Key Dates:

• Proposal Submission Deadline: June 28, 2024, 11:59 PM PDT
• Notification of Accepted Proposals by: August 15, 2024, 11:59 PM PDT
• Confirmation of Acceptance Required by: August 26, 2024, 11:59 PM PDT

Purpose

The National Extension Conference on Volunteerism (NECV) is an opportunity for sharing and learning the latest research and trends in volunteerism, gaining innovative ideas for reaching new volunteers, investigating best practices for developing and retaining current volunteers, and strengthening volunteer management efforts. Participants will gather tools and skills through interactive sessions and networking with colleagues and develop plans to utilize new resources.

Intended Audience

The intended audience for this conference is national, state, regional, and county professional extension staff interested in building the capacity of volunteers into program efforts and creating an effective volunteer delivery system within their programs.

About the Conference

The 2025 NECV provides an exciting opportunity for extension staff working on issues related to volunteerism to learn and share resources with colleagues and collaborators across the nation. The conference brings together the resources of the land-grant system with county and state extension faculty who build and sustain effective volunteer programs.

The NECV Planning Committee invites Workshops, Research Presentations, Posters, and Lightning Talks proposals for presentation in April 2025. Individuals and teams with information to help conference participants reach their program and professional development goals are encouraged to submit proposals. Presentations should be interactive, and engaging, and provide useful, research-based, programmatic, and evaluation information and tools that participants can apply to their programs.

When developing proposals, consider pertinent research, knowledge, competencies, and best practices in your program/subject matter area concerning components of a volunteer system, such as personal readiness; organizational readiness, identification of volunteers, volunteer development, and volunteer program management. These components reflect the Volunteerism Domain of the 4-H Professional Research and Knowledge Competencies (PRKC) and the ISOTURE Model of Volunteer Management (ISOTURE).

Presentations

There are four (4) presentation format options. Each has a decidedly different character and requires different preparation. Please give careful thought to the format best suited to your presentation content. Most participants prefer interactive presentations that provide useful information attendees can apply to their work. Priority will be given to proposals that engage the participants in active learning. If your proposal is accepted for presentation, the expectation is that it will be precisely what you have committed to in this proposal.

Workshop

Professional development sessions for participants to explore new ideas, concepts, and approaches to accomplish program outcomes. Workshops should be interactive, engage participants, and provide useful, research-based, programmatic, and evaluation information and tools that participants can apply to their programs. Teams of extension staff, community partners, and adult presenters are welcome. Workshops are 50 minutes. Please indicate in your proposal submission if you would consider participating in the poster showcase or lightning talk if your workshop is not accepted.

Research 

Share research conducted or compiled by the presenter(s) pertinent to volunteerism and extension work. Research presentations are 50 minutes. Please indicate in your proposal submission if you would consider participating in the poster showcase or lightning talk if your research presentation is not accepted.

Poster 

Showcase successful volunteerism-related projects, programs, research, or evaluation information. Posters might include a short abstract, charts, graphs, or sample program materials to encourage informal discussion on volunteerism. Presenters are responsible for bringing and/or shipping their posters and setting up, taking down, and staffing during designated times. Posters should not be larger than 48” x 36”.

Lightning Talks 

An opportunity to engage colleagues with concise and efficient talks intended to grab the audience’s attention, convey key information, and allow several presenters to briefly share their ideas. Limited to 10 minutes presentation and 5 minutes of Q & A. No more than 10 slides are allowed if a slide deck is used. This is a great way to network and share ideas!

Proposal Guidelines

As an individual or a team, you can join the ranks of recognized volunteer systems experts in the extension profession. To ensure that a balanced conference is offered, a team of extension professionals review and evaluate all submissions. The evaluation process is competitive.

• No presenter may be the lead or co-presenter on more than three (3) submitted proposals (including workshop, research presentation, poster, and lightning talk).
• Proposals must be submitted electronically, or they will not be evaluated.
• The committee will correspond with the lead presenter only. The lead presenter’s responsible for notifying and sharing information with co-presenters.
• The time limit for workshops and research presentations is 50 minutes.
• The abstract word limit for inclusion in conference proceedings is 1,200 characters or less.

Selection Criteria

Be sure to answer the following questions within your presentation proposal. Your proposal will be judged on the following selection criteria:

• Are the ideas presented relevant and significant to extension’s work with volunteers?
• Are the concepts introduced useful, practical, forward-thinking, and/or visionary?
• Is the scope of your presentation appropriate to the allotted time?
• Is there demonstrated knowledge of the subject matter?
• Is the material presented logically or sequentially?
• Is the instructional design creative, allowing for interaction among the participants?
• Is the scope appropriate for extension audiences of all backgrounds?
• Is there a demonstrated commitment to building infrastructures to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility policies and practices in volunteer systems and/or promote equity and inclusion in volunteer programs? 

Questions regarding the Call for Proposal process should be directed to NECV Program Committee Chair, Marisa Coyne, mcoyne@umn.edu.

Deadline: Proposals are Due June 28, 2024 by 11:59 PM PDT.

Questions regarding the Call for Proposal process should be directed to NECV Program Committee Chair, Marisa Coyne, mcoyne@umn.edu.

Call for Proposals Planning Tool

This guide may be used as a tool by presenter hopefuls before going online to complete the online proposal application.

This guide will not be uploaded to the online proposal system. You will use this information, yourself, that you supply on this form to complete the application and may find copying and pasting some of your content from this planning form helpful.

Please note: No presenter may be the lead or co-presenter on more than three (3) submitted proposals (including a workshop or research presentation, poster showcase, and lightning talks).

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Text from NECV Call for Proposals Planning Tool

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Proposal Information

Title of Proposal:

Format: 

___ Workshop

___ Research

---

If not accepted as a workshop or research presentation, would you consider presenting this content as a poster?

___ Yes

___ No

If not accepted as a workshop or research presentation, would you consider presenting this content as a lightning talk?

___ Yes

___ No

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___ Poster

___ Lightning Talk

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Previous presentations of this topic:

Have you presented this topic at a previous NECV conference?

___ Yes

___ No

Indicate the year and format if “yes.”

Have you presented this topic at another national conference?

___ Yes

___ No

Indicate when and where if “yes.”

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Experience Level:

(Please select the experience level of participants that will most benefit from your session.)

• Novice: A professional at the level of awareness and understanding of concepts and practices.
• Practitioner: A professional engaged in the application of concepts and best practices.
• Expert: A professional engaged in best practices and sustains an effective volunteer delivery system.
• All Experience Levels

Topic Area:

• Personal Readiness
• Organizational Readiness
• Identification of Volunteers
• Volunteer Development
• Volunteer Program Management

Volunteer Program Area (if applicable):

• 4-H Youth Development
• Master Gardeners
• Master Naturalists
• Master Food Preserver
• Master Health & Wellness
• Community Volunteers
• Applicable to ALL Volunteers

Proposal Details

Proposal Description:

Outline, description, or summary of your presentation. Please indicate instructional techniques as well as the content of your presentation.

Relevant Research:

Cite what relevant research you used to develop your session. If none, please describe how your session is forward-thinking or visionary.

Anticipated Outcomes:

Please outline the anticipated outcomes from participating in your presentation.

Diversity Equity Inclusion and Accessibility:

The NECV planning committee is responsible for reflecting and advancing USDA NIFA’s commitment to Diversity Equity Inclusion and Accessibility. How does the proposed presentation to build infrastructures to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility policies and practices in volunteer systems and/or promote equity and inclusion in volunteer programs?

Abstract:

Please provide an abstract of your session to be included in conference proceedings (Max: 1,200 characters). Participants like to know what they will learn or experience, what presentation techniques you will use and why the information you present matters.

Questions regarding the Call for Proposal process should be directed to NECV Program Committee Chair, Marisa Coyne, mcoyne@umn.edu.

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You’ve Read the Details and Checked Out the Planning Tool on This Page.

Are You Now Ready to Submit Your Proposal?

Completed proposals should be submitted online no later than 11:59 pm PDT on June 28, 2024. Notification of acceptance will be given by 11:59 pm PDT on August 15, 2024. 

Notification of acceptance will be given by 11:59 pm PDT on August 15, 2024.  Confirmation of Acceptance is expected by August 26, 2024.

Please note that you commit to registering for and attending NECV 2025 by confirming acceptance of your proposal.

NECV Session Proposal Submission Form (Qualtrics)

Questions regarding the Call for Proposal process should be directed to NECV Program Committee Chair, Marisa Coyne, mcoyne@umn.edu.