→ SIGN UP TO HELP EVALUATE SESSIONS (Signup deadline is 3/14)
The submission period for Netroots Nation 2025 is February 10 through March 5. Submitters will be notified if their proposal is accepted or not by mid-April. If you have questions in the meantime, email us at panels@netrootsnation.org.
SELECTION TIMELINE
Submission period opens: February 10
Submission best practices Q&A sessions: Feb 13 and Feb 26, both at 3pm ET
Submission Q&A Open Office Hours: March 3 from 1-4pm ET
Submission period closes: March 5
Community evaluators score sessions: March 17-26 (Sign up to be a session evaluator by 3/14 here)
Selection notification emails out: Mid-April
NN25 schedule announced: Early June
Netroots Nation 2025: August 7-9 at the New Orleans Convention Center
Ready to submit? Click here to submit your proposal now.
(If you didn’t submit last year, you must create an account on our submission platform.)
FAQ
(Additional information and a 2-pager you can share with others can be found here.)
What types of sessions can I submit?
You can submit a panel (moderator and no more than four speakers) or a training (one or two presenters).
How are sessions chosen?
Each year, subcommittees of over 100 community members score the submissions based on quality, timeliness, diversity, and other factors. If you are interested in helping to evaluate sessions, you can sign up here. We use those scores to narrow the submissions down, and then our final committee takes a holistic look at the entire agenda before making the final cuts.
What does a good proposal look like?
• Successful panels usually have a cross-issue focus, present an action-oriented take on an issue or share lessons learned, include experienced moderators and engaging speakers, and do not serve as commercials for a single organization or product. It’s best if your proposed speakers are realistic (i.e., you have a connection to them and would be able to invite them to participate).
• Successful trainings are skills-focused (as opposed to discussion or debate-focused) and range from beginner/basic to expert/advanced level. We want a training attendee to be able to walk away from a training and say, “I learned this skill.”
• When describing your panelists or trainers, tell us why their expertise makes them a good fit for your session. Simply pasting in speaker bios isn’t as helpful.
How important is diversity really?
It’s essential. Panels containing only white men will be rejected automatically, and gender-balanced panels that don’t include people of color will not be scored favorably. We also value sessions that include local voices from our host city/state and encourage you to consider including a local speaker in your proposal.
How long is a session?
All sessions are 60 minutes. You should allow time for Q&A within that time block.
When will my session take place?
Your session will be held on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday (August 7, 8 or 9). You’ll have two weeks after selection notification to check with your presenters and let us know if you have specific scheduling needs. In addition, we may host some virtual-only sessions in the weeks before Netroots Nation begins.
Can I be the organizer and the moderator or a speaker?
Yes. There is a place to indicate that on the submission form.
Is there a cost for speakers to register?
Yes. Currently, Netroots Nation does not receive significant funding from any organization and relies heavily on registration fees to fund the conference. With over 500 speakers each year, we ask that everyone purchase a registration for the event. However, we do not want the registration cost to be a barrier that keeps a vital voice from being heard, so a limited number of registration waivers will be available. Once sessions are selected, information on how to request a waiver will be sent to session organizers.
Does Netroots Nation pay for travel or hotel accommodation?
No. Speakers are expected to cover their own travel and hotel accommodations.
Will I get a confirmation email with a copy of my submission?
Yes. The email will come from panels@netrootsnation.org. If anything looks incorrect or you have questions, that’s the email to use.
When should I expect to hear back about my submission?
You’ll find out in mid-April if your session has been selected for Netroots Nation 2025. At this point, you will have two weeks to confirm your session is still going forward and let us know about any possible scheduling conflicts. If we do not hear from you in that time period, we will offer your spot to another panel.
Will the information I submit be released publicly?
Most of the information is just for our reviewers to have or so we can get in contact with you if we have questions. If your session is selected, we will post your session title and description, but you will have a chance to revise/update before publishing.
What if I have other questions?
Email us at panels@netrootsnation.org.