2018 Cultivating Change Summit Call for Workshop Proposals

Workshop presenters drive the programming at our annual Cultivating Change Summit. We look forward to reviewing your workshop proposal and have developed this toolkit to guide you through our submission process.

Benefits of Presenting

  • Discounted registration
  • Visibility for your company
  • Recognition as an industry thought leader

Workshop Deadlines

  • November 15: Workshop proposals open
  • February 15: Deadline for submissions
  • February 16-23: Committee reviews applications
  • June 6th: Workshop Presenter Town Call

EDUCATION PRINCIPLES

  1. Commitment to Diversity. Cultivating Change Summit seeks to promote a diverse group of presenters and workshops that reflect the diversity of the agriculture industry. We seek to mirror the diversity of participants at the 2018 Summit, with special attention to the workplace experiences of people of color, transgender people, and bisexual people.
  2. Peer-to-Peer Education. The Cultivating Change Summit is renowned for the education opportunities it provides. Our focus on peer-to-peer education, allows for sharing of best practices from those living and working on issues of LGBT and the agriculture industry.
  3. Focus on LGBT Agriculture Workplace Equality. While the Cultivating Change Summit offers opportunities for networking and professional development, the bulk of the Summit is dedicated to sharing best practices in order to create and sustain LGBT-inclusive workplaces, companies, and organizations within the agriculture industry.

EDUCATIONAL TRACKS

The layers and disciplines in the agriculture industry are as unique and diverse as those who are served by the Cultivating Change Foundation. In order to capture this mosaic, we have developed the following workshop tracks to provide our participants the opportunity to explore the agriculture industry in its entirety.

  • Production Agriculture

From marketing and management to production skills, production agriculture involves the growing and marketing of agricultural goods and services. This track provides participants the exposure to individuals who have made a career as an agriculture producer and will explore the latest trends and industry knowledge.

  • Agricultural Education

Teaching agriculture, natural resources, and land management through hands-on experiences, the agricultural education track is designed for current and future agricultural educators, extension agents, 4-H and FFA advisors, and those who desire to share pedagogical practices and best skills needed to be a 21st century educator.

  • Agriculture Technology and Urban Agriculture

The landscape of agriculture is shifting. The importance of knowing where our food comes from and knowing the farmers who produced it matters. Agriculturists work with scientists and engineers in the Silicon Valley, and other places to produce software and products that benefit farmers and ranchers from across the country; while agriculturists in urban populations are changing the way sustainable and local food is accessed. This workshop track will explore both the technology in agriculture; showcasing the latest products impacting the industry, as well as how urban farmers are producing and marketing their agricultural products and services.

  • Allies & Family

Our straight allies and our supportive families serve as the foundational bedrock in celebrating both agriculture and the LGBT community in agriculture. This track provides the opportunity to share and learn from fellow allies on how to best support their LGBT friend or family member. This track will also explore the building of a family in the LGBT community; learning from current and prospective LGBT parents and understanding their journey in this process.

  • Collegiate

In 2016 a pilot collegiate program was launched at Penn State University, providing college of agriculture students access to resources, personal and professional development, as well as talent pipelining into internships and career opportunities. The collegiate track is focused on providing career and professional development experiences for our college students at the summit.

  • Government and Public Service in Agriculture

Those who serve the agriculture industry from the government and public service areas provide understanding of policies, programs, and people who have an impact on the agriculture industry. From USDA to commodity organizations, and from lobbyist to elected officials, this track reveals how government agencies, industry groups and organizations, as well as elected officials work to develop a stronger industry mindful of diversity and inclusion, while building a strong food, fiber, and natural resources industry.

HOW TO GET ACCEPTED

Cultivating Change Foundation is committed to highlighting innovative, peer-to-peer education that showcases best practices in LGBT workplace equality and advancing the agriculture industry. In order to maximize the chances of your workshop being accepted, keep the following in mind:

  1. Relate content to one of the Summit Tracks. There are a very limited number of openings for workshops geared toward professional development. Your proposal will have a stronger chance of acceptance if it relates directly to diversity & inclusion within the LGBT community and agriculture industry.
  2. Provide concrete, substantive takeaways. Highly rated workshops usually include a handout or other supplementary materials. Proposals that clearly articulate takeaways have a much higher acceptance rate.
  3. Include presenters from multiple organizations. The strongest workshops include voices and perspectives from more than one person, company, or organization. Consider inviting colleagues at other organizations to join you in leading the workshop.

SUBMITTING A WORKSHOP PROPOSAL

Prior to submitting your proposal online, please ensure you have the following information at your disposal.

  • Session title (10 word max)
  • Workshop abstract (250 word max)
  • What is the value of the workshop?
  • Specific workshop objectives
  • Expanded description/outline
  • Presenter names/titles/emails
  • Presenter bios (100 words)

Proposals are not editable once submitted.

NOTE: PAPER & EMAIL PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Cart (0)