Tips for Convincing Your Boss
Why Annual Meeting?
The biggest challenges facing many Americans— like poverty, rising energy costs, and failures of our education and healthcare systems —aren’t going to be solved by Washington elites. They’re being tackled by leaders on the ground who understand their communities and are committed to practical, local solutions.
While there are many professional and policy conferences to choose from, SPN Annual Meeting is specifically designed to accelerate your impact. We bring together hundreds of state and local changemakers from across the country to learn from one another, explore what’s working, and connect with a powerful network of peers who share your commitment to expanding opportunity and self-determination.
SPN Annual Meeting offers 100+ expert-led sessions, including keynotes, discussion groups, local adventures, and more. Whether you're looking to strengthen your strategy, uncover emerging trends, or spark new collaborations, SPN Annual Meeting equips you with the insights, relationships, and momentum to go further, faster—together. You won’t find a better value for your budget!
Make Your Case for Attending
Here are a few simple prompts to help you develop a pitch that will be approved!
- Highlight the unique opportunity—few conferences are designed specifically for your work! There are many policy and professional development conferences to choose from, probably many closer to where you work, but very few of them have been developed specifically for social entrepreneurs and staff at think tanks and organizations focused on state and local solutions.
- Know what you want to get out of SPN Annual Meeting. The 2026 agenda will have 100+ sessions ranging from professional development to cutting edge policy trends.
- Be ready to answer common questions or objections in case your boss asks. We’ve answered a few of them below.
- Make use of social validation. We have testimonials from attendees from every discipline and stage of their career.
- Emphasize why you need to register before the early bird deadline! Prices won’t get any lower; the early bird deadline ends June 15. And spots at the event and the discounted hotel room block are limited. Once they sell out, that’s it.
Use Social Validation
Share how peers from all 50 states have benefitted from attending:
- “SPN Annual Meeting is a very relevant and inspiring event. If you are looking for more ways as a social entrepreneur to make impact and change, this is event you want to make sure to attend.”
Melony Armstrong, 2024 Speaker
- “SPN Annual Meeting provides ideas, inspiration, camaraderie, and connections that last for years. Bring specific questions and you get multiple brilliant suggestions that advance your thinking rapidly. SPN Annual Meeting eliminates six months of fumbling for answers to three days and leaving with a plan.”
John Tsarpalas, Nevada Policy Research Institute - “I can wholeheartedly say that this event is the most beneficial one I've been to. I was able to meet many new people, attend thought provoking and helpful breakout sessions, and not have to starve from being too busy to leave the venue to grab a meal. This event is a nonnegotiable for me to attend in the future.”
Hannah Henricksen, Generation Liberty Fellow - “As a first-time attendee, I learned valuable information that I will take back and use day one on the job. The speakers were willing to engage and answer questions and have follow-up conversations.”
2024 First-Time Attendee - From the CEO all the way through Comms, Development, Policy, Operations, and Marketing, there are sessions and networking opportunities for you and your staff to seriously elevate your game. We sent four professionals, and we all learned, networked, and left inspired to make our organization better and more powerful.
Ron Nate, Idaho Freedom Foundation - SPN Annual Meeting allowed me to gain friendships and learn from people across the country I otherwise would not have had the opportunity to meet. My relationships and knowledge gained will help advance our organization and have added to my excitement to get home and enact meaningful change.
Sarah Curry, Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation - “One of the great things about SPN's Annual Meeting is the diversity of interesting topics and sessions. Not only is policy discussed, but the event offers exciting trends in other spaces such as development, communications, and professional development.”
Jason Grill, Right to Start - "The relationships and connections forged take all our organizations to new heights through brainstorming and policy idea crosspollination that wouldn't happen without SPN Annual Meeting bringing us together. I look forward to it every year."
Lindsey Zea, Virginia Institute for Public Policy
Potential Roadblocks—and How to Address Them
Be ready to answer common objections with responses that speak to your organization’s needs. These examples can give you a head start on having a successful conversation.
“Is this the best use of our training budget?
SPN Annual Meeting is a high-value investment in professional development and strategic growth. Most attendees leave with insights and new connections that immediately impact their work.
“What about attending a local conference?”
SPN Annual Meeting is unlike any other gathering. It’s focused specifically on state and local policy solutions (and the professional skills needed to achieve them), bringing together an influential network of peers facing—and solving—the same challenges. Our attendees hail from all 50 states and beyond, offering the opportunity to learn firsthand what is working in other states.
“How is this different from other conferences you’ve attended?”
SPN Annual Meeting complements other events by focusing not just on ideas, but on implementation. It is a rare opportunity to connect with like-minded organizations and entrepreneurs facing similar challenges. Attendees walk away with real-world strategies and tested approaches they can apply in their states and communities right away.
“You’re not working directly on policy, is the content relevant for your role?”
Even if your responsibilities aren’t policy-focused, SPN Annual Meeting can equip you with a broader understanding of the policy environment shaping your organization’s strategy. Sessions cover leadership, communications, development, operations, and more—ensuring every attendee gains practical, job-relevant insights.
More importantly, SPN Annual Meeting brings together people working on real-world solutions across sectors. That cross-functional exposure often leads to unexpected ideas, partnerships, or strategies that directly enhance your work—even if your title doesn’t include “policy.”
“We need you in the office.”
Time spent at SPN Annual Meeting pays for itself in time saved later. The curated professional development content, access to subject-matter experts, and connections with peers facing similar issues will streamline future problem-solving and reduce how often you reinvent the wheel.
“Isn’t most of this information available online?”
Sessions are not recorded, so it will also be your only chance to hear speakers like bestselling author, professor, and keynote speakerArthur Brooks speaking directly to the goals and challenges you’re experiencing in your work.
There’s also no substitute for in-person exchange. The best ideas often emerge from hallway conversations, roundtables, and Q&A sessions. SPN Annual Meeting makes it easier to ask deeper questions, get tailored advice, meet with potential vendors, and spark creative thinking that static online content can’t match.