Proposal Guidelines

Thank you for considering planting Seeds For Transformation! We welcome your proposals for the 2026 ICF Midwest Coaches Conference, September 24-26, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa, at the Marriott Downtown. 

In-person conferences are unique opportunities for experiential engagement that differ from online webinars and workshops. In that spirit, we seek innovative, interactive sessions in a variety of formats.  We ask you to read the submission information carefully as we’re working with formats ranging from six to seventy-five minutes in length. 

We encourage everyone with ideas to submit a proposal! When considering your session, please tell us how you’ll incorporate experiential engagement i.e.,group work, demonstrations, participation, reflection/integration, role modeling, presentation, Q&A, etc. NOTE: We require you to submit a video clip showcasing your content and presentation style - see full request for details - no professional video required!

The Basics:

~Your willingness to present is a gift to the coaching community, and we are grateful.
~Speakers will be compensated by receiving a discounted conference registration (based on the type of program), which includes breakfast and lunch each day of the conference. We ask you to pay for your travel and lodging.
~Please refrain from any overt marketing or sales - let your expertise speak for itself.
~The conference team will showcase your expertise session through social media, our program guide, and the Whova App. 
~Your topic and contact information will be shared with ICF Chapter leaders for consideration in their programming, if you desire. 

Successful Selection Information: 

Impact: Show how your session seeds transformation or learning for coaches and/or clients.
Session Length: Provide two length options.
ICF & Theme  Alignment: Ensure content connects to ICF Core Competencies and connects to the conference theme.
Engagement: Design an innovative, interactive session. Include specific engagement methods.
Title: Use a short, compelling title (or a catchy opener plus a descriptive subtitle).
Participation: Balance content and audience interaction. Highlight how the in-person format enhances learning.
Relevance: If your topic is evolving (e.g., AI), explain how it will stay relevant by September 2026.
Audience: Indicate if your session is for new coaches, advanced coaches, or both.
Presentation skill: Share a 1–2-minute video showcasing your speaking style. Professional quality not required.

Additional consideration will be given to ICF Credentialed coaches.

Submit Proposal

Proposal Details

Conference Audience:

350+ professional coaches are expected to attend this conference. A broad range of coaches will be present, from beginner to highly experienced, “master” coaches. Attendees will be national and international, English-speaking, and some multi-lingual. Feedback from prior conferences reveals that attendees appreciate useful (able to apply tomorrow) interactive sessions, with hands-on exercises and reflection included. 

Conference Theme: Seeds for Transformation

We ask you to include conference theme content.  To support your efforts, here is the video that introduced our theme  and a few notes:

Iowa’s rich soil and expansive fields symbolize growth, renewal, and endless possibility—just as coaching does. Every coaching conversation is a seed planted with intention, nurtured with awareness, and cultivated into lasting transformation.

• Planting Possibility – Coaching creates space for new insights, just as seeds take root in fertile ground.

• Cultivating Growth – True transformation requires patience, care, and the right conditions—mirroring the coaching journey.

• Harvesting Impact – Our work as coaches ripples outward, shaping individuals, teams, and communities.

Session Details: 

There will be a mix of session lengths, and we ask  you to provide us two length options for consideration.  As the conference comes together, we’ll communicate timing and format.  

Current plans are for:

• 20-minute TED-style presentations (some engagement preferred)

• 6-minute PechaKucha** style talks (engagement optional – see below**)

• Traditional 75- and 60-minute sessions (high interaction and engagement required)
  

**For more info on PechaKucha** talks, there are sites on the web, and searching for PechaKucha on YouTube] that describe them. A huge range of topics is possible. Topics you are particularly passionate about tend to work the best. Due to the tight timing, engagement is optional. #Basically, it’s 20 X 20 – 20 slides auto advancing every 20 seconds. NOTE: Because of the rigorous timing requirements, PechaKucha slide decks MUST be submitted to the conference 72 hours before the start of the conference or else the session will be scratched.

Logistics:

• Room Capacity: Rooms will accommodate approximately 50 - 100 people

• Standard Audiovisual Equipment provided. Presenters must provide their own laptops and cables.

• ICF Midwest Regional Conference does not print handouts or make copies. 

• PDFs or slide decks that are submitted by the deadline may be included in the conference app

Eligibility Requirements

• ICF Members in good standing and non-members

• Members of the 2026 ICF Midwest Coaches Conference Steering Team and Program Committee are not eligible to present in 2026. Members of other Conference Committees and Volunteers are heartily welcomed.