Annual Conference – Request for Proposals

The conference is designed for nonprofit and partner sector staff across all departments, range of roles, organizational sizes, and experience levels to explore strategies to support sustainable, thriving nonprofits. Topics cover leadership, communications, fundraising, technology, policy, finance, and more.

As the state’s largest nonprofit gathering, attendees will include 1,000+ nonprofit, public sector, and philanthropy leaders from across Minnesota and beyond, including staff, board members, and volunteers.

Participants include executive directors and senior leaders, managers and emerging leaders, program and direct-service staff, fundraising and development professionals, finance and operations staff, HR and people leaders, communications and advocacy professionals, board members, volunteers, consultants, philanthropy professionals, students, and jobseekers. 

MCN is seeking dynamic presenters who are inquisitive and bring nuanced, clear, and equitable approaches to the nonprofit sector. 

We seek proposals for sessions that have clear and actionable takeaways and offer a clear vision and point of view. We are looking for a broad array of session topics and encourage you to present in content areas you are passionate about, skilled in, and will resonate with your peers.

This year, we are particularly interested in sessions that bring the following content areas to life: 

• Forms of resiliency, resistance, and rest.
• Impacts of Federal Government on nonprofits and strategies for staying whole.
• Strategic approaches to coalitions, partnerships, and mergers that center people.
• Assessing and addressing threats to continuity of service, core operations, and values (with a particular focus on small, rural, and BIPOC-led and serving nonprofits).
• Scenario planning with a focus on funding volatility.
• Facilitating change management as a constant rather than sporadic need.
• Brave and bold actions in the philanthropic sector.
• Immigration resources.
• Financial modeling for small to –mid-size nonprofits.
• The why and how of advocacy for nonprofits.
• Reimagining and improving nonprofit boards.
• Registration and reporting requirements for nonprofits.
• DEI in the nonprofit sector.

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 Annual Conference sessions.

MCN seeks dynamic presenters from the nonprofit sector and allied organizations and fields who firmly understand their nonprofit role and function. 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.

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.

Session proposals that emphasize participant engagement, interaction, and accessibility have generally received the most positive feedback. We recommended session formats incorporate: 

• Accessible slides and materials; text-heavy slides should be kept to a minimum. 
• 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). 

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.

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 Thursday, April 15, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. central. 

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.

Finance RFP >>

Submission deadline: Thursday, November 12, 2026.

Conference focus: Strategic and equitable approaches to leading people, organizations, and movements from any position and point of view within nonprofits.

Leadership RFP >>

Submission deadline: Thursday, August 5, 2027.

Conference focus: Sustainable approaches to revenue generation by building fundraising skills, strengthening donor relationships, and exploring emerging practices.

Fundraising RFP >>