Just as corporate professionals seek to build upon their skills and expand their knowledge base to remain relevant in their industries, a professional in the nonprofit sector is no different. But there are dozens of pricey (and seemingly worthwhile) conferences available every year. How do you know which ones are worth your investment?
If you’re looking to attend a nonprofit conference in 2020, then be sure to take note of the conferences (ordered chronologically by date) below.
Nonprofit Technology Conference
(NTC)
Where: Baltimore, Maryland
When: March 24-26, 2020
Price: $649 — $949
Website: https://www.nten.org/ntc/
What: Understanding tech trends as they impact the nonprofit sector is an absolute must for every nonprofit professional — and over 2000 individuals invest in the Nonprofit Technology Conference year after year.
With over 100 exciting, immersive sessions to choose from during the 3-day event, the hardest part will be deciding on which presentations to attend! Below is just a snapshot of the programming from NTC 2019:
• Collecting User-Generated Content for Digital Success
• Embrace the Bots: How to Grow Fundraising Events with Chatbots
• Making, Managing, and Marketing a Podcast
• Strategies to Shine as a Remote Employee
• Reducing Donor Management: What to Copy from E-retailers
• Responsible Tracking: Learning from Your Users Without Being Creepy
Cause Camp
Where: Lincoln, Nebraska
When: April 20-21, 2020
Price: $99 — $375 (Early Bird registration)
Website: https://www.cause.camp
What: Selected by Forbes as a must-attend nonprofit conference, Cause Camp is a 2-day event that can be attended either in-person (in Nebraska) or online (from anywhere in the world)!
Cause Camp likes to do things differently than many other conferences. Instead of breakout sessions, you get the opportunity to participate in meditation moments, yoga sessions, and "Meet The Expert” connection rooms. Instead of multiple, overlapping tracks, Cause Camp offers comprehensive, one-track programming so you don’t have to miss a single thing.
You can expect this year’s conference to be hosted by Julia Campbell, author of Storytelling in the Digital Age: A Guide for Nonprofits and credited as a 2019 Top 25 IT Influencer by BizTech Magazine. Cause Camp 2020 promises topics relevant to nonprofit workers, including:
• Diversity
• Stewardship
• Donor Experience
• Self-Care
Western Canada Fundraising Conference (WCFC)
Where: Kelowna, British Columbia
When: May 13-15, 2020
Price: TBA (but there will be an Early Bird discount)
Website: http://wcfc.ca
What: Awarded "Best Nonprofit Conference” in 2019, the WCFC is a must for every Canadian professional in the nonprofit sector! You get the opportunity to network with fundraising professionals from across Canada.
Meanwhile, leading industry experts from across the US, Europe and Canada will share their insights on how to boost your fundraising programs while maintaining strong donor relationships. You can expect content for professionals at every stage of the nonprofit journey (from "big shop” to "fundraising Swiss Army knife” as per the WCFC website!), including:
• Building a Win/Win Donor Services Operation
• Pot or No Pot: Understanding the Impact of the Cannabis Industry on the Nonprofit Sector
• Why Planned Giving Isn’t Working & What You Can Do About It
• Never Write Another Major Gift Proposal Again — and Still Get the Gift
Social Innovation Summit (SIS)
Where: Washington D.C.
When: June 2-3, 2020
Price: $1295 — $1895
Website: https://www.socinnovation.com/
What: The Social Innovation Summit sees the immense value of blending business innovation with social transformation, and describes itself as a meeting place for "black swans and wayward thinkers.” Past speakers at SIS include big names like businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Starbucks’ Senior Vice President John Kelly, and US Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez.
You can expect to jump into hot topics hosted by a slew of vibrant speakers in tech, philanthropy, international development, and business. Check out last year’s programming for a taste of what’s to come this year:
• Mavericks of Innovation: How Leaders Build Vibrant Ecosystems
• Digital Upskilling to Build Talent Pipelines
• Lights, Camera, Activism: Media & Entertainment to Inspire Impact
• Corporate Social Impact & Advocacy: A New Era of Brands Taking a Stand
Bridge To Integrated Marketing
& Fundraising Conference
Where: National Harbour, Maryland
When: July 15-17, 2020
Price: TBA
Website: https://www.bridgeconf.org
What: To unlock your organization’s potential in 2020 (and the decade ahead), you will need to find a way to blend your team’s creativity with data-driven analytics. Your fundraising and marketing simply won’t perform well without this balanced approach. Bridging the gap between the two is what the Bridge Conference is known for, making it a premier annual conference for nonprofit professionals from around the world.
You will learn the most up-to-date, experimental strategies and innovations in the nonprofit sector while networking with over 2,500 fundraising and marketing professionals. During the immersive 3-day event, you can expect to gather insights on topics such as the following [taken from last year’s program]:
• Telling Your Story: The Offer, Copy and Images
• Getting The Most From Your Mid-Level Donors
• Stewarding & Cultivating Your Most Loyal Donors
• Maximizing Your Analytics
