2026 Schedule

“Session title: Easy Social Media Wins: Making the Most of What You Have
Session description: Whether social media is your full-time focus or one task of many, this session will get your wheels turning and your workflow flowing! Identify the assets you already have and learn how to make them work for you as you connect with audiences on social. Presenters from PBS Digital Studios, WGLT and Arizona PBS will share strategies for repackaging long-form content, collaborating with influencers, and incorporating short-form video into your process.
Track: Audience Development

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“Session title: Strengthening the University/Station Relationship
Session description: Many university-licensed stations are under increased political and economic pressure. Yet they remain distinctive assets that extend a university’s mission beyond campus through education, public service, and community engagement. Hear from university administrators and general managers about what is required to successfully engage with licensee institutions and strengthen the university/station relationship in these turbulent times.
Track: General Interest

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“Session title: Shifting to Digital & Local Underwriting (Part 1): The Local Media Landscape
Session description: With more local media dollars being allocated to digital – and a corresponding increased demand for ROI – the public media digital underwriting value proposition can be challenging to articulate. Local advertising expert Corey Elliott leads us through a state of the state in local advertising, sharing the latest in local marketing and media buying trends, as well as tips to help inform your own local digital underwriting strategy.
Track: Corporate Support

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“Session title: Shifting to Digital & Local Underwriting (Part 3): Building Scale and Efficiency
Session description: In a new normal without federal funding, several public media stations and vendors are experimenting with programmatic and other collaborative selling tactics to test new ways to stay competitive within the digital marketplace, where we are not regulated by the FCC. Paul Jacobs moderates a lively discussion about the opportunity for public media to efficiently build scale, attract new business, and grow digital revenue beyond station direct sales.
Track: Corporate Support

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“Session title: Shifting to Digital & Local Underwriting (Part 2): Monetizing Station Owned & Operated Multi-Platform Inventory
Session description: Hear from a panel of station colleagues working to expand their locally owned & operated digital sponsorship and multi-platform inventory beyond basic digital units like display or streaming pre-roll. From sponsored content and short-from video to sponsored email blasts and more, see what’s working for others when it comes to taking their local digital sponsorship revenue to the next level.
Track: Corporate Support

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“Session title: Advancing the Narrative After the Loss of Federal Funding: Building the Case
Session description: The loss of federal funding and how it plays into our future is an ongoing story that we need to keep telling effectively. This session lays the groundwork for how to frame the issue in ways that resonate with listeners and inspire action. We’ll focus on turning awareness into giving, helping more fans step up, and current members increase their support. Everything builds from here.
Track: Membership

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“Session title: On-Air Drives After the Loss of Federal Funding
Session description: On-air fundraising remains the engine that drives membership in public media, but the loss of federal funding continues to be an important part of the story. Learn how to effectively carry the federal funding story into drives and beyond in ways that motivate action. We’ll share practical examples, proven approaches, and why this narrative continues to be critical to growing support.
Track: Membership

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“Session title: After the Loss of Federal Funding: Expanding to New Fundraising Funnels
Session description: Not every donor responds to on-air drives, but they still value your station. This session explores the most effective alternative funnels for acquiring and growing membership, from social media to SMS and beyond. Grounded in real results, we’ll look at what’s working now and how to build a more resilient, diversified pipeline.
Track: Membership

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“Session title: After the Loss of Federal Funding: Mail and Email Tactics That Perform
Session description: This session explores how public broadcasting stations can and should strengthen email and direct mail fundraising in the post-rescission era. While on-air drives are still essential, these channels are an increasingly crucial part of your station’s total fundraising efforts that can reach your audience in different ways. Discover what is working right now in both disciplines, how to improve your results, and how to build your program successfully.
Track: Membership

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“Session title: Sustaining the Surge: Major Giving Strategies to Cultivate Donor Passion into Lifelong Champions
Session description: Following the emergency fundraising successes, the focus now shifts to long-term sustainability and donor retention. This breakout session provides gift officers with a roadmap for moving past transactional asks to deepen major donors’ commitment and passion for public media’s future. We will demonstrate station examples of personalized cultivation and stewardship, such as integrating donors into behind-the-scenes experiences and making clear, candid asks. Strategies shown will provide clear and effective guidance for stations with multiple major gift staff and for those with smaller development teams looking to expand their capacity
Track: Philanthropy

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“Session title: Mid-Level Momentum: Actionable Strategies to Engage Donors and Fuel Sustainable Revenue Growth
Session description: With significant donor gains following the federal funding elimination, retaining and upgrading mid-level donors is key to securing sustainable revenue. This session focuses on deep engagement and cultivation efforts proven to increase loyalty and grow the value of gifts from the $500 to $5,000 segment. We will explore successful tactics like implementing high-touch stewardship, utilizing personalized events, and integrating non-cash gifts like DAFs and IRAs into cultivation streams. The session emphasizes practical, successful early cultivation models and revenue growth strategies that are immediately applicable for stations of all sizes
Track: Philanthropy

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“Session title: Getting Started with Grants (Part 1): Tips, Tricks and Tools
Session description: Grants have always been an important part of the funding picture, and in today’s world, they are no longer optional. In this session, we’ll talk about how to start an institutional funding program at your station. We’ll share tips, tricks and tools that are working at stations big and small. You’ll come away with a better understanding of what you can do with grant funding, and how to get started.
Track: Philanthropy

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“Session title: Getting Started with Grants (Part 2): What’s Working in the Current Environment
Session description: Join us for a discussion about how public media grants professionals are seeing successes in our post-rescission environment. We’ll talk about what has changed, both on the funder side and with how stations are identifying and approaching funders. Bring your stories and your questions!
Track: Philanthropy

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“Session title: Authentic Support of Employee Participation in Civic Engagement
Session description: As community-led protests around First Amendment and human rights issues gain momentum, employees are increasingly seeking guidance and support from their organizations. 

This session examines what meaningful organizational support looks like when employees engage in advocacy or protest. Participants will explore real-world examples and practical strategies for developing policies that balance civic engagement with legal considerations and organizational values.
Track: General Interest

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“Session title: Stewarding Legacy with a Purpose: Deepening Relationships with Your Legacy Members
Session description: This session explores “Active Stewardship” of Legacy Society members, the strategy of continuing to actively engage legacy members to inspire increased giving. The practice of Active Stewardship is particularly important considering recent tax law changes and the Great Wealth Transfer, which is estimated to be the largest generational wealth shift in U.S. history. Planned giving staff must prepare to maximize their conversations and messaging. This session will explore how New York Public Radio enacted Active Stewardship in their Legacy Giving program, resulting in increased growth in donor giving to include additional planned and current-use gifts.
Track: Philanthropy

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“Session title: Digital Reinvention: A Playbook for Success
Session description: What does it take to create successful digital audience-building and revenue projects over the course of 24 months? Have you wondered what is needed and even possible? Stations participating in the Knight Foundation-funded Digital Audience and Revenue Project, a joint partnership between Greater Public and News Revenue Hub, found out. Hear about how, through strategic planning, goal-setting, and working across departments, they were able to increase audience reach, improve engagement, and raise more revenue. You’ll hear about easy take-home tips and ideas for how to tackle longer development sprints.
Track: General Interest

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“Session title: Leading Through Uncertainty: Adaptive Strategies for a Changing Sector
Session description: Community and public radio stations across the country are facing major changes in staffing, leadership, and technology. On top of existing challenges and changes, orgs are tasked with keeping up with, and meaningfully serving, evolving community demographics. This session, co-created by Brevity & Wit and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, will give participants a solid understanding of leadership during uncertain times, as well as specific tools and frameworks for navigating change while building resilience.
Track: General Interest

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“Session title: Rural America & Public Media: Drawing Connections to Deepen Positive Impact
Session description: In early 2026, NFCB and City Square Associates conducted the Rural Research Study, creating a portrait of rural America relevant to the mission of community broadcasters. In this post-CPB environment, small, rural station data is key to shaping a more equitable future of our field.
This session provides stations of all sizes and markets a framework to guide investments, strengthen local sustainability, and demonstrate the essential role of community media in American life.
Track: General Interest

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“Session title: Your Government Affairs Strategy Now
Session description: Now that we have had a moment to catch our collective breath, it is time to reset and recommit to government affairs and relationships with elected officials at both the local and national levels. In this tactical and informative session, we will learn about the current status of federal affairs and what you can do now to lay the groundwork for the 2027 legislative calendar. We will cover best practices that every organization should employ and learn how state coalitions are partnering with state governments to help fund mission-critical work in the post-rescission environment. Come with your questions and tips to share!
Track: General Interest

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“Session title: Shifting Ears: Audience Trends, What They Mean, and What Comes Next
Session description: What does the public radio audience look like today—and how has it changed? In this session, we’ll share system-level audience trends across formats, using aggregated insights to paint a clear picture of shifting listener behavior. We’ll unpack what these changes mean and outline practical, actionable steps stations can take in response. You’ll leave with a sharper understanding of the data behind audience change—and concrete ideas for how to act on it.
Track: Audience Development

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“Session title: Meeting Audience Needs with Local Election Coverage
Session description: Study after study reveal that today’s audiences place a high value on news and information about their own communities, yet they have a hard time finding what they need. People are going to the polls this fall for midterm elections and there is a lot at stake. Public media has a huge opportunity to engage with audiences who are looking for trustworthy and well-researched information to help them make the best choices in the voting booth. Election coverage that meets audiences where they are will help disseminate that coverage to a wide audience and introduce your organization to people who are looking for the exact content your stations offer.  In this session, we’ll talk about some of the products and services that stations are designing to support their communities during important election cycles.
Track: Audience Development

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