Call for Proposals

The 2021 New Jersey Planning and Redevelopment Conference brings together innovative solutions, proven concepts and best practices for creating better, more inclusive and equitable choices for how people live, work and play. Born out of circumstance and exciting opportunities, New Jersey Future and the New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association are proud to partner and present a two-day virtual conference to be held on April 15-16 featuring quality and timely session offerings as we restart, recover and reimagine land use in a rapidly changing and post-pandemic environment.

Proposal Submissions will be accepted through February 5, 2020.

Overview

The Conference Committee has selected Pheedloop with Zoom integration for this year’s virtual conference platform. The preliminary conference format will feature live plenaries and live keynotes on both days and a mix of concurrent sessions that are live streaming and pre-recorded with live question and answer. Depending on overall response, it is anticipated that the conference will offer roughly 35 educational sessions. Networking breakout rooms and an interactive exhibit hall are also in the works. Session contacts/moderators, in addition to all speakers/presenters, are responsible for their individual profiles including uploading a picture and biography to the online portal. Additional features are available to highlight speakers including company logo, contact information and links to social media accounts – all of which are customizable and at the discretion of the individual. If a session proposal is selected, the session contact will be responsible for ensuring all presenters have populated their account information and will be responsible to send, if applicable, a pre-recorded, high resolution video file to the Conference Committee (details will be provided). An example of this would be recording a zoom meeting with panelists and sending the .mov file to the Conference Committee. A digital video library will be available following the conference to all attendees for viewing following the conference for a limited of period of time. Unlike in-person events, this provides a tremendous opportunity for attendees to take advantage of all offerings and not be limited in choosing among competing sessions during the same time slot.

Evaluation Criteria

Session proposals will be selected based on how well they meet the following criteria. The Conference Committee reserves the right to come back to session contacts with recommended changes to panelist composition and/or scope of session key points.

• Relevant to Conference: The topic is related to land use, community planning and public policy.
• Timely: The topic is in the news and/or currently being discussed, debated and implemented. The speakers are prominent, experienced, and up to date on the current topic.
• New/Innovative:  The topic represents a new or innovative approach to a problem, especially with implications to a post-pandemic era. The speakers have a reputation or track record in cutting edge work.
• Diverse Perspectives: Different viewpoints on the same topic are illuminated. For example, a panel may have a local official, a planner, an attorney, a community member and a faculty member. Another example could be four planners from different parts of the country talking about a single issue from different points of view. A digital conference provides a unique opportunity for session proposers to recruit national and international expertise.
• Diverse Composition: A mix of representation on the panel, including but not limited to race, gender, age, socioeconomic status, etc.

Timeline

February 5:  Session Proposal Deadline

February 15:  Notifications to Session Proposers

February 28:  Speaker Profiles Completed (headshot, bio, etc.)

March 19:  Pre-Recorded Video Files Due (if applicable)

April 15-16:  Conference

Session Proposal Guidelines

All session proposals must be fully completed and submitted by February 5, 2021. The session length is 1 hour (60 minutes) and must include the following:

1. Session Contact/Moderator: This individual is the primary contact for all communications between the Conference Committee and presenters and is responsible for sharing all logistical information.
   
   
2. Title of Session: Make it catchy! (15 word maximum).
   
   
3. Session Description: A high-level description of the session for inclusion in the preliminary and final programs in paragraph form, no bullet points (100 word maximum).
   
   
4. Learning Outcomes: Provide 3 learnings outcomes that are clear, measurable and achievable. Begin each with an action verb.
   
   
5. Proposed Session Track(s): Select the most relevant track(s) related to your session submission which include the following:
1. Planning and Development
2. Equity and Inclusion
3. Infrastructure
4. Legal, Technical and Financial
5. Advocacy
6. Transportation and Mobility
7. Public Health
8. Resiliency and Sustainability
   
   
6. Confirmed Presenters: Provide the name, contact information, title and affiliation of all proposed presenters. If the session is selected, all speakers will be expected to upload their picture and biographical information into the virtual conference portal.

Submission Agreement

In order to submit your proposal, you will need to read and agree to the following seven statements:

1. I understand that as the session contact, it is my responsibility to communicate information to other session panelists and ensure all deadlines are met.
2. I understand that the conference will be a mix of live and pre-recorded videos and am responsible for the technology coordination for my session.
3. I understand that the session will be presented virtually, and all live recordings, pre-recorded videos and shared files will be accessible to conference attendees both during and after the event.
4. I agree that neither I nor my participating session presenters will use the session as a platform to promote products or services of any kind.
5. I understand that presenters do not receive complimentary registrations, honoraria, or paid expenses to speak at the conference. 
6. I understand it is my responsibility to register myself for the conference and to inform all presenters to register at the discounted speaker rate.
7. I agree that all presenters for this session will be fully informed that they must be available live or for live chat on pre-recorded videos during the day and time the session is assigned (April 15 or 16).