Thank you for your interest in presenting at the 2026 MAVA Volunteer Engagement Leadership Conference! Deadline to submit is Friday, March 6, 2026 by 11:59 p.m. (CST)

Conference dates and location
June 11-12, 2026 at St Paul College, St Paul, MN

Conference Theme: Volunteerism Without Borders
The landscape of service is shifting beneath our feet. Today’s volunteers aren't just looking for "roles"—they are looking for meaningful impact. They are moving at the speed of their digital lives, their neighborhoods, and their personal values.

We are looking for leaders, disruptors, and community builders who have moved beyond the "traditional" to master the non-traditional. Whether you’ve cracked the code on micro-volunteering, scaled a movement through decentralized leadership, or leveraged technology to meet the community in real-time, we want to hear your story.

Priority Tracks & Topics
We are specifically seeking sessions that provide actionable strategies for the following trends:

  • The On-Demand Volunteer: Strategies for episodic and task-based service that fits into busy modern schedules.
  • Leading at Community Speed: How to pivot organizational structures to support rapid-response and informal helping.
  • The Tech-Enabled Connection: Utilizing AI, mobile platforms, and digital matching to reduce barriers to entry.
  • Equity & Mutual Aid: Moving from "charity" models to community-led movements and neighbor-to-neighbor support.

What We’re Looking For
  • Case Studies: Real-world examples of tried experiments and big wins.
  • Interactive Workshops: Less "sage on the stage," more "guide on the side."
  • Provocative "Spark" Talks: High-energy sessions on the future of service.

MAVA's Audience:
We welcome all nonprofit professionals to participate. The majority of our audience is comprised of people who lead volunteers -- MAVA refers to them as Volunteer Engagement Leaders and Practitioners.

This year's conference sessions should be geared towards topics like leadership, effective supervision, coaching volunteers, recognizing bias, race equity, disability inclusion, creating welcoming spaces, leading in uncertainty, conflict resolution, community organizing, marketing, social media, volunteer data management, and trends in volunteerism.


Compensation
  • Complimentary conference registration
  • Workshop stipend of $150 per presenter (limit of $300 per workshop) offered. After being notified of selection, presenters will opt to receive or waive the workshop stipend.

Other info:
  • If you'd like to submit multiple workshop proposals, please submit a separate form for each.
  • Please note that this form is for workshop proposals only. Keynotes will not be selected through an RFP process.

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* 1. Your contact information

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* 2. Please share your bio in third person in 3-6 sentences.

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* 3. Title of Proposed Session

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* 4. Session Description 

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* 5. Please describe your previous experience speaking, facilitating, and providing training in-person or virtually.

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* 6. Anything else you'd like us to consider?

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* 7. Would you share your headshot, which may be used for promotional purposes, if your session is selected? Please upload your headshot now.

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* 8. Co-Presenter #1 information, if applicable

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* 9. Co-Presenter #1 Bio

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* 10. Co-Presenter #1 headshot, which may be used for promotional purposes, if your session is selected.

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