Call for Presenters: 2026 NNSP Annual Conference on Community & Civic Engagement

The Close Up Foundation’s National Network of Service Programs (NNSP) is inviting educators, practitioners, and civic engagement leaders to present at its 2026 Annual Conference on Community & Civic Engagement, taking place January 28–30, 2026, in the Washington, D.C. area. The conference brings together educators dedicated to connecting classroom learning with real-world civic action, emphasizing practical strategies for fostering student leadership and social impact. Presenters can apply to lead either 45-minute Engage Workshops for in-depth exploration or 15-minute Inspire Mini-Sessions for concise, high-energy idea sharing. Strong proposals will feature interactive methods, clear learning outcomes, and actionable takeaways that empower educators to strengthen community-engaged learning in their schools. With opportunities for networking, collaboration, and student participation through the concurrent Civic Leadership Summit, this event highlights civic education as essential to preparing students for democratic citizenship. Proposal submissions are open now through the Close Up Foundation. Read more in the blog post below.

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The Close Up Foundation's National Network of Service Programs (NNSP) is seeking dynamic presenters for its 2026 Annual Conference on Community & Civic Engagement, taking place January 28-30, 2026, in the Washington, D.C. metro area. This is a unique opportunity for educators, practitioners, and civic engagement leaders to share their expertise with a nationwide community committed to transforming how students learn about and engage with their communities.

A Conference That Connects Learning to Action

The NNSP Annual Conference brings together educators who are passionate about the intersection of community and civic engagement, social impact, and academic curriculum. Attendees come seeking tangible examples of how schools can help students understand systemic issues, connect their learning to real-world challenges, and develop the empathy, knowledge, and leadership skills needed to create meaningful community change.

This conference isn't just about theory—it's about practice. Previous conferences have featured sessions exploring everything from the science of effective service-learning reflections to data-driven approaches for social impact programs. Keynote speakers have included leaders like Alice Siu from Stanford's Deliberative Democracy Lab, discussing AI's role in empowering student changemakers, and Nathan Dietz from the University of Maryland's Do Good Institute exploring how to unleash the potential of social impact programs through data.

Share Your Vision: Two Presentation Formats

NNSP is accepting proposals for two distinct session types, allowing presenters to choose the format that best suits their content and teaching style:

Engage Workshops are 45-minute deep-dive sessions that allow for substantial exploration of a topic. These workshops provide space for case studies, hands-on activities, panel discussions, and meaningful dialogue. Past Engage sessions have covered topics like implementing principles of good practice for community-engaged learning across K-12 settings and exploring how schools can leverage their resources for the common good.
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Inspire Mini-Sessions are 15-minute presentations offered three times during a 70-minute period, creating an energizing, fast-paced learning environment. These sessions are perfect for sharing specific strategies, showcasing innovative approaches, or sparking new ideas that attendees can immediately apply in their work.

What Makes A Strong Proposal

The conference planning team is looking for presentations that offer new or unique perspectives on community and civic engagement. Strong proposals clearly articulate what questions the presentation will answer, what interactive methods will engage the audience, and what practical takeaways participants will gain.
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Whether you're proposing a larger-group discussion, small-group collaboration, hands-on activity, case study exploration, or panel discussion with Q&A, the key is ensuring your session creates opportunities for educators to connect, collaborate, and leave with actionable strategies they can implement in their schools and communities.

Join a Growing Movement

The NNSP Annual Conference represents a critical gathering point for educators nationwide who understand that civic education isn't just another subject—it's essential preparation for democratic citizenship. The conference creates space for cross-sector networking, deep appreciation for the value of community-engaged learning, and inspiration from student voices. Previous conferences have culminated with students from the concurrent NAIS Student Civic Leadership Summit sharing their own visions and strategies for community impact, reminding educators why this work matters.
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With conference registration set at $1,495 per educator (including hotel accommodations, all sessions, and meals), Close Up is committed to making this professional development accessible while creating a high-quality, immersive learning experience. Schools can even bring student cohorts to participate in the concurrent student summit, creating powerful opportunities for educators and students to learn and grow together.

Submit Your Proposal

If you have insights, strategies, or experiences that can help educators strengthen community and civic engagement programs in their schools, the NNSP community wants to hear from you. Proposal submissions are being accepted now for the January 28-30, 2026 conference.

The proposal process is straightforward: share your presentation type, session title, description, the key questions you'll answer, your unique perspective on the topic, and your approach to creating an interactive experience. Whether you're a seasoned presenter or sharing your work publicly for the first time, your voice and experience matter to this community.
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Ready to contribute to the future of civic education? Submit your presentation proposal for the 2026 NNSP Annual Conference and help shape a generation of engaged, empowered student changemakers. For more information or to submit your proposal, contact [email protected] or visit the Close Up Foundation website.