Propose a Panel

The submission period for Netroots Nation 2024 will run from January 15 through February 9. If you submitted an idea, you can expect to hear back from us in mid-March. If you have questions in the meantime, email us at panels@netrootsnation.org.


SELECTION TIMELINE

Submission period opens: January 15
Submission best practices Q&A sessionsJan 18 and Jan 25, both at 3pm ET
Submission period closes: February 9
Community evaluators score sessions: Feb 14-21 (Apply to be a session evaluator here)
Selection notification emails out: Mid-March
NN24 schedule announced: Early May
Netroots Nation 2024: July 11-13 at the Baltimore Convention Center

Ready to submit? Click here to submit your proposal now.

What to Submit

Here are a few things to consider when preparing your submission:

  • We strive for full inclusion and favor sessions that offer a range of diversity (ethnicity, gender, age, viewpoint, geography, etc.). If your proposal is accepted, we may ask you to make changes to reflect our commitment to diversity.
  • Panels with a variety of viewpoints and/or that cross silos are preferred. The most valuable sessions bring in multiple perspectives.
  • How will your session help move progressive ideas forward? Can the case study of your campaign provide lessons for those working on other issues? Does your issue or discussion inspire activists to take action and provide suggestions on how and where to get started?
  • Does your idea engage an underrepresented community? Does it reach out to activists who may not yet identify with the progressive movement?
  • No astroturfing. A session is not for the sole purpose of selling your book, non-profit, business, software, website idea, or Facebook application.
  • Submit early if possible! This helps us gauge issue interest and see how much speaker/topic overlap exists.
  • Give your panel a straightforward title or name. Unclear but clever titles and/or descriptions make it harder for attendees to know the topic of your session.
  • Don’t just submit a bio for your proposed speakers; explain the expertise/role they bring to your session. Are they intended to be a dissenting voice? Did they run an important campaign? Are they organizing on the ground for your issue?

Things to Remember

  • Panels should include a moderator and NO MORE THAN four panelists.
  • We highly encourage Q&A or other audience interaction.
  • Session blocks are 60 minutes. We’ll do our best to accommodate the scheduling needs of your participants but cannot guarantee a time slot.
  • Because we have hundreds of speakers each year, we are unable to offer all speakers free registrations. However, we will work to ensure that cost is not a barrier for participation. Information on how to request a waiver will be sent to session organizers once sessions are selected.
  • The panel process is very competitive, so sessions that are incomplete or not clearly written won’t fare well. It’s possible to submit “TBD Speakers,” but remember, you’ll be judged against other submissions that are more complete, which could put yours at a disadvantage.
  • On the submission form, you will be asked what level of commitment you’ve secured from each speaker. The review committee may consider panels with confirmed or tentative speakers ahead of those with no prior contact.
  • Once the submission period closes, proposals will be broken up by issue area or topic and reviewed by small committees of community leaders. Panels that advance past the first round are then reviewed again by the 2023 final selection committee, which makes the final decisions about what sessions are ultimately presented at Netroots Nation.
  • Notification of accepted panels will be sent out in mid-March. At that time, session organizers will have about 2 weeks to actively confirm their panel or training and any timeslot conflicts. Anyone who does not respond in those 2 weeks will have their acceptance notice rescinded.

Organizer Roles and Responsibilities

  • By submitting a proposal, you are taking responsibility as the organizer of the session. It is your responsibility to secure commitments from all participants, communicate with your panelists regarding session details and monitor logistics for your session (such as special AV needs).
  • Please understand the difficulty in scheduling over 100 conference sessions. If we’re not getting responses from you in a timely manner regarding your session, we will be forced to cancel your session.
  • Speakers and organizers are responsible for booking and paying for their own travel expenses. Information about our hotel block can be found here.
  • There are many things going on during a session block, so we encourage you and your panelists to promote your session in advance. Many organizers and panelists have had great success starting the conversation before Netroots Nation even begins through blog posts, social media and listservs.

If you have questions, send an email to panels@netrootsnation.org.