We were excited to have our first 2012 NTC Community Call last Tuesday! During the call, we went over a couple things that will be new next year, and asked for your feedback on some key questions and issues.

You can watch the recording to catch up, or check out our recap below.

New to the NTC

There will be a couple of new additions to the NTC schedule next year. Over the past couple years, we've been adding programming to Day 1 of the conference, so it's gone from an orientation day to really being the first part of the overall conference.

This year, we’re going to include a mix of educational and community programming to Day 1, starting off with a Welcome Reception. The Welcome Reception will be taking the place of this year’s Member Reception. It will be open to all attendees, but it will include member recognition and the Member Awards.

We'll have a new iteration of the Birds of a Feather Lunch, too. Instead of sitting down at tables in the ballroom, on Day 1 you’ll pick up a box lunch and choose a session room based on topic. The new structure will cut down on noise and allow for more interactive networking and socializing.

We’ve also added a couple new session types for the 2012 NTC educational sessions. Workshops will be interactive, 3-hour long, hands-on learning opportunities with tangible outcomes. Salons will be moderated peer-sharing sessions, organized around a specific topic and set takeaways; salon sessions will last 90 minutes and be spread out over the conference. Birds of a Feather sessions are taking the place of our old Affinity Group sessions. They will be social networking sessions with like-minded people, with no formal agenda or takeaways.

Finally, there will be a couple of changes to the conference pricing structure. In order to be better budget for the conference, we’ll make 750 tickets available at the Early Bird rate for the 2012 NTC. As soon as these tickets are sold, registration will go up to the regular rate through February 17, 2012, at which point it will increase to the late registration rate.

Community Brainstorm

We asked for your input on a couple of key issues surrounding the conference, and we loved the feedback. Here's a summary of the most common responses. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts and ideas in the comments, below!

• New to the NTC Ideas 
  • Partner new attendees with veteran attendees 
  • Should we identify new attendees on their name badges? 
  • Facilitate meet-ups and small group meals outside of conference lunches 
  • New to the NTC scavenger hunt 
  • New to the NTC Booth 
  • Insider’s Guide Blog to highlight the informal activities 
• Social Events 
  • A speed-networking session 
  • Formal conversation time with other nonprofit tech professionals and vendors 
  • Organized dinners out, with RSVPs 
  • Space for yoga? 
  • Locally focused cultural event 
  • Progressive Party: Venues need to be larger and closer to the hotel, or shuttle bus between venues 
  • Tech club get together 
• Birds of a Feather 
  • A point/counter-point session 
  • Spread sessions out so people can connect with multiple groups 
  • Resource board where people can recommend resources for others 
• Unconference 
  • Unstructured open space with opening and closing circle for bringing ideas together
  • For very timely, of-the-moment topics 
  • Group meals to cover topics not in formal sessions 
• Other Ideas 
  • How to help those in job transition during the NTC 
    • Name badge designation for who is looking to be hired, who is hiring 
    • A job board, career center, or resume review 
    • A salon or room for organizations looking to hire and those looking for jobs 
  • Recording more sessions would be nice 

 Do you have any ideas, suggestions, or questions for us? Share them in the comments below.