Seeking Diverse Voices for ICON 2024

We are now just three weeks away from AFP ICON 2023 in New Orleans! While preparations for this event are in full swing, we also have one eye on 2024 as the call for session proposals for next year’s Toronto event have just opened! 

I wanted to dedicate this week’s message to this call for proposals, to cast the net as wide as possible, and spread this information to ALL of our membership. Too often, people with knowledge to share don’t sign up for these opportunities because of imposter syndrome, intimidation, or a perception that they’re not enough of an expert to present. 

Well, this is your invitation to put aside those fears, and submit your proposal! 

Here at AFP, IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and access) is a pillar of our strategic plan and something that is weaved into everything that we do, including the events we host. This year I’m excited to say that 32% of speakers at AFP ICON 2023 identify as people of color, a 4% increase from 2022. But there is still room for improvement! 

For 2024, we are actively seeking unique perspectives to diversify our content. We strive to have our program accurately represent the wide breadth of identities, experiences, and opinions that exist in our field, and the best way to do that is by getting this call for session proposals in front of a large, diverse audience. 

I encourage you to think about the topics you’re passionate about. Are you doing something innovative at your organization that your fellow AFP members would be interested in? Have you had success with a particular technique that other fundraisers would want to replicate? Is your organization setting an example for the industry with your ethical and IDEA-focused approaches? 

Share it at AFP ICON 2024! We’re seeking sessions and pre-conference workshops in the following areas: 

• Current and Prospective Donor Research
• Securing the Gift
• Relationship Building
• Volunteer Involvement
• Leadership and Management
• Ethics, Accountability, and Professionalism

The deadline to submit your proposal is May 8, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. CT, so start thinking about your topic, talk to some of the speakers at this year’s AFP ICON in New Orleans, fine-tune your learning outcomes, and get your proposal submitted! 

I look forward to seeing the incredible slate of sessions for next year! In the meantime, check out this year’s list of sessions and make sure you’re registered! See you all in New Orleans in just a few short weeks! 

As always feel free to reach out to me via email at Mike.Geiger@afpglobal.org or on Twitter at @AFPMikeGeiger if you have any questions or comments. I’d love to hear from you.