Join us as a conference presenter and share your knowledge and experience leading people, organizations, and movements from any position and point of view within or intersecting with nonprofits.
MCN and conference co-host, the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, seek dynamic session leaders from the nonprofit and public sectors to present at MCN’s 2027 Nonprofit Leadership Conference, Thursday, May 27, 2027 at McNamara Alumni Center.
Proposals can be submitted through the online form and take about 15 minutes to complete. You do not need to have a fully fleshed out presentation to submit a proposal; however, you do need to have a solid idea and outline with learning objectives. The deadline to submit a proposal to present at the conference is Wednesday, November 19, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. central.
RFP frequently asked questions
Conference Details
2027 Nonprofit Leadership Conference
Thursday, May 27, 2027
McNamara Alumni Center, Minneapolis
(Registration will open Winter 2026)
RFP Frequently Asked Questions
Who will attend and what will attendees gain from the conference?
The conference is designed for nonprofit leaders at all stages of their leadership journey, from emerging leaders and new managers, to experienced executives and senior leaders.
Attendees of the 2027 Nonprofit Leadership Conference will be able to:
- Identify the inequities in leadership models and map ways to disrupt and dismantle them while imagining fresh alternatives
- Find and share inspiration and guidance among peer experts for engaging with myriad areas of leadership
- Have direct access to the latest leadership research (and researchers!) and discuss ways to incorporate academic findings into on-the-ground practice and strategy
- Bolster foundational knowledge of nonprofit administration and operations as part of honing your advancement pathway and leadership capacity
Attendees will include 500+ nonprofit staff at all stages of their leadership journey, from emerging leaders and new managers to experienced executives and senior leaders.
Participants represent a wide range of nonprofit leadership functions, including executive leadership, programs, fundraising, finance, HR, communications, operations, advocacy, and equity and inclusion; they also include people from the philanthropy sector, community leaders, students, board members, and volunteers.
What type of sessions will be included in the conference?
MCN and the Humphrey School seek dynamic presenters who are inquisitive and bring nuanced, clear, and equitable approaches to leadership within the nonprofit sector and its subsectors. This year, we are particularly interested in sessions that bring the following content areas to life:
Leadership Pathways
- Effective and sensitive coaching strategies for staff who have lived experience but no nonprofit programming job experience.
- How to make leadership mentoring accessible, relevant, and encouraged for NEWER and MID-LEVEL leaders.
- Establishing inclusive cultures of growth.
Executive Leadership Supports
- Holding and addressing risk while also being a beacon for your organization.
- Building skills for navigating systems of power (i.e., advocacy, philanthropy).
- Compliance with regulatory bodies.
- Executive transitions in historically white led nonprofits—naming, disrupting, and repairing the bias and nuanced challenges experienced by leaders who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
- Knowing when executive coaching is needed and how to work with an executive director who is struggling when their organization outgrows their leadership skills.
Nonprofit Board Engagement
- Boards effectively partnering with staff leadership.
- Expectation setting and activation strategies for board members.
Nonprofit Volunteerism
- Moving one-time volunteers into life-long fans and supporters.
- Providing purpose and reason to the “new adult” generation (Gen Y) for giving their time.
Impact Assessment and Scenario Planning
- Evaluation methods for measuring program impact.
- Incorporating evaluation results into present and future work.
- Proactive and continual scenario planning.
We also encourage sessions that engage topics and approaches relevant to and implementable by small nonprofits ($0-$99,999).
For additional information and context, you may review 2026 Leadership Conference sessions.
Who will be selected as presenters and what benefits will presenters gain?
MCN seeks dynamic presenters from the nonprofit sector and allied organizations and fields who firmly understand nonprofit leadership. Session presenters must demonstrate a depth of knowledge on the workshop topic. Sessions and presenters should reflect the racial, economic, cultural, age, and geographic diversity of the communities in the state of Minnesota.
Sessions that include nonprofit presenters will be given priority. Proposals from our allies in for-profit companies are welcome; however, please note that preference will be given to sessions that demonstrate active involvement of nonprofit professionals and sector researchers and members from the communities they engage as session presenters or co-presenters.
Session presenters receive a stipend of $80, with a limit of $240 per session (for multiple presenters). Presenters are also recognized on the conference website under their breakout session description and in the conference program given to all attendees.
Presenters are supported via an optional virtual preparation session approximately one month before the conference, are sent general information about conference attendees to help inform their presentation, and receive on-site tech support.
Who will NOT be selected as presenters?
Consultants and/or for-profit businesses with an overriding interest in selling their products and services, as opposed to contributing to a learning community will not be invited to present.
What is the best format for presenting at this conference?
Session proposals that emphasize participant engagement, interaction, and accessibility have generally received the most positive feedback. We recommended session formats incorporate:
- Visual imagery and storytelling to convey your message.
- Participant engagement: dialogue, discussion, and idea-generation throughout the session.
- Networking: time for attendees to connect with one another and methods to stay connected.
- Specific takeaways that attendees can implement in their work.
- No more than three presenters (including a moderator).
- Accessible slides and materials; text-heavy slides should be kept to a minimum.
Is there a stipend for presenting at this conference?
Session presenters receive a stipend of $80, with a limit of $240 per session (for multiple presenters).
Presenters who plan to attend the entire conference need to pay a “presenter registration rate. This rate is 50 percent of the early bird registration rate, or $117, and is available to three presenters per session. If the presenter registration rate is inaccessible you can choose to register using the Pay What You Can (PWYC) rate that makes attendance possible for you.
MCN conferences have been selling out, therefore having presenters register allows us to gather an accurate count of registration and accommodations to ensure everyone can fully engage in the conference.
How do I submit a session proposal?
Proposals can be submitted through the online proposal form and take about 15 minutes to complete. You do not need to have a fully fleshed out presentation to submit a proposal. You are sharing an idea that you will shape into a presentation.
The deadline to submit a proposal to present at the conference is Wednesday, November 19, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. central.
Can I submit a session proposal for multiple MCN conferences?
Yes! If your experience and insights overlap with multiple focus areas that you think would benefit attendees at multiple MCN conferences, we encourage you to submit a proposals to all those applicable. Session proposals are currently open for the following MCN 2027 Conferences:
Submission deadline: Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Conference focus: The technical skills, strategic thinking, and processes that keep nonprofits financially compliant, secure, solvent, and equitable.
Submission deadline: Thursday, February 18, 2027.
Conference focus: Sustainable approaches to revenue generation by building fundraising skills, strengthening donor relationships, and exploring emerging practices
Submission deadline: Thursday, April 15, 2027.
Conference focus: Topics across all departments, experience levels, and organizational sizes that explore strategies to support sustainable, thriving nonprofits.
Questions?
If you have questions about submitting a proposal for the 2027 Nonprofit Leadership Conference, please contact Pele Le, MCN program manager, at [email protected]. Thank you!