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Call for Proposals to Host
The IASNR Conference 2026 and Beyond

Due Date for Letter of Intent: Dec 5, 2023
Due Date for Full Proposal: March 1, 2024

The IASNR Conference Support Committee seeks host institutions for the annual meeting of the International Association for Society & Natural Resources (IASNR) for 2026 and beyond.

Interested parties should submit a Letter of Intent by Dec 5, 2023. If selected for full proposal by the Conference Support Committee, full proposals are due March 1, 2024. The IASNR Business Office and the Conference Support Committee will provide support and guidance for full proposal submissions.

Letter of Intent Requirements:

Interested parties should submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), no more than five pages, including the following information:

  • Year(s) requested to host the IASNR conference
  • Names and affiliations of conference organizers and hosts
  • Description of the meeting site/venue, including meeting spaces (e.g., plenary and breakout rooms, common areas, food/drink options, accessibility for those with movement limitations)
  • Description of high speed internet capability, audiovisual equipment, and other resources needed for remote/hybrid conference participation
  • Description of remote/hybrid meeting approach
  • Description of travel options to/from site, local sociocultural attractions, amenities, and highlights
  • Description of housing options and costs, including on-campus dorms and low-cost lodging options
  • Description of host’s institutional support (financial, in-kind, and staff support allocations, for example)
  • Description of host’s partnerships with local indigenous communities, community organizations, and universities
  • Description of low-cost childcare and family-friendly options
  • Overall strategies and potential to keep the conference low-cost for participants, including potential sponsors

The Conference Support Committee will review LOIs and contact all submitters by January 15, 2024. If invited to submit a full proposal, the IASNR Business Office and Conference Support Committee will provide guidance and support for proposal development. We anticipate final decisions to be made by May 2024.  

Who to Contact:

If you have questions about the conference, the preparation of the proposal, or wish to express interest in preparing a proposal, please contact Jessica Hill at [email protected] or Becky Schewe, the IASNR Treasurer and co-chair of the Conference Support Committee at [email protected].

Due Date for Full Proposal: March 1, 2024

***Only for those invited to submit full proposal following LOI***

Dates:

The meeting should be held during the month of June. Although specific meeting dates are open, the conference should extend across four to five days to accommodate a full program of paper sessions, poster sessions, plenary speakers, business sessions, and social events. Typical schedules are Monday – Thursday or Tuesday – Friday, with the Student Forum occurring the day preceding the opening session. Pre- or post-meeting workshops or organized tours may also be included before or after the full program.

Facilities:

We require a conference facility with an auditorium for plenary sessions that will seat approximately 400-500 persons, 12-14 break-out rooms, several small conference rooms or classrooms, and space for at least 60 posters/exhibits. Plenary and breakout rooms should have audiovisual equipment and internet sufficient to allow for global remote two-way participation; there should also be on-site technical support. The host institution is responsible for facilitating accommodations for conference attendees. In the past, attendance has been variable, ranging from approximately 300-600 people, and has at times been lower in non-US venues. More information on past attendance is available upon request. The accommodations should include at least one inexpensive option (particularly for students) such as on-campus student housing. Cafeteria food service is acceptable; on-site beer and wine service is expected for social events.

Hybrid Participation:

At least one session room for each concurrent session and all plenary sessions must be planned for global remote two-way participation. Organizers should describe how they plan to organize and facilitate hybrid participation for both presenters who are in-person and presenters who are remote as well as attendees who are in-person and who are remote.

Local Partnerships:

Hosts are strongly encouraged to create opportunities for partnership and connection with local indigenous communities, diverse community organizations, and government agencies, when possible. Hosts can work with the IASNR Business Office to discuss options such as inviting keynote speakers, workshops, field trips, or other opportunities for collaboration. Hosts are also encouraged to consider reduced or waived fees for indigenous attendees and to work with their local indigenous community on an appropriate land acknowledgement.

Sustainability:

Hosts should pursue and describe strategies to improve the sustainability of the IASNR Conference such as paperless programs, composting and food waste reduction, water bottle refilling stations, etc.

Registration fees:

Hosts should work with the IASNR Conference Support committee and the IASNR Business Office to determine and allocate registration fees. Registration should include IASNR membership fee for non-members. A conference fee of $20 for Professionals, $15 for Emeritus/Retired, and $10 for Students should be included in the registration fee. IASNR membership and conference fee is kept by the association to cover operating costs, and should not be used to cover conference related costs. Additionally, hosts should account for a 3% credit card transaction fee (plus .30 cents) for each registration, along with any local taxes or VAT.

Registration fees must be commensurate with other professional societies’ registration costs. Fees will need to be set for the following groups of participants: 1) professionals,  2) early career, emeritus, and those with financial need, 3) students, 4) guests, and 5) one-day attendees. Early and late registration rates should be set for the above categories. Waivers are sometimes used for volunteers, keynote speakers, and special guests and should be arranged with the IASNR Business Office and IASNR Treasurer. Registration costs for remote presenters and remote participants should be estimated to cover the costs of technology and staff support needed for successful hybrid participation.

IASNR conference registration fees, IASNR membership dues paid during registration, student scholarship funds, and other donations are collected by the IASNR Business Office. The host institution will work with the Business Office to determine the most appropriate procedures for maintaining appropriate accounts for grants and contracts obtained at their institution in support of the annual meeting. The tradition of low student registration fees must be adhered to so that student participation in the conference will remain affordable. It is the responsibility of the host to solicit sponsorships to be used for student scholarships (i.e., registration subsidies). Hosts should also actively pursue grants and sponsorships to raise funds that will support other (e.g., food and beverage, technology) aspects of the annual meeting.

Accounting:

The IASNR and host institution will split any conference revenue on a 50%-50% basis. The IASNR will, if necessary, underwrite financial losses of a conference, but organizers are expected to exercise due diligence with respect to budget planning to avoid this outcome. In addition, the host institution will receive approval for any significant changes to the original approved budget from the IASNR Business Office and IASNR Treasurer prior to the change being made. The host institution is expected to complete all financial reporting to IASNR within six months after the last day of the meeting. Within three months of receipt of the report (and often earlier), IASNR will then pay for any overall loss or will facilitate the distribution of profits so that any revenue generated is split evenly between the host and association. All costs for the meeting should be budgeted and accommodated within the registration fees, grants, contracts, scholarships, and in-kind donations.

The host institution may seek advanced funds to support conference planning, on-site hospitality, and excursions. Due to currency exchange issues, the capability of charging registration fees, accommodations, and other fees to Visa and MasterCard is a requirement. Credit card transactions are processed through PayPal and the fee is 3% plus $.30 for each transaction. The host institution’s budget must account for the PayPal transaction fees.

In recent years IASNR has moved away from printed programs to a conference app. The cost for the app typically ranges from $2,500 – $3,500. This cost should be included in the conference budget.

When required or deemed necessary, hosts will need to work closely with the IASNR Treasurer to establish event liability insurance coverage, including for field trips. It is preferable if the host institution (i.e., university) can cover liability coverage, but when this is not possible, IASNR will work with the hosts to seek appropriate coverage. It is possible that compromises may need to be made, particularly regarding field trips if reasonably priced insurance cannot be purchased. The cost of event liability insurance is expected to be part of the IASNR Conference budget, subject to the 50/50 split of revenues or IASNR coverage of loss.

The IASNR Business Office will provide support and technical assistance to the host institution before, during, and after the IASNR conference. The IASNR Business Office will be the primary conference support staff and staff contract hours should be included in the IASNR Conference budget at a rate of $25/hour. We also require that the travel expenses of the IASNR contract staff (Jessica Hill and Paulus Mau) to attend the meeting be incorporated into the IASNR conference budget.

Expected conference events:

Hosts are expected to facilitate the logistics for various conference events in coordination with the IASNR Business Office.  Many of these events are organized in collaboration with IASNR and the IASNR Student Affairs Committee, and are aimed at enhancing professional skills and development of conference attendees. The costs of the opening reception and at least one group meal (e.g., a picnic, barbeque, or banquet), as well as daily refreshments during morning and afternoon breaks, are normally included in the registration fee. Other social activities, meals, and excursions may be billed separately as appropriate. The publisher of the journal Society & Natural Resources, Taylor & Francis Group, provides approximately $700 for some IASNR Conference events, particularly those that benefit student attendees. The following are the expected events to be included in the conference:

  • Concurrent sessions: Previous conferences have included between 6 and 12 concurrent sessions (no more than 10 concurrent sessions is recommended). Sessions typically include organized panel discussions or four-five presenters and last for 90 minutes. Coffee breaks are typically 30 minutes in length. 
  • Plenary sessions: Previous conferences have included between two and three keynote presentations.
  • Receptions and conference banquet: A Welcome Reception and Closing Conference Banquet should be included with food and drinks provided for attendees.
  • Poster session: Previous conferences have included one poster session that is held in conjunction with the silent auction. This event should include food and drinks.
  • IASNR events:
    • IASNR Council Meeting: Approximately 15-20 participants attend this meeting, and lunch and refreshments are provided.
    • Society & Natural Resources Board Meeting: Between 15-20 participants attend this meeting, and lunch or refreshments are provided.
    • IASNR Mentorship Activity: Approximately 75 participants typically attend but dedicated space may not be needed .
    • IASNR New Members Meeting: Between 30-50 participants typically attend.
  • Student events: All events should be organized in conjunction with IASNR and the IASNR Student Affairs Committee and be altered based on meeting location:
    • Student Forum: This event may include 30-50 attendees and breakfast, lunch, and/or refreshments are included.
    • Early Career Event: Between 30 and 45 participants attend and previous events have included food and drinks. This event is paid for by each participant by purchasing a ticket. Cost has ranged from $20-$30 per person.
    • Student Quiz Bowl (or related activity): Between 150 and 200 participants attend and previous events have included snacks and drinks.
    • Other events: Other events such as an IASNR Student Chapter meeting, student professional dinner, and student mixers can be facilitated.
  • Note that the above attendance estimates are based on fully in-person modality with no online or hybrid options. Future conferences may deviate from these figures as the hybrid modality becomes normalized.

Host responsibilities for IASNR Conference program:

  • The IASNR Business Office works closely with hosts to prepare the conference program. See Appendix A (on IASNR website) for a detailed overview of the division of tasks.
  • Hosts are responsible for organizing, designing, and printing the programs, as well as putting papers into sessions and naming the sessions. The IASNR Business Office is responsible for programming the Whova conference app.

Childcare and Lactation Space:

The hosts are expected to provide information about local childcare options to be publicized for parents attending with children and a centrally located lactation room at the conference venue, which could include ten or more chairs, electrical outlets, extension cords, and a small refrigerator.

The Proposal:

Each potential symposium host will prepare a proposal to be submitted to the IASNR conference support committee. The proposal should contain the following:

  • Names and affiliations of conference organizers and hosts
  • Discussion of the proposed symposium theme
  • Potential Keynote speakers (1-3 speakers or panels)
  • Description of the meeting site/venue
  • Description of hybrid/remote engagement technology capabilities at the venue
  • Description of hybrid/remote session organizing strategy
  • Description of housing options and costs
  • Travel arrangements available for participants and estimated costs from airport to contracted accommodations
  • Outline of the meeting space available
  • Description of host’s institutional support (financial, in-kind, and staff support allocations, for example)
  • Description of sustainability initiatives
  • Description of local and Indigenous partnerships
  • Student volunteers
    • Student volunteers can be recruited to assist with tasks such as monitoring rooms, working at registration desk, assisting with technology, and coordinating field trips
    • Hosts should also consider how student volunteers will be incentivized (normally provided a registration fee waiver, although they are still expected to be IASNR members)
  • Proposed schedule, including possible field trips and conference banquet
  • Marketing plan to promote the conference
  • Arrangements for student room rates
  • How the required conference events will be facilitated
  • Proposed conference committee members
    • Executive committee
    • Planning committee
    • Scientific advisory committee
  • Timeline for organizing the conference (see Appendix A on IASNR website)
  • Proposed budget (see Appendix B on IASNR website)

The proposal should include a Proposed Budget outlining both anticipated revenue and expenses. Suggested budget categories include:

Revenue:

  • Registration fees (by type and projected numbers of registrants)
  • Taylor & Francis for portion of sponsored events
  • Expected contributions from academic institutions, individuals, agencies, and private funding sources

Expenditures:

  • Conference services (i.e., food, beverages, and registration)
  • Any additional costs for audiovisual connectivity and support
  • Conference Mobile app (e.g., Whova)
  • Printing
  • Program costs (e.g., swag, AV costs, poster boards)
  • Personnel (e.g., student workers)
  • Supplies, such as: table covers for registration desk, name tag holders and card stock, poster session hanging supplies, signs, etc.
  • Speaker honoraria and travel expenses
  • Event liability insurance
  • IASNR fee for professionals $20 (USD), emeritus members $15 (USD) and students $10 (USD)

Who to Contact:                                   

If you have questions about the conference, the preparation of the proposal, or wish to express interest in preparing a proposal, please contact Jessica Hill at [email protected] or Kelly Biedenweg, the IASNR Treasurer and co-chair of the Conference Support Committee at [email protected].

Completed Proposal:

Please submit your completed proposal as an email attachment to [email protected] and [email protected] by March 31, 2024. The IASNR Conference Support Committee will then work in collaboration with hosts to refine the final proposal submission. We anticipate final decisions to be made in May 2024.