Equality Federation Institute’s annual Summer Meeting is the premier gathering of state-based and national LGBT movement leaders. More than 150 advocates from across the country gather to connect and forge relationships, collaborate for future success and build momentum toward even greater wins in the communities we call home.

The 2014 Summer Meeting (July 30 - August 2) will feature informative workshops, inspiring speakers and incredible social events — in the amazing city of Minneapolis, with OutFront Minnesota as our host. 

Click here to register now for Summer Meeting 2014.

Lodging

Hilton Minneapolis is our host hotel, but rooms in the Summer Meeting block are going fast! Click here to reserve yours now before the July 7 deadline.

Once our block at the Hilton is full, participants may be able to book at slightly higher rates via the hotel's main website or by calling 1-800-445-8667.

At the Best Western, just a few blocks away, we have arranged a back-up block of rooms at the same price as the Hilton. Just call 612-370-1400 and ask for rooms in the Equality Federation Institute Summer Meeting block -- by the July 8 deadline.
 

Management Center Training

At Summer Meeting 2014, we're offering an incredible opportunity:  participate in a FREE fast-paced crash course in the basics of effective management.

With support from Arcus Foundation, we’re bringing in our friends from The Management Center to share their Managing to Change the World training. Whether you’re managing an entire organization, supervising just one other employee, or hoping to be in a non-profit management role in the future, this training is for you.

Space is limited, and you must register to attend. Click here to register now.
 

Schedule
Note: When making travel arrangements, most participants plan to arrive on Wednesday and leave on Sunday.

Wednesday, July 30
9:00 am  All-Day Management Center Training (register now)
5:00 pm  Registration Opens
6:30 pm  Welcome Reception

• Sponsored by Grassroots Solutions, United Strategies and OutFront Minnesota
• At Devil's Advocate (89 S 10th St, Minneapolis)

Thursday, July 31 
8:00 am  Registration Opens
9:00 am  Welcome Circle
11:00 am  Workshop Session 1

• Racial Justice: Working Effectively at the Intersections
• Advocacy & Legislation to Protect Youth from Conversion Therapy
• Asking and Receiving: How to Raise Money Online

12:30 pm  Plenary Lunch
2:00 pm  Workshop Session 2

• Winning Republicans: Key Strategies and Tactics
• California's School Success and Opportunity Act: A Case Study of the Nation's First of Its Kind Law Protecting Transgender Students
• Talking About Nondiscrimination: Messaging Approaches for Building & Keeping Public Support

3:45 pm  Caucus Conversations: Regional Breakouts

• Midwest
• Northeast & Mid-Atlantic
• South
• West

6:00 pm  Night Out in Minneapolis

• Option 1: Run, Walk, Ride, Roll, Bike at the Lake with Frontrunners 
• Option 2: Free Thursday at Walker Art Center
• Finish the Night With an Open Bar at The Saloon (830 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis)

Friday, August 1 
9:00 am  Session 3

• Prioritizing Trans Work: From ID Documents, to Health Care, to Jail/Prison Reform, and Beyond
• Rural Organizing: Victory in Vicco & Beyond!
• Pay Back! Using Independent Expenditures to Fight Against LGBT Opponents

10:45 am  Plenary: FEDtalks
12:15 pm  Caucus Conversations: Role Breakouts (boxed lunches)

• Board Members
• Communication Staff
• Development Staff
• Executive Directors
• Organizing & Policy Staff

2:00 pm  Workshop Session 4

• Winning GOP Primaries
• Fighting Back Against Overbroad Religious Exemptions
• More than Money: Fundraising for Movement Builders

3:45 pm  Workshop Session 5

• You're In Control: Creating Your Own Momentum Online
• Transgender Justice through Conversations with People You Know
• Bettering Our Boards

6:00 pm  FedFling at the Walker Art Center

Saturday, August 2 
9:30 am  Membership Meeting
11:00 am  Workshop Session 6

• The Power of Stories: The Who, What, & How of Storytelling for Nondiscrimination Advocacy
• Where's the Power?
• Beyond the Marriage Milestone: Building Leadership and Momentum in the Post-Marriage Movement

12:15 pm  Lunch (on your own)
1:45 pm  Workshop Session 7

• Beyond Bullying: School Pushout as an LGBTQ Issue
• Negotiating Family Relationships: Managing Affiliated 501(c)(3)s, 501(c)(4)s, and PACs
• How to Get More for Less

3:30 pm  Workshop Session 8

• Connecting with Corporations: Engaging Business in the Work
• From Volunteer to Leader – What Does It Take?
• Empowering Students Through Values-Based, Intergenerational Partnerships for Social Justice

6:00 pm  Closing Reception
 

Sponsorships

Summer Meeting is made possible thanks to the generous support of sponsors. Each year, key players from the LGBT movement come from across the country to build momentum for the next year. Sponsors have direct access to these community leaders who are working for equality in nearly every state. Your sponsorship of Summer Meeting 2014 sends a powerful message that your organization values diversity, stands for inclusion and supports its LGBT employees and customers.

If you're a non-profit partner, please click here to download our partner sponsorship packet.
If you're a corporation, please click here to download our corporate sponsorship packet.