Call for Presentations
Deadline: November 20, 2026 @ 5:00 pm ET

2027 NEUAC Annual Conference
San Antonio, TX
June 7-10, 2027

NEUAC seeks proposals for conference presentations on the core themes of energy assistance (including LIHEAP) and fuel funds administration and program implementation.

In addition, we encourage submissions on trending topics related to utility affordability, including, but not limited to, the sample content areas outlined below. NEUAC values perspective on all facets of energy and utility affordability and the inclusion of underrepresented populations in these discussions.

Trending Topics:

• Community Partnerships:
  • Collaboration to reduce energy burden and advance energy affordability
  • Effective practices in shared program development and implementation
  • Data sharing to support program outreach and administration
• Outreach:
  • Identifying and reaching the most difficult-to-engage or vulnerable households, as well as non-traditional households such as:
    • ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) populations
    • Moderate-income households
    • Veterans
  • Energy literacy education curricula
  • Creative outreach activities at the community level
• Vulnerable populations, including but not limited to:
  • Single-parent households
  • Immigrant populations
  • Speakers of languages other than English
  • Rural communities
  • Populations that lack access to cooling
• Weatherization:
  • Wraparound services offered with utility assistance to address overall household needs
• AI and Tech:
  • Effects on LIHEAP-eligible households
  • Data centers and their impact on rates, including opportunities to drive down rates
  • Customer interaction with AI through application and eligibility processes
  • AI "101" for energy assistance staff
• Leadership and Culture:
  • Navigating change management
  • Cultivating people management skills to advance individual contributors to leadership roles
  • Supporting staff to prevent burnout
  • Continuous process improvement
  • Addressing secondary trauma
• Advocacy:
  • Effective storytelling
  • Policy-driving behaviors supportive of energy affordability
  • Understanding utility commissions, consumer advocate opportunities, and the utility model
  • Advocacy and models for state utility assistance funds
  • Research and data that may enhance outreach and education to policymakers and decisionmakers

Strong proposals often feature:

• Both utility and nonprofit partners speaking together about their collaboration to improve energy access and security, prevent disconnection, weatherize homes, or provide other assistance or affordability programs
• Speakers from or content pertinent to tribes and Indigenous communities
• A panel from across the country showing varied approaches in energy assistance program design

Popular presentations often feature content such as:

• Replicable, innovative practices and actionable takeaways relevant to the daily activities of energy assistance program staff
• Solution-oriented, effective practices when dealing with challenges
• Interactive components that involve the audience (examples: video, small group exercises, surveys, take-home tools)
• Substantive storytelling from the perspective of a utility, nonprofit, tribe, or gover

Vendor Policy:
This is a call for presentations by energy assistance providers. No presentations will be accepted that include vendor speakers, facilitators, or moderators. Sales pitches, product demonstrations, and services marketing will not be considered, even when combined with another speaker. To share this information with the NEUAC audience, please contact NEUAC's exhibitor manager, Lisa Collins, to purchase space in our exhibit area.

Session Format:
Proposals will typically be selected for 75-minute breakout sessions that will take place on June 8-9. Most sessions feature 2-3 speakers with different perspectives on a single topic. Occasionally, NEUAC may request two proposals to be combined into a single session.

Space is also available for content to be expanded to a longer preconference session (June 7) or "deep dive" session (June 10).

NEUAC provides a moderator to assist with introductions and facilitation of Q&A.

Next Steps/Notifications:
Proposals are reviewed by a committee of NEUAC members who will consider each presentation's alignment with NEUAC's mission, relevance to conference attendees, past performance of similar topics, and other considerations to build the most effective conference content.

Successful proposals will be selected and speakers notified before December 31, 2026. Speakers will be asked to accept or decline the invitation to present by January 15, 2027. If your proposal is not selected, please accept NEUAC's gratitude and consider responding next year.

Registration/Travel Support:
Conference registration fee and travel expenses are the responsibility of the speaker's organization. Speaker registration is not discounted.

NEUAC has limited scholarships to support speaker travel, which are prioritized for small nonprofit members of NEUAC, members of tribes and Indigenous organizations, and recipients of program services. The application for scholarships will be provided to selected eligible speakers.