Call for Proposals

Host the 2028 Public Management Research Conference

Open to institutions in the United States | Proposals due November 1, 2026

View the Call for Proposals Submit a Host Application View the Budget Template

Proposals are due November 1, 2026. The PMRA Board will notify applicants of its decision in December 2026.

The Public Management Research Association (PMRA) invites proposals from U.S. institutions to host the 2028 Public Management Research Conference (PMRC). PMRC is the premier gathering for public management scholars and practitioners. Recent conferences have welcomed more than 450 registrants, and roughly 30 to 35 percent of attendees are PhD students. Proposals are reviewed by the PMRA Board, which evaluates institutional capacity, logistical readiness, participant support, and commitment to an inclusive conference environment.

New for 2028: PMRA Will Provide the Conference Platform

At its September 24, 2026 meeting, the PMRA Board voted to invest in a PMRA-hosted conference platform for PMRC hosts, beginning with PMRC 2028. Until now, each host institution has selected, contracted for, and built its own software for abstract submission, registration, and event management. Starting in 2028, PMRA will provide and maintain that platform.

For host institutions, this means:

  • Less administrative burden: no vendor vetting or short-term software contracts, so host teams can focus on content and programming.
  • Faster setup: each host can start from the prior year's forms, design, and workflows instead of building from scratch.
  • A consistent experience: members, presenters, and attendees use the same login, submission process, and event navigation year to year.

What Proposals Should Address

The Call for Proposals includes a checklist of 18 items across seven sections:

  • Institutional Identity: host institution(s), conference coordinator(s), and planning committee.
  • Logistics and Capacity: proposed dates, participant capacity, facilities and lodging, and disability accommodations.
  • Financial: a proposed budget using the PMRA Budget Template, plus transportation options and costs.
  • Participant Support: support for graduate students, such as reduced fees and lower-cost lodging.
  • Technology and Operations: website, registration, proposal submission, and hybrid capability.
  • Institutional Qualifications: conference-hosting experience and a letter of institutional support.
  • Values and Commitments: plans for an inclusive, welcoming conference and post-conference deliverables.

Full requirements, suggested lengths, and guidance for each item are in the Call for Proposals.

Key Dates

November 1, 2026 Proposal deadline
December 2026 PMRA Board decision and notification

Questions

Contact Kellye Mazzoli, PMRA Manager, at [email protected], and copy Lael Keiser, PMRA President, at [email protected].

Ready to apply?

Submit a Host Application