The NSDTA Education Conference brings together workforce development experts to connect, learn, and exchange best practices. It is designed to support trainers, facilitators, and researchers in the human services field, empowering them to shape the future of human services programs through collaboration, integration, and modernization. The conference also provides guidance on effective methods for monitoring organizational development.

The 2026 NSDTA Planning Committee is seeking proposals and presentations relevant to current topics and priorities across the broad sector of human services. The content for this conference will be organized around six tracks:

Evaluation/Research

Using, or learning how to use, data to drive decision making; development of assessment tools; effectiveness of staff/organizational interventions; developing and testing theories of learning; measurement of skill demonstration and transfer of learning.

Curriculum Development & Facilitation

Design, development, and facilitation of training curriculum through innovative strategies and tools, including the use of new technologies that enhance teaching and learning in classroom, blended, and e-learning environments.

Human Services Leadership

Leading in workforce development, training, and OD/OE (e.g., improving management structures and processes, linking training and development with other organizational units, monitoring contract activities, and staff performance).

Organizational Development

Facilitating organizational improvement, including but not limited to assessing needs, diagnosing organizational problem areas, OD and OE strategies, and capacity building.

Workforce Development & Planning

Predicting future staff needs of an agency, planning for the attraction, selection, development, and retention of the current and future workforce.

Community Well-Being

Advancing community well-being through workforce and organizational strategies that create access and opportunities for all individuals and communities to thrive, and systemic improvements that enhance social and economic well-being. Workforce and organizational strategies that explore systemic challenges and addresses the underlying factors contributing to disparities/barriers/imbalances through policy and practice, promoting solutions that improve outcomes for all people.

Action ItemsDates
Call for proposals closesFriday, April 10
Review & selection by planning committee Review complete – April 22
Selection complete – April 30
All notifications to accepted presentersFriday, May 8
Speaker and Moderator TrainingThursday August 6, 3:00pm ET
All session titles finalizedFriday, August 7
Final presentation materials dueFriday, September 11