2025 Annual Session

2025 NEAFCS Annual Session
#NEAFCS2025 
October 20-23, 2025 ~ Grand Rapids, MI

Join us as we SPARK connections, SPARK innovations, SPARK communities, and SPARK growth. 

The Central Region invites you to ignite your SPARK at NEAFCS 2025 Annual Session in Grand Rapids. We want annual session participants to illuminate connections with each other, burn with innovative ideas, radiate passion into your communities and shine bright with personal and professional growth.

The portal to submit a presentation is now open and will close on January 31.

 

Call for Proposals for the 2025 Annual Session Opened December 1, 2024

Deadline for submissions is January 31, 2025. 

Click here to access the 2025 Annual Session Proposal Portal. (You will be taken to a members only web page.)

Click here to view the FAQ document for more information. This information can also be found in the Proposal Portal.

NEAFCS began accepting proposals on December 1 for the 2025 Annual Session in Grand Rapids, Michigan from October 20-23. You can choose to submit a proposal to present a Concurrent Session or a Showcase of Excellence Poster. 

You must be a current NEAFCS member to submit a proposal; however team members can be any Extension professional or Community partner. Members selected to present will be required to register for the Annual Session; this includes all team presenters. Only properly completed online abstract submissions will be considered.

Deadline for submissions is January 31, 2025. 

2025 Presentation Proposal Selection Criteria

  • Addresses an emerging issue, relevant problem, or community need
  • Provides participants with new skills, knowledge, or abilities
  • Demonstrates effectiveness through program process, outcome, or impact evaluation
  • Clear, concise, and correct grammar and spelling

This year's tracks include:

  • Health and Well-being
    • Descriptors: health: emotional, mental, physical; substance use
  • Technology
    • Descriptors: technology, social media, expanding broadband, technology access
  • 4-H and Youth Development
    • Descriptors: empowering future leaders, fostering skills in youth, character development, integrating STEM with practical life skills, building healthy habits in young people, hands-on activities engaging youth
  • Environmental Health and Sustainability
    • Descriptors: Sustainable living, textiles, housing, environment, disaster recovery, energy, climate, healthy homes, and related topics
  • Food and Nutrition
    • Descriptors: food safety, management, security and access, preservation, and EFNEP/SNAP-Ed
  • Economic and Workforce Development
    • Descriptors: Community and economic development, educational attainment, workforce skills, continuing education, childcare (for providers)
  • Financial Health and Capability
    • Descriptors: Financial management- consumer education and safety; things like ID theft prevention, insurance, predatory lending, etc.
    • estate planning, budgeting, savings, credit management, selecting financial services, preparing for home ownership, investing, retirement planning, debt management, couponing or other topics that help individuals and families develop financial management skills.
  • Lifespan Development and Family Relationships
    • Descriptors: Childcare, child development, parenting, life span development, aging, family caregiving, couples education, adulting skills, and related topics
  • Trending Topics (This track is for your innovative proposal that may not fit into one of the above tracks)
  • Education, Leadership, and Diversity
    • Descriptors: Teaching, program development, leadership, life member, diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging
  • Skill-based - specific abilities, knowledge, and competencies that help us do our jobs better but do not fit the above categories

For more information, we recommend you watch the How to Submit a Successful Proposal Webinar scheduled for December 12th.  To register visit https://neafcs.memberclicks.net/webinars.  To watch the archived video visit the NEAFCS website under the Professional Development tab/ Webinar Archives

2025 Annual Session Request for Proposal Reviewers Now Open 

From December 1 until January 31, NEAFCS is looking for individuals to sign up to be a reviewer for programs to be presented at the 2025 Annual Session in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  You will be asked to review from February 1-22. This experience is an opportunity to enhance your Vita for promotion. You can also learn ideas to present in the future. 

It would be helpful if reviewers would participate/watch the webinar Reviewing Proposals scheduled for January 28th.  To register visit https://neafcs.memberclicks.net/webinars.  To watch the archived video visit the NEAFCS website under the Professional Development tab/ Webinar Archives

Click here to access the Sign-Up Form