Advancing Racial Equity In the Field of Philanthropy, Non-Profit, and Fundraising
Advancing Racial Equity In the Field of Philanthropy, Non-Profit, and Fundraising
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Breakin' It Down engages diverse nonprofit and fundraising professionals and volunteers in empowering conversations about the present state and future of the nonprofit, philanthropic, and fundraising sector and its impact on under-recognized, under-represented, and underserved communities in the Chicago area, with a racial equity lens.
Each year the Breakin' It Down Planning Committee brings individuals to our Breakin' It Down Conference who focus on areas of nonprofit, philanthropy, and fundraising. We are very pleased to present our participants a dynamic agenda with distinguished industry and community leaders.
Breakin’ It Down serves as a platform for a dynamic, diverse professional development agenda designed to present thought-provoking content - that is visionary, current, emerging, and perhaps controversial - and inspire action. The agenda addresses the complex changes, issues, challenges, and processes impacting the field of nonprofit, philanthropy, and fundraising today and tomorrow. Topics selected are aligned with the Breakin’ It Down’s theme and objectives. Breakin’ It Down’s agenda is intended for diverse adult learning audiences, from those who are new to the field, as well as emerging leaders, through executive-/senior-level.
Our participatory keynote and plenary panel discussions bring together prominent invited thought leaders and experts from across the field to address key challenges and opportunities confronting the field, engaging the Conference participants with highly relevant insights and perspectives. Their message captures the essence of and sets the tone for the Breakin’ It Down Conference.
Our workshops are designed to be immersive and to incorporate topics of interest that actively engage participants in meaningful discussions to enhance capabilities with tools and insight necessary to respond to the rapidly changing cross-sector policy and funding landscape.
Breakin' It Down workshops are INVITED PRESENTATIONS. That is, the Workshop Selection Committee actively recruits experts on specific topics and selects these workshops in a separate process. In 2025, the Breakin' It Down Planning Committee expanded presentation opportunities with a Call for Workshop Proposals. Through the Annual Conferene Committee, we invite a limited number of unsolicited workshops to come from this review process.
To learn how to submit a proposal for one of these limited workshop slots, please visit the Call for Workshop Proposals page.
Breakin’ It Down typically features multiple presenter (also called speakers) and session types, as noted below. The following policies apply to Breakin’ It Down Sessions and Presenters that are invited, contracted, or selected through the general call for proposals process. All speakers and presented must sign an agreement that outlines expectations. Failure to abide by these policies may lead to corrective action being taken, up to and including being removed Breakin’ It Down and prohibited from future Breakin’ It Down events. All speakers and presenters are provided with a complementary registration to the Breakin’ It Down event in which they are presented:
For Breakin’ It Down purposes,
"Speaker": The term "speaker" often refers to a person who makes a presentation at a kenote or general session. Presenters are persons who make presentations at other sessions, such as concurrent sessions, workshops, breakout, and Speed Netowrking With Funders. For the purpose of the BID Conference, "Speaker" will refer to both types of persons and is a Participant of the BID Conference.
Keynote/Plenary Session Speakers
Indicates a speaker invited by Breakin’ It Down to present at the Breakin’ It Down, typically a well-known/respected name in a content area, pedagogy, or relevant topic. Typically contracted with individual agreement that outlines expectations and may or may not include compensation. It is not required or expected that a person contracted to keynote should register for Breakin’ It Down as a participant.
Panel Discussion Session Speakers
Indicates a speaker invited by Breakin’ It Down to present at the Breakin’ It Down, typically a philanthropic or community leader, in the field of nonprofit, philanthropy, and fundraising. Typically contracted with individual agreement that outlines expectations and may or may not include compensation. It is not required or expected that a person contracted to keynote should register for Breakin’ It Down as a participant.
Workshop Session Presenters/Co-Presenters
May be invited or selected from submissions received during the general call for proposals process and are vetted and scored by a volunteer subcommittee. BID is eager to expand our community of presenters by encouraging and supporting new voices in the field. BID seeks proposals that incorporate a lens of intersectional equity for all backgrounds from nonprofit leaders, philanthropic leaders, public interest programs, consultants, nonprofit service providers, pro bono nonprofit programs, and community engaged in service to under-recognized communities in the Chicago area. Breakin’ It Down reserves the right to edit presentation titles and/or edit the session description for program publications. Workshop titles and descriptions can be changed, subject to conditions and recommendations made in the review and selection process, and consent and collaboration with the presenter.
For-profit consultants and representatives from exhibiting companies are eligible to submit proposals and may be selected to present; however, breakout sessions are required to be noncommercial and there will be a limit on the number of sessions presented by a consultant or company selected through this process.
If a presenter works in any capacity as a consultant or for an exhibiting company that sells a product or service to nonprofit organizations, this information must be disclosed.
Speed Networking With Funders Presenters
Representatives from private foundations, government funders and corporate giving and grant makers from across the Chicago area participate in table-to-table networking sessions. Invited representatives are asked to provide a description of their respective institutions, their focus areas, and types of support. Breakin’ It Down reserves the right to edit description for program publications to align with BID house style.
Sponsor Speaker
Certain speaker engagements are approved through a sponsorship agreement. It is not required or expected that this speaker type should register for Breakin’ It Down as a participant.
General Presenter Policies
All sessions, regardless of type, must identify one individual or designee to serve as the lead presenter or designed to be the single point of contact. Correspondence, including scheduling, deadlines, and additional information, will be sent to the lead presenter, as well as co-presenters when possible. It is still the responsibility of the lead presenter to ensure co-presenters are informed and prepared for their session(s).
All Breakin’ It Down workshop presenters (including co-presenters) are required to register for the Breakin’ It Down Conference as participant. Failure to register by the deadline may result in the removal of your presentation from the final program. Unless otherwise specified by Board action, presenters receive a complementary registration.
By policy, Breakin’ It Down does not allow students under the age of 18 to register for or attend the Breakin’ It Down Conference. All students 18 or older are responsible for registering for the BID event. Presenters may include students under 18 in a workshop presentation as long as the following conditions are met:
Parental/Guardian Informed Consent And Release Form is completed, signed, and submitted no less than 45 days before the date of the BID Conference.
Student names will not be published in the program, and the student must be accompanied by a registered adult chaperone at all times.
It is the lead presenter's responsibility to email conference@breakinitdownchicago.org to inform Breakin’ It Down that a minor and/or student is co-presenting and will be required to complete special paperwork before participating in the Breakin’ It Down Conference.
Commercial Activity Policies
All sessions must be non-commercial in nature. Specifically, this means information provided in a session can be accessed and used by attendees without the purchase of any materials or products. The presentation cannot be a sales pitch or a product showcase.
Direct promotion and/or sale of a speaker’s product, service, or monetary interest is prohibited outside of the exhibit areas specifically designated by Breakin’ It Down.
Formal, wholesale collection of any Conference participant information, including, but not limited to, names, email addresses, and phone numbers, is prohibited outside of a presenting company’s exhibit space and/or other area determined acceptable by Breakin’ It Down.
Any presenting company or organization with commercial or financial interest in engaging with Breakin’ It Down must be represented at the event as an exhibitor and/or sponsor of the event. For more information about how you can become a sponsor or exhibitor, contact planningcommittee@breakinitdownchicago.org.
Failure to abide by these non-selling policies may lead to corrective action being taken, up to and including being removed from the Breakin’ It Down event and prohibited from future Breakin’ It Down events.
1. Keynote Talk: 60 minutes. An inspiring and thought-provoking solo presentation from the main stage given by an experts in their field, and they are chosen for their ability to deliver compelling, insightful and inspiring speeches that leave a lasting impression on our audience.
2. Keynote Conversation: 75 minutes. A mainstage conversation facilitated by a skilled moderator. This can be a one-on-one interview with a high-profile thought leader or professional in the field; or a lively discussion among two or three experts offering diverse viewpoints around a particular topic. No slides or presentations — a “talk show” format.
3. Plenary Sessions and Panel Discussions: 70-90 minutes.
4. Workshop sessions: 75 minutes.
5. Speed Networking With Funders sessions: 75 - 90 minutes.
Workshop sessions is a time in which skills or concepts are taught, demonstrated, or explored. They should be structured so that some explanatory or introductory information is provided, with ample time for audience interaction, participation, and involvement. Breakin' It Down aims to foster open dialogue among participants with diverse perspectives on innovative and impactful collaborative models and explore issues important to the field and broad audiences.
To support ourparticipants seeking continuing CFRE education credits, incorporate CFRE Reported Programs requirements into your session plan. This will help us maximize the number of CFRE credits available for the conference.
Fundraising and Development
Leadership and Management
Research and Data
Technology
Professional Responsibility
Have a question or a suggestion? We're always here to help. Contact us today and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you for accepting to participate at the Breakin’ It Down (“BID”) conference as a Speaker.
As a Speaker, your expertise is of great value to the conference. You were invited to present relevant and impactful information in a way that will engage the audience. We have put together some information we think may be helpful to you. The Breakin’ It Down Annual Conference Committee members will be on hand throughout the conference to deal with any unexpected issues that may arise.
By accepting to participate as a Speaker at the BID conference, you agree to following:
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARTIES AND COMPENSATION
A Speaker is not an employee of BID, BID's fiscal sponsor, or BID's affiliated groups. Each of the parties will be solely and entirely responsible for its own acts and/or the acts of its employees or agents.
No honorarium or compensation will be provided by BID, BID's fiscal sponsor, or BID's affiliated group s for a Speaker's participation unless otherwise specified in writing by BID. BID does not provide reimbursement or arrangements for expenses associated with a Speaker's presentation unless otherwise specified in writing by BID. In the event that payment is made, Speaker must provide appropriate taxing authority documentation as needed for final payment such as a W-9 form.
COPYRIGHT, PRESENTATION, RECORDINGS, AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
REPRESENTATIONS
I warrant and represent to BID that:
EVENT REGISTRATION
COMPENSATION
CONTENT AND PRESENTATION GUIDELINES
CODE OF CONDUCT, POLICIES, AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS
I agree to comply with the BID’s Event Conduct and Safety: Code of Conduct.
I understand that my contact information may be shared with event participants in accordance with BID's Privacy Notice.
CANCELLATION
BID shall have the right to cancel the presentation or conference and terminate this agreement with Speaker at any time and for any reason, effective immediately, on written notice to the Speaker.
FORCE MAJEURE
INDEMNIFICATION
Please reach us at hello@breakinitdownchicago.org if you cannot find an answer to your question.
BID's Annual Conference Committee will assign you a time, date and location for your session and will notify you once all assignments have been determined.
Each workshop is limited to a maximum of two presenters per workshop.
The organizers of the workshops propose an initial participant list containing three quarters of the participants. The remaining quarter is selected from an open call for workshop proposals applications.
BID cannot guarantee attendance, particularly if the information and speakers were used in previous events. If you presented at a BID conference in the past, we highly recommend that you do not present the same content with the same speakers. You can help increase attendance by promoting your session using a pre-conference mailing and your own marketing vehicles (e.g., emails, tweets, sharing BID's Facebook or LinkedIn posts, table top handouts, etc.)
Please email your presentation, handouts, visual aids and supplementary material to conference@breakinitdownchicago.org. Bring your presentation to the conference on a flash drive. After the conference, we may post your presentation on BID's website or provide to a copy to the registrants, so they can continue to study and learn.
Speakers will receive complementary registration for the Breakin' It Down workshops and related events, The in-house conference includes continental breakfast and lunch. This registration is non-transferrable.
Rooms for in-person workshops will be set with projection equipment and white board. You will need to bring your own laptop.
We recommend that the presenter arrives 30 minutes early to set up the presentation and ensure the room is set properly.
Our standard A/V set up DOES NOT include podium access to the Internet.
Lavalier mics are expensive because each one needs someone to offer technical assistance to operate them. We organize this conference on a very tight budget and cannot affort lavalier mics. We sincerely hope you understand.
All keynote, plenary sessions, panel discussions, and workshops are non-commercial and may not be used as promotional opportunities. Speakers will not solicit any business or promote products or services during the plenary panels and workshop sessions.
Breakin' It Down event attendees/participants can voluntarily give contact information to the speaker(s) and presenter(s). The Breakin' It Down Planning Committee does not endorse nor discourage the voluntary collection of contact information. The Breakin' It Down Planning Committee will take disciplinary action if contact information is involuntarily collected.
We want your part of 2024 Breakin' It Down Conference to be a phenomenal success. We will contact you to coordinate your session. We also hope that you will help promote your session. To help spread the word about the conference and your participation, please contact us for our Media Kit at hello@breakinitdownchicago.org..
We will make every effort to collect feedback from attendees.
No, we do not. But speaking at the BD Conference is great visibility for you and your organization.
A logistics coordinator will be assigned to your session. BID Committee members will a;sp be on hand to assist throughout the day.
We would love to have you become involved with Breakin' It Down. Please contact us here.
BID will supply the evaluations for your sessions, but we will need your help in administering the evaluations to your audience. We collect and tabulate the evaluations on the day of the BID conference, and will share the results of your evaluations with you via email roughly two weeks after the conference.
More information on how the evaluation process works will be provided to speakers when they check-in on the conference day.
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