Tips for First Time Attendees

Welcome to the AFP Dallas-Fort Worth Conference Website. The purpose of this webpage is to answer questions about the conference program and provide a few tips to help you get the most out of your conference experience.

We want you to:

Have a valuable learning experience
Meet new friends and network with colleagues with like interests
Have fun!

Check back often since the Website will be updated as conference speakers, topics and plans are finalized!

General Logistical Information About the Conference

Venue

The conference will be held at the Arlington Convention Center. It is centrally located in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, about 30 minutes from DFW Airport and easy to reach from Interstate 30.

Hotel Accommodations

The conference committee has reserved a block of rooms at the Sheraton Hotel next to the Arlington Convention Center for the CFRE review class attendees, exhibitors and conference attendees. Please contact the Sheraton at 817-261-8200 and ask for the 2012 AFP DFW Philanthropy Conference room block and mention the code CFF05A. The room rate is $129 per night and the deadline to make a reservation is May 15, 2012.

Badges and Program Books — at the AFP registration desk you will receive your badge, tote bag and conference program. Keep your badge with you at all times; the badge will give you entrance to educational sessions, the Exhibit Hall and to lunch. Coffee, cookies and other goodies will also be served in the Exhibit Hall.

Educational Opportunities

Our Educational Sessions are categorized into several different topic areas, which we call "tracks". You will probably want to use these track designations to help you select sessions in your areas of expertise or in areas that you want to learn more about.

Sessions are targeted to four levels of fundraising experience: entry level (0-2 years), mid-level (3-6 years), senior (7-9 years), and advanced (10+ years); in addition, some sessions are designated "general interest."

The Conference Exhibit Hall

Companies will display and demonstrate their products, technologies, supplies and consultative services during the conference. This is your opportunity to conduct a year's worth of business in one place, meet new representatives and get to know their products and services.

It is a good idea to plan your strategy in advance. This is your opportunity to talk to many suppliers in one place!
Identify those products or services that you will buy in the next eighteen months and focus your time on visiting those suppliers.
Identify a specific time to attend the exhibits. The hall will tend to be busier and more crowded during refreshment break times between sessions. There is time scheduled to give all conference participants plenty of time to visit the Exhibit Hall.
Begin your visit to the Exhibit Hall by making a quick tour to help you see the layout and identify interesting booths. Then go back to the booths you've identified for further research. When you visit specific booths, find out who is available to answer your questions, and when. The expert you want to meet may only be available during certain hours. See if you can make an appointment.
Keep the list of exhibitors for reference after the conference. You will find that it comes in handy for finding the names of companies whose products and services you may need in the future.

How to Get the Most Out of the Conference

Hand out your business cards and ask for cards of interesting individuals you meet. This conference is a wonderful opportunity to build your referral base and to network.
Map out your day in advance. If you are interested in hearing a specific speaker look up their sessions and put them on your schedule.

As you plan your conference experience, it is a good idea to choose alternative sessions in advance in case your first choice session room is full. Also, think about and/or jot down:

your professional experience level and specialties
projects you are currently working on
your long-term career goals
your personal goals and objectives

Choose conference activities that address the goals you listed. Think about:

What you expect to learn from each activity
How you intend to use the information in your job or long-term career plan
Be prepared to ask questions in the sessions you attend.
Think about every conference activity as an educational opportunity, and make the most of it.
Challenge yourself! Get outside your "comfort zone" to try on a new skill, technique or idea.

Fill out the session evaluation forms and the overall conference evaluation form. Session evaluation forms will be in each session room, and we ask that you complete and return them immediately after the session.

We hope you'll find the AFP Conference a great learning experience. Enjoy!