Please follow this link to the Rally proposal submission form (also located on the sidebar). The Rally Call for Presentations will close on March 1, 2021.
Why Submit a Proposal?
Participants tell us that the #1 reason they attend Rally is for the educational sessions. At Rally 2020, faculty presented 75 educational hours over a three-day period to nearly 3,800 participants. Rally would not be the success it is, year after year, without our faculty. Thank you for generously giving your time and expertise to strengthen the work of land trusts throughout America. You are an invaluable resource.
While we do not yet know whether there will be an in-person Rally in Cleveland, we do know there will be a virtual component regardless (hybrid format). In the proposal form, you will be asked to indicate your willingness and availability to present virtually, in-person or if you are flexible to do either.
Overarching Themes for Proposals
Land trusts are faced with issues and opportunities that are often complex and require a more comprehensive approach. As we look to the future and consider the long-term resilience and relevance of our land and water conservation efforts, what lessons can we share that will help us increase our impact?
We once again challenge our presenters to consider incorporating into their sessions several cross-cutting themes that are critical to the future of land conservation. As land trusts, how might we think about how to plan, engage, adapt, mitigate and address these themes?
Inclusion: A culture that fosters diversity, equity, support and respect within every facet of organizational services. Preference will be given to proposals that involve partners as presenters.
Climate Change: Multi-faceted implications of and strategies for a changing climate that range, for example, from nature-based climate solutions on natural and working lands to recovery from natural disasters to effective climate communication strategies for any audience.
Water: Prioritizing the protection and restoration of water resources, working with partners to ensure healthy water for people to drink, recreate, and provide for economic stability and undertaking watershed protection and restoration efforts that improve water quality, address water quantity and provide for equitable access.
“I learned a great deal at Rally. I really appreciated this year’s focus on equity and climate change. I’ve attended a lot of fundraising and communications workshops in the past, so this year I chose to focus on issues outside my job description, but that would benefit my land trust and me in more holistic ways. I think this will make me a more well-rounded employee and help me to better serve our community.”
-Abby Henkel, Sycamore Land Trust (IN)
Training Formats
Workshops are diverse topics taught by the experienced colleagues and experts. Workshops run concurrently within 6 areas of focus and will be 90 minutes in length each. Workshops are included in the Rally registration fee and handout materials are posted in a number of areas depending on Rally 2021 format.
In the session proposal form, we are also interested in your willingness to adapt/expand your 90-minute proposal to a longer 3-4 hour session. As we consider a 100% virtual or hybrid Rally, we are still fine-tuning the Rally programming and appreciate your patience as we closely examine all of our options.