Make the Case to Attend the 2015 Convention
We understand – you want to attend the 2015 National AfterSchool Association
Convention, but you need to make the case to your employer in order to get
reimbursed for registration, travel, lodging, and expenses.
We’ll help you show how you'll be more valuable to your organization afterwards.
Budgets are tight – and your time is valuable. Being able to clearly communicate the
potential benefits to your organization, supervisor, and colleagues can make the key
difference in attending convention. Below we share a few talking points to make sure
you’re ready for the conversation, as well as a sample memo to send your supervisor,
and a cost/benefit worksheet to highlight this is a worthwhile investment.
Talking Points – Communication is Key
Your Organization Needs to Be There. The convention is the largest gathering of the
afterschool field, bringing together 2,200 afterschool professionals, advocates,
policymakers, funders, and stakeholders. By attending convention, I will meet with
afterschool and educational leaders from across the country, making lasting
connections for years to come, but also talking about our organization and work. We
want to get our name out to this growing network of professionals.
Incredible Learning Opportunities. There will be more than 135 workshops offered
during the convention. These sessions are focused on training and professional
development. Workshops will offer new approaches to curriculum, new ways to secure
funding, communication and media strategies, how to address key issues such as social
emotional development and healthy eating, leadership trainings, STEM pathways in
education, and more! Presenters share take-home tools I can share upon my return.
Professional Development is the Heart of Convention. The National AfterSchool
Association is dedicated to professionalizing the field. This year’s convention theme is
Passionate Professionals, Powerful Stories, with a special focus on both professional
development and using storytelling as a key tool for business. By attending convention,
I will walkaway with new ideas for growing and improving our organization, with new
tools to help us make that a reality.
Steps to Making a Compelling Case:
1. Get the costs together, showing how much you can save if you register and
book travel and housing early using our cost/benefit calculator (below).
2. Study any preliminary information about the program that is available,
identifying sessions, events, and programs that could help you do your job
better. You can flip through the 2014 Program Book.
3. Share any preliminary program information with your colleagues. Talk to your
colleagues who are unlikely to attend about how your attending could benefit
them, what kind of information you could bring back to help them and what
sessions they’d like you to go to.
4. Share program information with your supervisor and find out what sessions and
programs they think would be of greatest benefit to your workplace. (We’ll have
info on session available in January)
5. Put together a draft plan for how essential tasks will get done while you’re away,
including how technology will keep you accessible and in touch as needed.
6. Develop a draft plan for after you get back—describe how you’ll share the list of
discussion and action items you develop during the conference, how you’ll share
notes from sessions, discussion groups, vendors, and useful informal
conversations, and by when you’ll provide a written report for your supervisor.
Promise that you’ll focus on implementing one new idea that pays back many
times the investment of time and money!
7. Put your request in writing—we have a sample letter for you (below).
Cost/benefit worksheet:
Costs
 The registration fee includes all materials, lunch on Monday, and networking
events on Sunday and Monday. There are a number of great, affordable
restaurants in the area, so my costs will be minimal. The registration fee is $
, and they heavily discount early registrations and NAA Members get
additional discounts (there’s even a free membership level!).

The conference negotiated airfare discounts. Airfare cost is $

The conference offers discounted hotel rooms. Rates are $224 + tax per night.
Hotel cost is $_____.

Total estimated cost for registration, travel, and housing $
Benefits
.
.
1. List key “takeaways” anticipated from any/all sessions you plan to attend, based
on the session descriptions from last year. Once you have listed takeaways that
you can implement in your job or with your team, consider the added value that
implementation will provide your organization. Please note, we will have full
information about the sessions at convention available in January 2015.
Example #1:
o Session: High Impact in Afterschool Programming on a Tight Budget
o Key takeaways: An interactive session that provides take home creative
solutions on how to navigate school relationships, find motivated staff,
and ensure top quality educational programming while maintaining a
healthy bottom-line budget.
o Example of added value: Right now we’re doing a good job within our
limited budget, but we could learn new ways to continually improve our
program while not sacrificing quality. I will bring back tools and resources
form this session to share with the team.
2. List the key contacts, either other attendees or exhibitors, who you plan to meet
face-to-face, network and discuss best practices or potential business with, and
estimate the value that these interactions will bring to your organization.
Example #1:
o Planning to meet with at least three different science curriculum
specialists.
o Added Value: Our science curriculum hasn’t been exactly right for our
students. I hope that by talking with these vendors I can gain better
insights into how we can strengthen our program.
At the conclusion of the 2015 National AfterSchool Association Convention, take some
time to review your original objectives. Develop an analysis of whether you were able to
fulfill your original objectives and assess how you will be able to apply what you
learned. It’s always valuable to write down all the things you learned immediately
following the conference.
Sample Letter: Submit to Your Supervisor or Board
Dear [Name],
I would like to attend the 2015 National AfterSchool Association (NAA) Convention in
Washington, DC, March 8-11, 2015. As the largest national gathering of afterschool
professionals, it will provide me with a unique opportunity to network and learn from
experts who understand the challenges I face in my job.
By attending the convention, I hope to gain more insight into these questions and
challenges I’m currently facing:




[Fill in some questions you want answered at the conference]
[Example: How can our curriculum better align to Common Core standards?]
[Example: I need to learn about social emotional development to ensure we’re
including that in our programming.]
[Example: I need to learn how to improve my grant writing so we can secure
additional funders or find new avenues for funding.]
I looked through the presentations that they had last year, and saw these sessions,
which would be helpful for me as I try to answer these questions:


[Read the 2014 Program Book to get a sense on convention programming. We’ll
have information about 2015 sessions available in January.]
[Example: Do We Really Know It When We See It? Measuring Quality.
o This session examines ways in which quality in afterschool is defined, as
well as professional development, quality supports provided in public
funding, and how existing quality measurement tools can be used in our
program.
o This will help me understand the overall quality of our program, but also
how we can measure quality and continually improve our program.
o I’ll make sure to ask:
1. How can we measure quality?
2. How much improvement should we seek and how often (annually,
etc.)?
3. How can we showcase our improvements to funders and other
important stakeholders in the field?
4. How can we demonstrate the value of our program to parents,
schools, and others in order to grow?
Throughout the conference, I can attend sessions that are directly applicable to my
work and to [your organization]. It will be very helpful for me to talk with other
professionals and learn from their best practices.
There are several dedicated networking events where I’m sure I’ll be able to meet
individuals who can help me advance my own work. I will also take advantage of the
exhibit hall, and share more information about vendors when that’s shared by NAA.
The total cost for my attendance is $_____ [include the details from the worksheet].
Thank you for considering this opportunity for my professional development.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]