California Climate & Energy Collaborative

17th Annual CCEC Forum Call for Session Proposals

The 17th Annual CCEC Forum, themed “Grounded in People, Guided by Possibility: Shaping our Future in a Changing California“ will spotlight the critical role of local leadership in shaping a sustainable future amidst an uncertain climate landscape. With the urgency of the climate crisis growing and the growing clarity that it is local action that will lead the way, this two-day event will convene local and regional governments, State agencies, community-based organizations (CBOs), nonprofits, and private sector leaders to explore bold, actionable solutions. By showcasing how grassroots initiatives and regional collaborations are driving innovation and equity, the forum underscores the importance of local action as the cornerstone of climate resilience and progress.

This call for session proposals will help ensure that the forum will feature engaging sessions and new innovative activities to help climate and energy leaders and practitioners connect to learn about innovative projects and strategies, share best practices, and troubleshoot challenges.

Download CFSP Guidance
Download Form Template

Those interested in submitting a proposal are encouraged to first download and review the CFSP Guidance document, which includes pertinent information and guidance for shaping successful proposals. The Form Template is available to download as a word document to help prepare your proposal as the form below is not savable and will need to be filled out in one sitting.

Call for Session Proposals Submittal Form

2026 CCEC Forum Call For Session Proposals

Step 1: Proposer Contact Information

Provide the following contact information for the individual submitting the proposal.
Name
Name
First Name
Last Name

Step 2: Session Details

The information provided in this section should help reviewers quickly understand what your session is about, and will ultimately be featured in the CCEC program.
The title will be used in the program posted online and in the final printed program. Select a title that is evocative of your topic and that will appeal to a multi-disciplinary audience. Please refrain from using technical terms and acronyms within your title.
0 of 1250 max characters
The description should reveal the session’s key topics and objectives in an accessible and concise manner, balancing high-level themes with specific content to be covered. Descriptions should also include expected takeaways for participants and any potential outcomes that could help to catalyze action beyond the session itself. Session descriptions should be provided in paragraph form (i.e., no bullet points) to align with the final program format.
0 of 500 max characters
Each year, the CCEC Forum has a centralized theme that helps guide the conversation. This year’s theme is Grounded in People, Guided by Possibility: Shaping our Future in a Changing California. Please use this space to share how your session proposal meets our theme of taking action at the local level.

Step 3: Session Format

Session format
Select one of the pre-defined options that you wish to recommend for your session. Review the CFSP Guidelines for further details on the format options. Regardless of the session format chosen, Forum Organizers are looking for sessions that have an interactive component in them.
Active Engagement & Planned Activities
Select one to two activities that will be incorporated into the session. Use the descriptions in the CSFP document as a basis for your selection. Regardless of the activities chosen, Forum Organizers are looking for sessions that encourage connections, provide take away resources, and supports skill development.
0 of 500 max characters
Session organizers will be required to provide further details on their session format with particular attention to interactive components that can tap into the wealth of knowledge, expertise, ideas, and creativity of the participants in the room. We recommend providing a high-level agenda to help reviewers understand the session flow, particularly if there will be any major deviations from the pre-defined session format selected. In light of the character limit, descriptions may include abbreviations, bullet points, and phrases instead of fully formed sentences.
Successful proposals will feature a diverse panel in regards to race, ethnicity, ability, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, geographic representation, type of agency, and sector focus. It will incorporate at least one of the following content focuses: equity, environmental justice, embedding equity in institutional processes, and forging non-traditional partnerships. It will include speakers from disproportionately affected communities who can speak to these issues directly.
Successful proposals will highlight or include a brief discussion on funding and financing options, models, and best practices for local governments and communities in California.

Step 4: Moderator and Speaker Contact Information

Forum Organizers are looking for a multidisciplinary panel of strong speakers that represent various sectors, perspectives, and ethnic and gender diversity. Ideally, speakers should provide high-quality content focused on the implementation of practical tools and innovative strategies, and sessions should be designed to attract a multi-disciplinary audience.

Please do not submit session proposals that include all or most of the speakers coming from only one organization, agency, or company.

In the interest of fostering diversity and inclusion, we are waiving registration fees for presenters who identify as BIPOC, and/or any other underrepresented community. In addition, speakers are welcome to apply for a supplemental travel scholarship.

Share the information for each of your speakers. As the submitter, it is your responsibility to ensure that these folks are part of the session, or a reasonable replacement is secured based on your session description. Forum Organizers will not be responsible for finding speakers to replace ones who have not committed to attending. If several speakers are not confirmed, or no speakers are confirmed by a designated date, the session will be dropped from the program.

Speaker 1: Name
Speaker 1: Name
First Name
Last Name
Does this speaker qualify for waived registration fees?
Is this speaker confirmed?
What perspective does this speaker provide?
Add Another Speaker

Section

Speaker 2: Name
Speaker 2: Name
First Name
Last Name
Does this speaker qualify for waived registration fees?
Is this speaker confirmed?
What perspective does this speaker provide?
Add Third Speaker

Section

Speaker 3: Name
Speaker 3: Name
First Name
Last Name
Does this speaker qualify for waived registration fees?
Is this speaker confirmed?
What perspective does this speaker provide?
Add Fourth Speaker (not recommended)

Section

Speaker 4: Name
Speaker 4: Name
First Name
Last Name
Does this speaker qualify for waived registration fees?
Is this speaker confirmed?
What perspective does this speaker provide?

Moderators play a critical role in creating successful sessions. It is important that a moderator is chosen based on their demonstrated ability to be effective in this role, their clear understanding of the expectations of them, and their understanding of the issues to be covered in the session they are participating in. Forum Organizers have the following expectation that all of the session moderators will be able to do the following:

    • Briefly introduce the session and the topic, and explain the session format to participants.
    • Briefly introduce each speaker (brief biographies will be provided).
    • Keep each speaker to their allotted presentation time (e.g., 5, 10,15, or 20 minutes).
    • Cut speakers off if they run long, so as not to intrude on the next speaker’s presentation time, or the time designated for the interactive component of the session.
    • Be prepared to ask speakers pointed questions about their presentation during the interactive component of the session.
    • Facilitate the interactive component of the session, if necessary.
Moderator Name
Moderator Name
First Name
Last Name
Does the moderator qualify for waived registration fees?
Is the moderator confirmed?
What perspective does this moderator provide?