Proposals

The National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) and Michigan State University Extension are pleased to invite you to submit a proposal to present at NUEC26: Driving Innovation Ahead, being held in Detroit, Michigan, on May 11-14, 2026.  

The most pressing social problems and policy issues in America are concentrated in urban places. Extension professionals and university researchers nationwide are working to address these issues. However, urban areas are competitive environments for land-grant universities and Extension staff. To remain relevant and impactful, we need novel approaches that demonstrate community impact, public value, and meaningful results. 

The National Urban Extension Conference (NUEC) provides an opportunity and a platform for Extension staff and applied researchers to share innovative approaches, receive recognition, and find inspiration for their work from colleagues.  

NUEC26 will showcase educational strategies and research that address the needs of urban, suburban, and peri-urban populations as well as urban-rural interdependencies. We especially encourage abstracts that highlight partnerships between Extension staff, researchers, and community partners. 

NUEC26 Call for Proposals Information

Below you will find information for NUEC26 presentation proposals regarding:

TOPICS AND AREAS OF INTEREST 

Presentations at NUEC26 will focus on essential elements of building successful urban programs and projects, as well as the unique aspects of Extension administration and operations. Therefore, NUEC26 is looking for presentations and posters that showcase urban work, and the personal experiences and expertise of professionals working in urban settings in the following topics or areas of interest: 

Core Competencies
Presentations on the knowledge, skills, and abilities Extension staff need to serve urban communities effectively. These include engaging diverse audiences with cultural humility; building partnerships; designing, delivering, and evaluating impactful programs; leveraging digital tools and communication platforms; translating research into practical solutions; and managing projects and resources responsibly. 

Subject Matter Expertise
Proposals aligned with NUEL’s five focus areas for urban programming: 

        1. Strengthening Communities 
        2. Protecting the Environment 
        3. Improving Our Health 
        4. Enriching Youth 
        5. Feeding the Future (local food systems and networks) 

And as outlined in the National Framework for Urban Extension, the unique aspects of urban Extension around: 

        • Positioning Extension in Urban Settings 
        • Personnel and Staffing 
        • Partnership Building and Maintenance 
        • Urban Extension Administration and Operations

*NEW for NUEC26* Research
Proposals on scientific and applied research that address local and global challenges that advances urban Extension by creating and connecting knowledge with community needs along the urban-rural continuum. 

Innovation
To maintain relevance, we must continue to respond to issues in novel ways and address emerging issues in urban areas. NUEC26 welcomes submissions that highlight innovation as a driver in urban programming, administration, and operations.  

HOT TOPICS! 
Presentations on cutting-edge programs and approaches, disruptive ideas, next generation methodologies, and creative or novel solutions. These proposals should focus on timely, emerging, and rapidly evolving issues relevant to urban Extension staff and include a substantive amount of time for audience participation, discussion, and co-learning. For more on this, see the Leading Edge Dialogues on HOT TOPICS! format description below. 

PRESENTATION FORMAT OPTIONS

Individual Presentations 
Individual oral presentations on topics related to the conference theme, or other topics or areas of interest. Presentations will be 15 minutes in duration and moderated to ensure time restrictions. Presentations should be succinct, with well-developed concepts, applications, and results. Presentations will be grouped by topic for 60 minute sessions. 

Panel Presentations 
Panel Presentations can be 60 minutes in length with three to five colleagues or peers in an open conversation or discussion on a topic or area of interest specific to urban communities. Panel presenters are encouraged to engage the audience in a discussion around urban Extension replicable best practices in line with the NUEL priority areas.  

Lightning Talks 
Lightning talks are structured and focused presentations on the conference objectives and use the Ignite format. Presenters will have exactly five (5) minutes to present, using up to 20 slides. Slides will automatically advance every 15 seconds. View sample presentation and a how to video.

Digital Poster Presentations 
A poster is used by the presenter to describe a project, share research results, outline program summaries or lessons learned as a visual display. The poster includes a brief narrative along with tables, graphs, pictures, and other presentation formats. In PowerPoint, begin by creating one (1) slide. You will have an opportunity to introduce your poster to an audience with other posters of similar subject matter for five (5) minutes. You should provide enough information to capture the participant's interest, which will lead to a conversation about your poster. 

Use PowerPoint presentation - choose a blank slide. (The entire poster must be contained in only one slide.) Adjust the slide size to make the poster dimensions a maximum of 36″ x 48″ or 48” x 36” or a smaller size if desired. Save your poster as a .pptx file while you are working on it. (When you are finished and ready to submit your poster, save a copy as .pdf). 

Leading Edge Dialogues on HOT TOPICS! 
*NEW in 2026!* These sessions are 60-minutes in length. Presenters will share an engaging 10 to 15-minute overview or introduction to a HOT TOPIC! that focuses on timely, emerging, and rapidly evolving issues of relevance to urban Extension staff (e.g., cutting-edge, innovative or next generation programming, delivery systems, staffing models, funding shifts, county-university relationships, technologies, disruptive ideas). Following the overview/introduction, presenters should engage their audience in a 45-minute facilitated participatory discussion and co-learning experience on the topic.  

Presenters will be asked to document the facilitated audience discussion and co-learning during the session, i.e. participant worksheets, notes taken on flip chart paper, photos of comments collected during the session, etc. Presenters will be asked to submit the documentation or notes taken to the conference planning committee by the end of the conference. Assistance with capturing the discussion during these sessions may be available through the conference planning committee but session proposers are encouraged to include members of the presentation team that would act as the discussion documenter.

HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL 

All proposals must be submitted online at: https://events.anr.msu.edu/nuec2026/

Deadline for submission:  December 7, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET

Be prepared to provide the following information: 

    • Contact information for the lead presenter and all applicable co-presenters including name, title, organization or affliation, phone number, email and address.
    • Indicate what type of presentation format (individual presentation, panel presentation, lightning talks, digital posters, or HOT TOPICS!).  
    • Provide a title (100 characters maximum - no more than 10 words) that briefly identifies the content.  It should be able to stand alone and give the audience a clear idea of what will happen in the session. 
    • Provide an abstract of no more than 200 words, addressing the conference theme, focusing on the innovative aspects of your topic / program and how it addresses urban issues. High priority will be given to abstracts with a clear presentation of methodology or approach, results or outcomes obtained that involve elements of the NUEL priority areas.
    • Presentations will focus on essential elements of building successful urban programs and projects, as well as the unique aspects of Extension administration and operations. Therefore, presentations, panels and posters will need to showcase urban work and the personal experiences and expertise of professionals Extension staff working in urban settings in the identified topics or areas of interest. Indicate what topics or areas of interest (core competencies, subject matter expertise, research, innovation, or HOT TOPICS!) the presentation will address. Provide an explanation of how the presentation will address one or more of the topics or areas of interest. 

SELECTION PROCESS AND ACCEPTANCE REQUIREMENTS

There are no limitations on the number of presentations allowed by presenters who serve as part of a team selected to present. However, depending on the number of presentation submissions, presenters may only be allowed a maximum of two presentations in which they are the lead author. 

The Program Committee will review all proposals. Initial selection decisions will be made in December and January with notice to applicants by February 1, 2026. Selected presenters will have until March 1, 2026, to accept. The Program Committee has the authority and responsibility for placing sessions in the program at a day and time that best suits the overall program. 

Those interested in presenting at the conference are required to be registered with payment made by the close of regular registration on April 26, 2026. Those not registered and paid by that date will be dropped from the program. 

If you are selected to present at the conference, you will be asked to: 

    1. Confirm your interest and ability to present. 
    2. Indicate any special audio-visual or presentation needs required. Requests will be fulfilled whenever possible. The NUEC26 Committee will provide laptops, and projectors (for PowerPoint presentations). Access to in-room audio equipment and Wi-Fi must be requested at time of confirmation of acceptance.
    3. Provide electronic versions of their digital presentations PRIOR to the conference to be uploaded on the appropriate computer.
    4. NUEC26 intends to share the conference presentations and materials through a variety of media with the permission of the presenter. In addition to their digital presentations, presenters must provide electronic copies of any other materials at, or prior to, the conference so that they can be further disseminated.

PROGRAM CONTACTS

If you have further questions after reviewing the information above, please reach out to one of the program contacts.