IMPACT 2025 Lightning Talk Submissions Form

IMPACT 2025 Lightning Talk Submissions Form
Inspired by the TED Talk format, our Lightning Talks at IMPACT 2025 are designed to ignite discussion, inspire action and help shape the future of the cooperative movement. These presentations should be short (5-8 minutes), punchy and dynamic—consider sharing a lesson learned, success story, or new idea for sparking change.

Help shape the conversation at IMPACT 2025 by submitting your Lightning Talk idea here by Friday, July 25 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Your submissions will be shared with our selection committee during the selection process.
Name*

First NameLast Name
Email*
Phone Number*
Organization*
Website*
Please list your company's website (e.g., https://ncbaclusa.coop/)
Job title*
Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip CodeCountry
Are you interested in membership with NCBA CLUSA?*

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Speaker Bio*

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Speaker Photo*

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About our Lightning Talks at IMPACT 2025
Join us at the 2025 Cooperative IMPACT Conference as we celebrate the Year of Cooperatives and explore how cooperatives are “Building a Better World" by submitting a Lightning Talk idea. This year's theme emphasizes the central role cooperatives play in communities across the country and the globe to build, grow, and expand an economy that engages and empowers all people and innovates for needed change and sustainability.

For a chance to be featured at IMPACT 2025, we invite you to submit a Lightning Talk idea in one of the following five categories:
- Affordability and Accessibility: Lightning Talks in this category should focus on how cooperatives help create an economy that is affordable and/or accessible. For example, sharing successes/lessons learned in limited equity housing, food cooperatives serving low-income/low-access areas, cooperative real estate efforts, providing energy/electricity/broadband in underserved areas, policy/advocacy efforts that promote affordability and accessibility, etc.
- Cooperative Ecosystems: Lightning Talks in this category could focus on successes or lessons learned relating to P6—cooperation among cooperatives, cooperative support organizations (public or private), or the broader enabling environment for cooperatives.
- AI, Data and Democracy: Lightning Talks in this category could focus on how cooperatives are leveraging AI, data and data analytics, or other technologies to enhance cooperative performance in an ethical, democratic way.
- Education and Training Opportunities: Lightning Talks in this category should focus on Principle 5—Education, Training, and Information as it relates to internal member/staff education, community education/engagement, or education initiatives about cooperatives in more formal/academic settings.
- Communicating the Cooperative Business Advantage: Lightning Talks in this category could focus on successes or lessons learned in marketing cooperatives to consumers, advocacy efforts, or public awareness campaigns that demonstrate the advantages of the cooperative business model, illustrate cooperative identity in action, etc.

Selection Criteria
To ensure full and fair consideration, proposals will be evaluated and selected by NCBA CLUSA according to criteria that include:
- Length: Each Lightning Talk should be 5-8 minutes.
- Relevance: Directly addresses the conference theme and program focus.
- Clarity: Offers clear description of the proposed session and learning objectives.
- Innovation: Presents a unique way to operate, create or manage.
- Application: Participants will be able to learn practical tools or lessons.
- Program Balance: NCBA CLUSA strives to create a balanced program covering a wide range of topics with diverse presenters.
Applicants will be notified of selection decisions by Friday, August 8, 2025.

Submission Instructions
All Lightning Talk submissions for consideration at IMPACT 2025 must be submitted electronically via this form. Submissions are due by Friday, July 18 at 11:59pm EDT.

If selected, Lightning Talk speaker headshots, bios, presentation titles, session descriptions and learning objectives will be shared on the 2025 Cooperative IMPACT Conference website and used for event marketing and promotion purposes.