Call for Proposals
Interested in speaking at an educational event for the Association of Oregon Counties?
AOC hosts educational programs throughout the year for which we encourage our members and partners to contribute content. We are always seeking new ideas, solutions, and innovations to leverage opportunities and overcome challenges that confront county leaders. For each event, our goal is to create a balanced program that consistently meets the needs of our membership. In order to provide the best content for our members, we are accepting ongoing proposals that we will evaluate on a rolling basis
Target Audience
The primary target audience for educational content is county officials and staff.
AOC’s in-person educational event is the AOC Annual Conference, held in November. Proposals are due by June 30. Online educational opportunities include webinars, live streaming, and podcasts.
Content Submission Process
AOC welcomes submissions from counties, affiliate/associate members, and private and non-profit partners.
The Call for Proposal Form will be used on a rolling basis for any of AOC’s educational programs. As a speaker, you have the opportunity to submit multiple topic ideas for multiple events. Once you fill out the form, you will be automatically notified that AOC has received your proposal. You can submit as many proposals as you wish. If your topic ideas have been selected or is in review, AOC staff will reach out to you regarding the next steps. Please note, that you may not hear from us immediately.
Review and Selection Process
Once AOC receives your proposal, it will be stored in a submission database. Depending on the time of year, the review and selection process will vary. To receive optimum consideration for your proposal, we recommend the following:
- Ensure that each proposal is complete, accurate, and clear.
- Ensure that the content is current with the issues and topics that affect county leaders.
- Ensure that the content provides innovative ideas and solutions.
- Provide clear and specific content linked to at least three learning objectives that show real-world applications.
- For panel or multiple speaker sessions, please ensure that you provide a balanced perspective to include diverse viewpoints, backgrounds, organizations, and partners.
- Submissions will be kept on file for a year. AOC may choose to utilize your topic presented, or in a modified manner at any of our in-person or online educational events.
County College
The County College program began in 2006 in partnership with the Oregon State University Extension Service, and for four years, ran every year. Since the 2009 class, it has run every other year in odd years. Designed primarily for new commissioners, judges, chairs, and high-level staff, the program offers a comprehensive overview of the responsibilities and authorities of a county, and a county commissioner, judge, or chair, including legal, government ethics, public meetings, and records, parliamentary procedure, and much more.
The class also covers the primary service areas of community and economic development, finance, human services, infrastructure and public works, and public safety, in addition to sessions on leadership and management (risk management, communications, emergency management, personal and courthouse security, etc.). The strong partnership between counties and the Oregon State University Extension Service is also explored. With a class size of between 20 to 30 members, one of the most valuable benefits is the networking that takes place and the relationships that are built.
2025 County College Program Scholarships
New this year, AOC has partnered with The Ford Family Foundation to offer up to 25 scholarships to newly elected commissioners, judges, chairs and high-level county staff to attend the 2025 County College Program. To be eligible for the scholarship, participants are required to register for the County College Program by Dec. 31.
Following registration, AOC will communicate to each eligible participant the details of the scholarship and next steps. Scholarships will be offered to newly elected commissioners, judges, and chairs with a rural population of 20% or higher according to The Ford Family Foundation’s Oregon by the Numbers Report. Scholarships may cover up to 100% of the program’s tuition as well as provide funds to cover travel, lodging, and per diem. All selected recipients of the scholarship will be notified of their scholarship award by Jan. 10.
Questions? Please contact events@oregoncounties.org for more information on the 2025 County College Program Scholarship.
2025 County College Schedule
| Date | Location | Agenda |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 16-18 | Oregon State University, Corvallis | Oregon Counties and AOC Leadership Government Ethics Public Meetings Legal Provisions of County Government Higher Education: Programs and Partnerships Legislative Process/Advocacy |
| Feb. 20-22 | Association of Oregon Counties, Salem | County Finance County Governance Community Development |
| April 17-19 | Association of Oregon Counties, Salem | Health and Human Services Veterans |
| May 15-17 | Association of Oregon Counties, Salem | Public Safety Natural Resources Economic Development |
| June 26-28 | Association of Oregon Counties, Salem | Transportation |
Membership Exchange Program
The Membership Exchange Program is a one year program designed to provide commissioners, judges, and chairs the opportunity to connect with their peers, build relationships, and learn best practices and innovative solutions from counties throughout the state.
Applicants will be placed in pairs or small groups and encouraged to plan county visits to get on the ground exposure to county successes, projects, and programs across diverse geographic regions and county structures. If you have any questions about the program, please contact Kristen Paul.
The applications are closed for the 2024-2025 program. Applications for the 2025-2026 program will open in June 2025.
2024-2025 Timeline
Annual District Meetings
Each year, AOC holds eight district meetings where AOC’s member counties gather with regional partners for collaboration and knowledge sharing on the most important issues facing their communities. These meetings are typically held in person, and hosted by a member county within the district.
2024 Meeting Schedule and Materials
| District | Date | Host County | Meeting Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct. 3 | Grant | District 1 Agenda |
| 2 | Sept. 30 | Lake | District 2 Agenda |
| 3 | Oct. 4 | Hood River | District 3 Agenda |
| 4 | Oct. 11 | Curry | District 4 Agenda |
| 5 | Sept. 13 | Benton | District 5 Agenda |
| 6 | Sept. 19 | Marion | District 6 Agenda |
| 7 | Sept. 16 | Clatsop | District 7 Agenda |
| 8 | Sept. 11 | Washington | District 8 Agenda |
Oregon Trails
Oregon Trails is an email newsletter published monthly on the first day of most months. AOC staff report on county issues, and share state and federal news, events, and opportunities.