About the 2026 Annual Conference
Important Update: The 2026 MCF Annual Conference has been reconfigured for the safety of attendees and staff. The February 11-12 conference schedule will move to a virtual experience and continue to provide high-quality content and opportunities for connection.
Learn more and see the revised conference schedule and details.
Conference Schedule
- Wednesday, February 11: luncheon keynote, two rounds of breakouts, peer conversations, and a reception
- Thursday, February 12: live podcast, luncheon keynote, two rounds of breakouts, peer conversations
Audience and Reach
We anticipate 250 - 300 foundation or philanthropic trustees, employees, consultants, and sector advocates representing all organizational roles and responsibilities. Attendees are searching for high-level, engaging and thought-provoking content in an energetic and engaging environment. We are looking for dynamic sessions that engage your peers in thoughtful conversation and a stimulating exchange of ideas.
Important Dates for Workshop Presenters
The week of Monday, November 10, applicants will be notified if their proposal was accepted.
By Monday, November 24, those accepted need to confirm that they accept the invitation to present.
By Monday, January 5, please send the following to Khin Oo, Program Manager, [email protected]:
- A final session description, 125 – 150 words (if there are edits from your proposal)
- Name, title, affiliation and email for each presenter (You can have up to two co-presenters. Please note that we will be strict about this limit. Based on attendee feedback, sessions with more than three presenters are less effective. If your session requires more than three presenters, this conference is likely not the right venue.)
On Wednesday, January 14, 1:00 - 2:00 PM: Join a virtual “prep call” with MCF staff. Find the recording here.
By Wednesday, February 4, please submit your final PowerPoint and/or other attendee materials such as useful resources or web links. Unless requested, these items will be uploaded on the event website and shared with attendees electronically.
On the day of your session, please arrive in your assigned room 20 minutes prior to your session to check-in and set up for your presentation.
Conference Registration Is Free
MCF will register up to 3 presenters/facilitators per session. These individuals will be registered for the full event at no cost. We hope that presenters will take advantage of this great opportunity to attend the full conference and to interact with other attendees over the course of the event.
Honoraria for Our Allies
We strongly encourage our foundation members to offer a speaking honorarium to your session co-presenters who are not affiliated with a grantmaking institution. In general, this would include community representatives and nonprofit representatives but not corporate presenters or government officials. Please talk with your non-foundation-speakers to find out their rates. Examples of rates could be $50 - $100 per presenter, up-to $200 - $250 per session, depending on speaker role and time commitment. If your institution has a barrier to paying your co-presenter honoraria, please reach out to MCF and we will work with you to determine a payment option for those presenters.
Presentation Tips
We hope you’ll consider the following tips as you prepare your session:
- Adult Learning Styles: Pease consider the multiple ways that adults learn. Allow for well-planned interaction among the attendees. If you’re hosting a panel, please read this short blog about effective moderators.
- Equity and Inclusion: Please carefully review your presentation to ensure it is sensitive and responsive to the diversity of perspectives and participants. This includes, but is not limited to, examples, stories, tone, jokes, case studies, visuals, photography, videos, and pronouns. Please, consider the messages you are conveying in your presentation, both intended and unintended, and help us create a space where all feel welcome.
- Please allow time in your presentation for questions and answers.
- Copyright Policy: Please confirm that any images used in your PowerPoint presentations are not copyrighted. MCF is not responsible for any copyright infringement fines and will pass any infringement bills directly to you.
Thank You!
We recognize that Minnesota’s philanthropic sector is stronger when we work together. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge, to connect with peers, and to build the sector. We are thankful for your leadership at the 2026 MCF Annual Conference.