Lead a workshop at the 2026 Smart Start Conference!
The Smart Start Conference is one of the nation’s largest conferences devoted to early education systems and strategies. The conference provides advanced professional development for early childhood leaders committed to improving the quality of and access to early childhood services for all children ages birth-to-five, particularly regarding early child care and education, family support and engagement, and child, family, and community health.
The conference is attended by professionals who support families, professionals who support those who work with children, and professionals engaging in early care and education systems change. Although we greatly value direct service work with young children, such as teaching in early childhood education settings, the content is not intended to be professional development to improve the practice of working directly with children.
Conference Dates & Location
The 2026 Conference will feature a full day of preconference sessions on May 4 followed by three days of workshops and networking opportunities May 5 – May 7. It will be held in Greensboro, North Carolina at the Koury Convention Center.
This RFP is for workshop presentations from May 5 – May 7. Workshop presentations will be 90 minutes.Â
Workshop focus areas include: Â
- Early Care and Education
- Child, Family, and Community Health
- Family Support and Engagement
- Data, Learning, and Evaluation
- Systems Building and Leadership
- Public Engagement, Advocacy, and Fund Development
Sponsorship
Presenters may not use their workshop for product sales or promotion. Presenters are not permitted to sell products before, during, or after their workshop.
To discuss sponsorship opportunities, please contact Yvonne Huntley at yhuntley@smartstart.org.
