44th annual SGMP National Education Conference & Expo will be held June 9-11, 2026 at the Williamsburg Lodge in Williamsburg, Virginia. All educational sessions will take place June 10 & June 11 (selected sessions may be repeated). This is the single largest gathering of government meetings professionals every year, and we are excited to be providing the best education in government meeting planning to our members in a beautiful, historic location.
Your application must be received no later than 5:00pm ET, November 21, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted.
EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS SUMMARY
We are offering sixteen (16) breakout sessions and one (1) keynote.
Educational sessions at the 2026 conference will be 50 minutes in length and will be presented by a mix of current members and professionals in the industries of government meeting planning, hospitality management, marketing, and logistics. All educational sessions should be focused on government meetings and must fit within at least one of SGMP’s twelve (12) educational core competencies. The topics are listed in the questionnaire below.
Application Instructions
This survey form serves as the application. Please complete and submit this application by 5pm Eastern Time no later than November 21, 2025. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline. Incomplete applications will be deleted. You must complete this application to be considered for a speaking opportunity at the NEC.
Speaker Expenses
Please make sure you agree with the compensation offered before you submit this application.
Breakout Speakers (non-SGMP members) will receive an honorarium of $1,000 plus two nights lodging (booked by SGMP) at the conference hotel, and conference registration. No additional expenses will be covered. Speakers will be required to make their own travel arrangements. SGMP will not pay for travel.
Keynote speaker. The general budget for a keynote fee is $5000 plus two nights lodging (booked by SGMP) at the conference hotel. No other travel is included. However, SGMP does have some minor budgetary flexibility in the fees and expenses. If you feel you have a topic that speaks to our members, you are encouraged to submit a proposal.
SGMP will make hotel reservations via rooming list.
If non-SGMP member speakers are requested to make more than one presentation, an additional $200 honorarium per session will be paid.
In accordance with SGMP Policy AC-3, SGMP members presenting programs at the National Education Conference may receive no more than $200 TOTAL (total amount, not per session amount) honorarium to go towards conference registration, airfare, and/or lodging. Conference registration and lodging ARE NOT included.
Supplier or Contract Planner members whose primary services to the government meetings market is education-related (training or speaking) will receive the $1,000 honorarium.
