November 11 – November 13, 2025  |  Hilton Columbus Downtown  |  Columbus, OH

The Exponent Philanthropy Annual Conference is designed for and by lean funders—those who give with few or no staff. Here, you can let your guard down and talk about the problems affecting the causes and communities you care about most with those who can relate.

Exponent Philanthropy members and constituents design a portion of the 2025 Annual Conference, and we invite you to submit your session ideas.

Preview Proposal Application Form

Submit your Session Proposal Now     Apply to be a Session Proposal Reviewer

Evaluation Criteria

We are seeking sessions that provide actionable instruction for our community of lean funders. Our expectation is that session designers articulate educational take-aways that are both specific and universal, rather than tell a story about one foundation’s work. The session should: improve an existing practice or mindset; explore a new or emerging practice or mindset; OR offer a unique perspective on a trend in philanthropy.   

We will accept sessions that achieve the following: 

1. Provide participants with practical guidance and takeaways. 
2. Address one of the indicated topic areas below. 
3. Incorporate participant interaction as a learning method. 

Exponent Philanthropy’s Programs & Services Committee, additional volunteer members, and key staff will review all submissions, select the most relevant to our audience, and meet at least one of the above criteria. The committee will review all session proposals name blind—i.e., solely on the strength of the proposal in meeting the criteria. 

Session Planning Key Dates & Deadlines

January 22	Call For Sessions Opens
February 27	Call For Sessions Closes
End of April	Proposal submitters notified of decisions
April-November	Designers work with Exponent Philanthropy staff coach to develop and finalize session plan.
November 11-13	2025 Annual Conference in Columbus, OH

Submission Requirements

1. Who: This call for sessions is open to member and non-member funders, current Exponent Philanthropy Sustaining Partners (Platinum, Gold, or Silver), 2025 Conference Sponsors, and entities interested in sponsoring the conference or partnering with Exponent Philanthropy. 
2. How many: Organizations or individuals may submit a maximum of two proposals. All proposals submitted by different individuals from the same organization count toward the limit. 
3. Deadline: February 27. There are no deadline extensions. Late submissions cannot be accepted.  

Conference Session Details

• Audience: Our audience includes donors, trustees, and staff from all types of foundations; individual donors and philanthropic families; donor-advised fund holders and managers; philanthropic support organizations; philanthropic service professionals; and thought leaders in the field of philanthropy. 

• Numbers: Breakout sessions can see participant numbers ranging from 30-40 on the lower end to 75-90 on the higher end.   

• Length: Most sessions are 75 minutes. We’re also planning for a small number of longer deep-dive workshops. Exponent Philanthropy will confirm your session’s length at the time of acceptance.   

• Room set-up: Given hotel space and health and safety protocols, session designers will not have discretion over the set-up of session rooms. 

Expectations for Accepted Session Designers

Proposal submitters are asked to keep the conference dates (November 11-13) available until they’re notified of the status of their proposal. Session designers who do not adhere to the expectations below may have their sessions removed from the conference program at the discretion of Exponent Philanthropy staff.  

Please note, that session designers will not receive free or discounted access to the full conference. Speakers may attend at no cost only on the day they are speaking.   

If selected for a session, designers must agree to: 

• Work with a session coach (an Exponent Philanthropy staff member) to design and execute the session. This means being willing and open to adapt the session to fit the criteria. 

• Participate in a session design webinar training to review deadlines, key steps in the process, and Exponent Philanthropy’s educational philosophy. 

• Complete all session planning tasks and meet all deadlines.
• Participate in a speaker webinar, if speaking.

• Incur all expenses related to the development and implementation of their sessions. Exponent Philanthropy does not pay honoraria, travel, per diem, or other costs for session speakers or designers.

• Be present at the conference and serve as a point person in the session (if not speaking) by introducing the session and assisting with technology and handout distribution.   

• Comply with Exponent Philanthropy’s Non-Solicitation Policy: All Exponent Philanthropy programs are non-solicitation environments and shall not be used for commercial sales pitches, self-promotion, or unwarranted criticism of a competitor. Exponent Philanthropy reserves the right to take action as necessary to address violations of this policy. 

Session Topics

Successful proposals will highlight Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy or the fundamentals of foundation management. We seek equity-centered practices throughout all session topics. 

For more on these areas of focus, see our resources: 

• Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy 

• Grantmaking for Equity: Essential, Fundamental Practices 

• 2024 Racial Equity in Lean Foundations 

• Foundation Guidebook 

We are specifically requesting sessions that center on the following: 

Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy  

Key Skills  

• • Inviting conversations and nurturing relationships with grantees and community members  

• • Listening to and understanding your community and the history and ecosystem of your issue areas 

• • Respecting and relying on the experience and wisdom of grantees and community members  

• • Understanding gaps and needs and leverage points for change  

• • Funding community needs assessments 

Core Practices  

• • Fostering equity (racial, gender, disability, and sexuality) within your board, staff, and operations 

• • Supporting leaders of color and small, dynamic grassroots organizations  

• • Fostering equity (racial, gender, disability, and sexuality) in your grantmaking   

• • Developing a shared understanding with the board and staff on what you want to accomplish  

• • Focusing a significant part of your work on one or two issues  

• • Engaging grantees and members of the community in decision-making  

• • Providing seed funding for start-up nonprofit organizations or social entrepreneurs  

• • Supporting and nurturing talent, leadership, and potential in grantees and community members  

• • Streamlining grantmaking processes to reduce the burden on grantees  

• • Strengthening organizations through multiyear, general operating support, and capacity-building funding 

The Catalysts  

• • Seeking out ways to collaborate with other funders in diverse ways  

• • Mobilizing and training the board to play roles in public relations and advocacy 

• • Leveraging powerful assets like knowledge, connections, reputation, and more to take on challenging issues and problems  

• • Convening grantees, community members, and local leaders from all sectors  

• • Mobilizing diverse partners around an issue to develop action plans, coordinate efforts, and build collective will  

• • Leveraging your relationships to serve as a community broker and matchmaker  

• • Promoting civic education, participation, and voter engagement  

• • Funding and disseminating research for policy change  
  • Funding organizations engaged in advocacy  
  • Supporting community organizing or movement building 

The Fundamentals of Foundation Management 

Boards and Governance  

• • Creating journeys of constant learning and community engagement for the board 

• • Being intentional about board and staff roles and effectively managing the board-ED relationship for mutual success 

• • Elevating the board’s role from basic governance to leadership 

• • Preventing or resolving conflict among the board and between board and staff 

• • Recruiting, orienting, and training board members 

• • Structuring the board and creating clear board positions, including Board Chair 

• • Planning effective board meetings, including creating agendas, getting input, facilitating 

Tax and Legal 

• • Understanding foundation legal requirements 

• • Understanding foundation tax requirements 

• • Understanding & addressing accounting needs (including 990-PF) 

Foundation Administration, Investment Management, and Professional Development 

• • Managing investment assets and advisors  

• • Understanding the basics of foundation administration (including but not limited to hiring & managing staff, recordkeeping, communications, fiscal controls, and budgeting) 

• • Addressing IT and cybersecurity needs 

• • Human Resources Management, including salary & benefits administration 

• • Developing and nurturing your staff 

• • Designing staffing models for a foundation with 4 to 8 staff 

• • Management training for foundation EDs