4 Reasons to Attend VM Summit 16

The folks at VolunteerMatch have hosted an annual Summit — all about corporate volunteerism — for over a decade. Throughout most of the Summit’s lifespan, however, it was called the “VolunteerMatch Client Summit.” That meant attendance was reserved exclusively for clients of our volunteer management platform, YourMatch™.

For the first time ever last year, we invited all companies that value employee volunteering as a key part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employee engagement programs to the event. 

We also invited local and national nonprofits that regularly engage corporate volunteers, and the results were incredible.

This year, we shortened the conference name to “VM Summit 16” and packed the agenda with more networking and interactive sessions than before. This October 25, 2016 in Chicago, IL, we’ll ramp up for our most collaborative Summit yet. 

Although the conference name changed,  many of the reasons to attend VM Summit 16 remain the same:

1. The Connections

Whether you’re managing a corporate volunteer program or managing volunteers at your nonprofit, chances are you’re doing it alone. What do I mean? People who work around volunteerism tend to be the only ones at their organization doing that exact job. 

VM Summit 16 provides a great platform to meet and network with others in your line of work. You’ll be in a room full of people who understand your struggles — and your triumphs.

As Leslie Clements of Humana put it last year, “This is my second year at the Summit and I decided to come back because I made great connections last year. It’s wonderful to have an opportunity to meet other people that are experiencing some of the same challenges and barriers and opportunities, and [to be able to] bounce ideas off one another.”

2. All Kinds of Experts

Spanning both nonprofit and corporate worlds, VM Summit 16 speakers comprise a balance of reputable industry thought leaders and actual volunteer program managers. Why? To get a wide range of diverse perspectives on volunteerism.

In regards to last year’s Summit, Deanna Berg of Reading Partners says, “This was an opportunity to learn more about what’s going on in the field and to make connections with others who are trying to mobilize volunteers.”

3. We Color Outside the Lines

VM Summit 16 is not your typical conference. We’re not afraid to try new, unique methods of running a successful event. This year, we’re particularly excited to announce our “unconference” sessions.

What does “unconference” mean?

It means that the series of sessions and topics will be decided by VM Summit 16 attendees. Before the conference begins, registrants will have the opportunity to propose topics and vote on their favorites. At the conference, attendees can chart their own adventure by participating in short table topic conversations selected on by attendees, or opt to attend a more in-depth session.

As Bea Boccalandro of VeraWorks said about the 2015 VolunteerMatch Summit, “I love this Summit because VolunteerMatch is always willing and eager to take on new ideas, even way beyond technology … I think that if we’re really going to make a difference through employee involvement and community causes, we need a lot of innovation. And I see this as a petri dish for innovation. VolunteerMatch in general, but also this Summit.”

4. The Beautiful Backdrop

And finally, Chicago in the fall. Need we say more?

Get your VM Summit 16 ticket today.

Questions? Reach out to us at summit@volunteermatch.org.