Achieving the Dream (ATD) is pleased to issue this Call for Session Proposals for DREAM 2027, which will be held Feb. 2–5, 2027, in Columbus, Ohio. Join us in advancing higher education as a driver of student success, economic mobility, and community transformation.
Please review the proposal requirements carefully. Complete all sections of the online proposal form. Drafts can be saved and edited and will not be submitted until you hit the “Submit” button. You must hit the “Submit” button on or before 11:59 p.m. ET on September 20, 2026, for your proposal to be considered.
PROPOSAL OVERVIEW
All session proposals must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 20, 2026.
Multiple proposals may be submitted, but only one will be accepted from any one institution. (This does not apply to proposals co-authored by multiple institutions.) Priority for proposal selection is given to ATD community college partners within the ATD Network.
Vendors and service providers may apply, but acceptance is not guaranteed. If interested in submitting a presentation as a sponsor, please contact Dayna Gilliard, associate director of development, at dgilliard@achievingthedream.org.
All applicants will be notified via email of the status of their proposals by November 16, 2026.
Download the complete DREAM 2027 submission guidelines here.
Download the DREAM Proposal Form for offline work here.
Proposal Submitter and Session Leader Responsibilities:
Please review and agree to the responsibilities of proposal submitters and session leaders.
Proposal submitters will serve as the point of contact for ATD regarding the sessions. They are responsible for communicating all messaging to and from the Session Leaders.
Handouts and PowerPoint Presentations
All session leaders must submit their session materials (including PowerPoint presentations) to ATD no later than January 20, 2027. They will be posted on the DREAM 2027 website so they can be viewed by the ATD Network.
Instructions for submitting presentation materials will be provided when colleges are notified that a session has been accepted.
Session leaders should anticipate and plan for an audience size of 100 to 150 participants.
Registration and Related Costs
All session leaders must register for DREAM 2027. Submitting a proposal or leading a session does not register you for DREAM.
Each ATD Network college is allotted a certain number of complimentary registrations. The number of session leaders from your institution will not affect the number of complimentary registrations your institution is allotted. Information on the complimentary registrations will be provided to your campus Core team leader.
PROPOSAL COMPLETION
You will receive a confirmation email after officially submitting your proposal. You will be able to preview and edit your proposal until the review process begins.
PROPOSAL WITHDRAWAL
If for any reason you want to withdraw your proposal, please return to your proposal and update the status to “Withdrawn.” You can undo this change any time prior to September 20, 2026.
TIMELINE
Session Submission Deadline: September 20, 2026
Session Selections Announced: November 16, 2026
Deadline for Session Materials: January 20, 2027
DREAM Begins: February 2, 2027
Survey Apply Instructions
Register: Click the “Register” link in the top right corner and set up your log-in credentials.
Provide Basic Information: When signing up for a new account, you will be prompted to provide some basic information such as your name, email address, and organization (if applicable). Fill in the required fields and click "Next" or "Continue."
Choose a Username: After providing your basic information, you will be asked to choose a username for your Survey Apply account. The username should be unique and not already taken by another user. It is essential to pick a username that you can easily remember and that reflects your identity or organization.
Check Availability: Once you have entered your desired username, click on the "Check Availability" or "Verify" button. Survey Apply will verify if the username is available or if you need to select an alternative option.
Create a Password: After confirming the availability of your chosen username, you will be asked to create a secure password. The password should be strong, containing a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Ensure the password is unique and not used for other accounts.
Confirm Your Account: Depending on the platform's setup, you might receive an email to confirm your account. Click on the confirmation link provided in the email to verify your email address and activate your Survey Apply account.
Log In with Your Username: After completing the account setup process, return to the Survey Apply login page. Enter your chosen username and the password you created during sign-up, then click on the "Log In" button, which will take you to your application portal, where you can find resources and add/edit your application as often as you like until the deadline.
Questions or Concerns
If you have questions or concerns regarding the proposal process, contact events@achievingthedream.org.
DREAM 2027 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Achieving the Dream (ATD) is pleased to issue this Call for Session Proposals for DREAM 2027, which will be held Feb. 2–5, 2027, in Columbus, Ohio. Join us in advancing higher education as a driver of student success, economic mobility, and community transformation.
Please review the proposal requirements carefully. Complete all sections of the online proposal form. Drafts can be saved and edited and will not be submitted until you hit the “Submit” button. You must hit the “Submit” button on or before 11:59 p.m. ET on September 20, 2026, for your proposal to be considered.
PROPOSAL OVERVIEW
All session proposals must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 20, 2026.
Multiple proposals may be submitted, but only one will be accepted from any one institution. (This does not apply to proposals co-authored by multiple institutions.) Priority for proposal selection is given to ATD community college partners within the ATD Network.
Vendors and service providers may apply, but acceptance is not guaranteed. If interested in submitting a presentation as a sponsor, please contact Dayna Gilliard, associate director of development, at dgilliard@achievingthedream.org.
All applicants will be notified via email of the status of their proposals by November 16, 2026.
Download the complete DREAM 2027 submission guidelines here.
Download the DREAM Proposal Form for offline work here.
Proposal Submitter and Session Leader Responsibilities:
Please review and agree to the responsibilities of proposal submitters and session leaders.
Proposal submitters will serve as the point of contact for ATD regarding the sessions. They are responsible for communicating all messaging to and from the Session Leaders.
Handouts and PowerPoint Presentations
All session leaders must submit their session materials (including PowerPoint presentations) to ATD no later than January 20, 2027. They will be posted on the DREAM 2027 website so they can be viewed by the ATD Network.
Instructions for submitting presentation materials will be provided when colleges are notified that a session has been accepted.
Session leaders should anticipate and plan for an audience size of 100 to 150 participants.
Registration and Related Costs
All session leaders must register for DREAM 2027. Submitting a proposal or leading a session does not register you for DREAM.
Each ATD Network college is allotted a certain number of complimentary registrations. The number of session leaders from your institution will not affect the number of complimentary registrations your institution is allotted. Information on the complimentary registrations will be provided to your campus Core team leader.
PROPOSAL COMPLETION
You will receive a confirmation email after officially submitting your proposal. You will be able to preview and edit your proposal until the review process begins.
PROPOSAL WITHDRAWAL
If for any reason you want to withdraw your proposal, please return to your proposal and update the status to “Withdrawn.” You can undo this change any time prior to September 20, 2026.
TIMELINE
Session Submission Deadline: September 20, 2026
Session Selections Announced: November 16, 2026
Deadline for Session Materials: January 20, 2027
DREAM Begins: February 2, 2027
Survey Apply Instructions
Register: Click the “Register” link in the top right corner and set up your log-in credentials.
Provide Basic Information: When signing up for a new account, you will be prompted to provide some basic information such as your name, email address, and organization (if applicable). Fill in the required fields and click "Next" or "Continue."
Choose a Username: After providing your basic information, you will be asked to choose a username for your Survey Apply account. The username should be unique and not already taken by another user. It is essential to pick a username that you can easily remember and that reflects your identity or organization.
Check Availability: Once you have entered your desired username, click on the "Check Availability" or "Verify" button. Survey Apply will verify if the username is available or if you need to select an alternative option.
Create a Password: After confirming the availability of your chosen username, you will be asked to create a secure password. The password should be strong, containing a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Ensure the password is unique and not used for other accounts.
Confirm Your Account: Depending on the platform's setup, you might receive an email to confirm your account. Click on the confirmation link provided in the email to verify your email address and activate your Survey Apply account.
Log In with Your Username: After completing the account setup process, return to the Survey Apply login page. Enter your chosen username and the password you created during sign-up, then click on the "Log In" button, which will take you to your application portal, where you can find resources and add/edit your application as often as you like until the deadline.
Questions or Concerns
If you have questions or concerns regarding the proposal process, contact events@achievingthedream.org.