Call for Proposals (CFP)
Open solicitation inviting speakers and presenters to submit session proposals for conferences.
Definition
A Call for Proposals (CFP) is an open invitation for speakers to submit presentation ideas for consideration. CFPs typically define topics, formats, evaluation criteria, and submission requirements. A review committee evaluates submissions to build the conference program.
CFPs democratize speaker selection beyond invited speakers, surfacing diverse voices and unexpected topics.
Why It Matters
CFPs expand the speaker pool beyond personal networks, discovering fresh perspectives and emerging voices. They also create transparent selection processes that reduce bias.
For industry conferences, CFPs signal openness and build community ownership of the event.
Examples in Practice
A tech conference receives 400 CFP submissions for 50 speaking slots, enabling selective curation.
A CFP specifies evaluation criteria including relevance, originality, and speaker experience, ensuring consistent review.
A conference uses blind review for initial CFP rounds to reduce bias toward known speakers.