Expected Audience
The Summit is an in-person-only event of approximately 300 people. There will not be an opportunity for virtual participants. The primary audience will be Volunteer Engagement Professionals across impact areas and experience levels.
Event Outcomes
We expect to engage in-person attendees in:
- Networking with other professionals in similar positions or with similar professional goals
- Sharing strategies to advance organizational missions by strategically engaging volunteers
- Exploring the expertise and knowledge of Leaders of Volunteers and Volunteer Engagement Professionals
- Building skills, knowledge, and tools for those working with volunteers and within the service field
- Discussing issues of importance to the field of volunteer engagement
Session Formats
The Summit Program Committee is interested in reviewing proposals featuring a variety of formats and engagements. Breakout session formats can include:
- Panel Discussion - up to three colleagues total discussing a topic
- Traditional Workshop - facilitator presents and leads interactive activities
- Salon - advanced, facilitated discussion on a topic that includes practical and philosophical ideas
- Experiential Learning - field trip to a local agency/site for a deep dive on a volunteer engagement practice. This session could be up to 150 minutes, spanning two time blocks.
- Hot Takes Debate - panelists (up to three) debate a position on a topic in volunteerism
- Learning Lab - participants work on a volunteer-related event or process they would like to improve with a guided and/or peer facilitation
- Affinity Group - space for discussion with others of shared identities
- Community of Practice - space for discussion with others in shared professional groups
Each breakout session must be presented live, in-person during a 75-minute block in Sacramento, California from March 18-20, 2026.
Successful sessions will:
- Involve a variety of learning styles (print, aural, visual, interactive)
- Be applicable across a variety of fields (AL!VE serves more than 25 industries like education, human services, healthcare, government, cultural organizations, etc.)
- Present ideas replicable with limited budgetary means
- Take advantage of the in-person nature of the conference
Successful Presenters
AL!VE and the Summit Program Committee encourage presenters of all experience levels to submit breakout session proposals. Successful presenters will be:
- Passionate about the material they are sharing
- Aware of the diverse audience to which they are presenting
- Respectful of attendee time and knowledge level
- Comfortable and experienced with presenting to in-person attendees; we anticipate 30-60 attendees per breakout session
Speaker Fee & Benefits of Presenting
A speaker fee payment of $200 will be provided per workshop. The lead presenter will note the intention to accept or decline the speaker fee in the proposal submission process. After submission, there will be no changes in speaker fee selection processed, unless the speaker fee is changing from accepted to declined.
All accepted workshops will be offered up to one (1) complimentary registration for the Summit. All additional speakers and co-presenters will be required to register for the Summit at a discounted rate.
Proposal Submission
Proposals must be submitted via the online form. The deadline for submission is August 5. An individual may submit up to three breakout session proposals for review. If you have questions or concerns about the submission form, please contact Alli Zuel, the Summit Program Chair.
Submit a Proposal
Selection Process
Proposals will be reviewed by the Summit Program Committee. Proposals will be scored and selected based on the following criteria:
- Relevance to the stated event outcomes
- Applicability of content to Leaders of Volunteers and Volunteer Engagement Professionals
- Presenter’s experience, skills, and knowledge
- Cost and budget availability
Presenters will be notified via email by September 12, 2025, if they have been selected.
All information will be emailed to the lead presenter, who is responsible for sharing with any co-presenters, as applicable.
Important Dates
- July 7 - Call for Breakout Session Proposal released
- July 17 at 4pm ET - Informational Webinar about the proposal process (View recording here)
- August 5 - Session Proposals due
- September 12 - Presenters notified for selection
- March 18-20, 2026 - The National Summit on Volunteer Engagement in Sacramento, California
Contact
Questions related to the Call for Breakout Sessions should be directed to Alli Zuel, Summit Program Chair.
Submission Form Fields Template
Below are the details that the online form will request for each proposal submission.
Presenter Information for Lead and Co-Presenters
- Name:
- Organization:
- Biography: (no more than 200 words)
- Email address:
- Cell phone number (to use to communicate with in case of urgent matters):
Session Topic and Proposal type
- Session Format (offer multiple choice list of options with a short description of what each option is)
- Panel Discussion - up to three colleagues total discussing a topic
- Traditional Workshop - facilitator presents and leads interactive activities
- Salon - advanced, facilitated discussion on a topic that includes practical and philosophical ideas
- Experiential Learning - field trip to a local agency/site for a deep dive on a volunteer engagement practice. This session could be up to 150 minutes, spanning two time blocks.
- Hot Takes Debate - panelists (up to three) debate a position on a topic in volunteerism
- Learning Lab - participants work on a volunteer-related event or process they would like to improve with a guided and/or peer facilitation
- Affinity Group - space for discussion with others of shared identities
- Community of Practice - space for discussion with others in shared professional group
Details
- Intended Audience:
- Early Career (0-2 years)
- Emerging Leaders (3-6 years)
- Exemplary Leaders (7-10 years)
- Experts (11+ years)
- Have you presented this particular session before?
- If you have presented this session before, where did you present?
- Previous presenting/speaking experience - Describe your previous presenting and/or speaking experience, both virtual and in-person (please note location/conference, year, and topic). Have you presented to Volunteer Engagement Professionals? Have you presented to other audiences?
- Are you a member of AL!VE?
- Check the box to indicate “Yes”
- Leave the box unchecked to indicate “No”
- Have you completed AL!VE’s Presenter Bootcamp?
- Check the box to indicate “Yes”
- Leave the box unchecked to indicate “No”
- Are you requesting an honorarium payment for this submission?
- Check the box to indicate “Yes, I am requesting the honorarium if this proposal is accepted.”
- Leave the box unchecked to indicate “No, I am not requesting the honorarium for this proposal."
Session Proposal Details
- Session Title (maximum 20 words)
- Session Summary: (to appear in program, app, etc. - no more than 100 words
- Full Session Description: Describe your session. What will be covered / taught? What methods will you use to convey the material? Why would people want to come to this session? What are the takeaways from your session (ideas/actions/physical items/etc.). Describe how the unique in-person nature of the summit will be leveraged during your session (interactive elements, networking, etc.).
- Please submit your headshot for promotional use
- Submit proposal Files, please use this space to upload the headshot of any co-presenters.
