Community Development is a process where practitioners, community members, and other stakeholders take collective action to create more connected and empowered neighborhoods and places. The Community Champions Conference planning committee is seeking sessions that speak to the wide range of efforts this includes. 

We are seeking sessions that cover intersecting topics, including affordable housing and real estate development, social justice, arts and culture, economic inclusion, climate planning, and others. Session submissions should, however, fall into one of the following themed categories. Creative interpretations of how your presentation fits within these themes are welcome:

• Policies: Policy and advocacy efforts to advance community development issues at federal, state, and local levels
• Programs: Practitioner best practice sharing across the spectrum of community development programming, as well as capacity building and organizational health efforts
• Possibilities: Big ideas, innovations, and directions for growth in the CED field. We welcome sessions that speak to policy, systems change, professional development, the next generation of CED professionals, and program delivery 

We are open to a variety of session formats, including:

• Workshops: Interactive sessions with hands-on activities and group discussions
• Panel Discussions: Structured conversation featuring diverse perspectives on a specific topic with a moderator
• Keynote Presentations: Inspiring and thought-provoking addresses
• Roundtable Discussions: Conversation where a moderator leads a group of speakers and an audience on a specific topic, audience participation is a key component
• Lightning Talks: Partner up with a colleague or industry partner and each share short, impactful presentations on innovative ideas and projects
• Breakout Sessions: Presentation-style sessions for a smaller group of conference attendees, led by one or multiple speakers

Please submit your proposal by March 19, 2025, using the online submission form available here​. Sessions are 60 minutes inclusive of Q&A. Your proposal should include:

• Session Title: A concise and informative title for your session
• Session Description: A brief summary of the session content and learning objectives (250 words maximum)
• Speaker Information: Name, title, organization, contact information, and a brief biography of each speaker
• Session Format: Preferred session format (workshop, panel, keynote, roundtable, or lightning talk)
• Target Audience: Who will benefit most from attending this session?
• Relevance to conference themes: How does your session align with the overall conference themes?

CEDAM welcomes proposals from a range of speakers, including, but not limited, to:

• Regional, statewide, national, and international experts
• Academics, researchers, and practitioners
• Community leaders, advocates, and policymakers
• Representatives from nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and the private sector
• Those with lived experience



Proposals will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

• Relevance to conference themes
• Innovation and originality of the session
• Clarity and quality of the proposal
• Speaker expertise and experience

• Accepting submissions starting February 5, 2025
• Submissions are due by 5pm on March 19, 2025 
• All submitters will be notified about selection by March 26, 2025

For any questions or inquiries, please contact Shawn Hunter at hunter@cedamichigan.org.

Please note that CEDAM reserves the right to accept or decline any proposal.