Call for Proposals

Education Sessions:

• 1-Hour Education Sessions* – Either individual lectures or up to four-person discussions that deliver a selection of relevant and timely topics. (1-4 Speakers, including moderators/panelists)
• 20-Minute Speed Sessions – Short, individual lectures designed to engage and inspire, covering a variety of park and recreation trends. All Speed Sessions are both pre-recorded AND presented on-site. (1 Speaker)

NRPA Research Sessions (NRS):  All NRPA Research Session types consist of translational research and scholarship, data-based research, completed studies and/or scholarly/conceptual discussions. NRPA Research Session submissions are required to submit an abstract along with their submission and will undergo a separate cycle of peer review by the NRS Committee Leaders. Types of research sessions include:

• 1-Hour Research Talks* (1-4 Speakers, including moderators/panelists)
• 30-Minute Research Talks (1-2 Speakers, including moderators/panelists)
• Poster Presentations (1 Speaker)

*Sessions accepted to be a part of virtual conference will be notified in the spring of 2025.

NRPA’s Annual Conference is a conference whose educational offerings are organized and delivered by dedicated professionals from the field and volunteers. Speakers receive a free education package with options to add additional conference items and events at a discount. The commitment to present a conference session is voluntary, and speakers and panelists on accepted sessions will not be compensated for their role at conference. 

If a session proposal is accepted, any organizers and speakers/panelists on that session will have the opportunity to request financial assistance to attend Conference. 

All education and speed session proposals are reviewed by the Conference Program Committee. NRPA Research Sessions will undergo their own process of peer review by research scholars.  

Reviewers assess submissions using the following criteria:  

• Originality: Sessions that demonstrate new, inspiring and impactful ways of thinking and doing.  
• Relevance: Sessions that are immediately useful, applicable and resonant with attendees 
• Overall Quality: Sessions created and delivered by presenters that strive for clear communication, accurate content and engaging learning. 

Equity and Inclusion 

We commit to putting equity at the center of our work to support park and recreation professionals in their efforts to create fair and just park and recreation systems. Each session proposal will be viewed through a lens of equity and inclusion. We ask that speakers consider a diversity of perspectives when crafting their description, learning objectives and when selecting speakers.