NABA Attendance Justification Toolkit 2015

NABA, INC. Attendance Justification“Lifting As We Climb” N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F B L A C K A C C O U N T A N T S , I N C .Connect. Toolkit Collaborate.Bridging the Cultivate.Generational Divide

NABA, INC.“Lifting As We Climb” N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F B L A C K A C C O U N T A N T S , I N C . 2015 National Convention & ExpoAttendance Justification ToolkitYou already know that at the NABA National Convention & Expo you will get first-hand access to the latesttrends in the field and best practices that will increase your knowledge, transform your career and maximizeyour contribution at work. There are numerous opportunities to network with other professionals in theaccounting, finance and business operations professions that can help you identify opportunities andsuccessfully overcome challenges you are facing in your journey to advance and succeed in the workplace. But how do you share the value of this event with your supervisor in order to help justify your attendance? LDI Courses: 06/09-10/15 This toolkit includes:Technical Sessions: 06/10-13/15  General Tips  Reasons Why Your Employer Should Send You to the 2015 NABA National Convention & Expo  How to Justify Conference Attendance  Sample Expense Worksheet  Articulate the Benefits  Sample Justification Letter

NABA, INC. 2015 National Convention & Expo“Lifting As We Climb” N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F B L A C K A C C O U N T A N T S , I N C . Attendance Justification ToolkitGeneral TipsThings to consider that will help justify your travel and meeting expense: Check out the registration page and make sure you know the date of the next price increase andwhat the different package choices are. Be ready to present the exact amount. Focus on specific benefits/value that you will bring back to your office as a return on investment. Share your experience. Propose to deliver a short presentation to your colleagues to share what youlearned and offer possible applications and recommendations relevant to your office. Share relevant meeting materials with colleagues that will benefit from the handouts and other learningmaterials from the meeting. Prepare a plan that will show your supervisor who will cover for you and how your workload will behandled while you are attending the meeting. If you need CPE credits, remind your supervisor that the NABA National Convention & Expo is agreat opportunity to earn up to at least 18 CPEs at a very reasonable cost compared to other conferences.

NABA, INC. 2015 National Convention & Expo“Lifting As We Climb” N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F B L A C K A C C O U N T A N T S , I N C . Attendance Justification ToolkitReasons why your employer should send you tothe 2015 NABA National Convention & Expo The NABA National Convention brings together nearly 2,000 participants from across thecountry from multiple disciplines in the industry. You wouldn’t want to miss this gathering ofaccounting, finance and business professionals and the opportunity to learn best practices from yourcolleagues. The 2015 education tracks have something for everyone and offer a wide range of sessions toreach professionals in every segment of the field – accounting, finance, audit, information technology,human resources, consulting and other business professionals. Educational tracks are available to helpidentify content targeted to your area of specialty and interest. Extensive learning opportunities with over 50 educational sessions to choose from andopportunity to earn at least 18 hours of CPE credits. The convention will showcase cutting edge andtimely topics impacting accounting and finance professionals in the marketplace and workplace, as wellas provide opportunities to connect with subject matter experts for the exchange of ideas. Attendees will experience diverse learning formats including skills-based interactive educationaldelivery designed to maximize the learning experience.

NABA, INC. 2015 National Convention & Expo“Lifting As We Climb” N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F B L A C K A C C O U N T A N T S , I N C . Attendance Justification Toolkit Face-to-face networking opportunities. Accounting, Finance and other Business professionalsfrom diverse disciplines and practices gather to share their knowledge and experience, allowing youto meet people that you can rely on for support and information. Professional relationships motivate and enhance your impact to your own organization, and the2015 NABA National Convention will provide you with invaluable opportunities to makeconnections. Hear the latest trends from the top corporate industry leaders, agencies and key organizationssuch as the The \"Big 4\", AICPA, FDIC, State Street, Cargill, Crowe Horwath, The Boeing Companyand many more! Your commitment to volunteer at the Convention to support this nonprofit’s mission is animportant part of your civic duty. Social responsibility is a characteristic your company values andmakes you a greater asset to the team. Supporting your attendance at the NABA National Convention demonstrates the authenticityof your employer’s commitment to helping their diverse workforce feel valued, supported andultimately retained.

NABA, INC. 2015 National Convention & Expo“Lifting As We Climb” N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F B L A C K A C C O U N T A N T S , I N C . Attendance Justification Toolkit How to Justify +Benefits of Attending Conference Attendance - Cost to Employer Expense or investment = Return on Investment Return on Investment (“how much benefit/profit will your organization gain relative to the expense it will incur, if your organization sends you to the convention?”) Understand Your Conference Expenses Complete an Expense Worksheet to develop a cost estimate for attending the 2015 NABA National Convention. See sample worksheet.

NABA, INC. 2015 National Convention & Expo“Lifting As We Climb” N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F B L A C K A C C O U N T A N T S , I N C . Attendance Justification Toolkit Sample Expense WorksheetExpense Notes CostRegistration Fee (include any Registration Fee includes $ 1150.00additional fees associated with 1. 18 CPE sessions (member rate ifcourses or events you wish to 2. 4 events that provide free food purchased beforeattend like the LDI sessions) 3. 2 free 1-hour online CPEs courses* 5/15/15)Airfare and Baggage Fees 4. More than 8 hours of networking with accomplished professionals in your given field $ Are there air mileage points available to offset airfare? There are several airlines that fly in to Las Vegas where Bags Fly FreeLodging Number of nights x room rate x 12% tax rate $Transportation Fees Taxi/Car rental/Airport Shuttle. Current estimate $ for one-way cab fare - $26Mileage/Parking Driving to conference or to the airport for your $reimbursement flight? Other modes of transportation?Food Per Diem Refer to your company’s policy on food per diem. $ Tell your employer that you may not need to use all of the per diem allocated since there will be 4 events where food is provided.Misc. reimbursable expenses Tips, internet fees, etc. $ SUBTOTAL $ Multiply total number of staff attending from your company TOTAL $* Only available with the full-price member and non-member convention packages. Reduced-fee packages excluded.

NABA, INC. 2015 National Convention & Expo“Lifting As We Climb” N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F B L A C K A C C O U N T A N T S , I N C . Attendance Justification Toolkit Prepare Your “Elevator Speech” Whether it comes up before or after you’ve submitted your formal request to attend, you can be certain that an opportunity – a 60 second opportunity – will arise for you to confidently and succinctly convey the importance of attending the 2015 NABA National Convention. Every company and boss are different so make sure you know which things are going to be most persuasive with your boss, in your environment, and have those bullets committed to memory, if not well rehearsed. Some examples may be: Over 50 top rated technical and development sessions to choose from to earn at least 18 CPEs 4 days, concentrated to sharpen technical skills, develop leadership expertise and build knowledge of other practices and innovations to consider Networking opportunities to form meaningful connections for professional support Sharing gained knowledge with others in the workplace upon return

NABA, INC. 2015 National Convention & Expo“Lifting As We Climb” N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F B L A C K A C C O U N T A N T S , I N C . Attendance Justification ToolkitSample Justification LetterHere is a sample Justification Letter you can use as a template to help explain the benefits you will get(and be able to share) by attending the 2015 NABA National Convention and Expo:Date __________Dear (Supervisor’s Name) _____________________________,I would like to request approval to attend the 2015 National Convention & Expo of the National Associationof Black Accountants, held June 10 - 13, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference offers four days oftraining from experienced industry practitioners, includes the organization’s annual business meeting andprovides the opportunity to connect with like-professionals from across the country.The NABA National Convention is widely regarded as the leading forum for African-American accounting, financeand business professionals and I believe it will further sharpen my technical skills, develop my leadershipexpertise and build my knowledge of other company’s innovations and best practices that could be of benefitto [company name].After reviewing the program materials in detail, I have identified and attached a listing of sessions that I feelare most relevant and would provide the most value to my professional growth, as well as give me practicaltools to bring back to the team.Your support of my attendance to this conference would include the registration fees, transportation costs,room and board and other travel expenses. A detailed cost breakdown is attached. I anticipate the totalexpense to be approximately $________.I appreciate [your company name] commitment to developing and supporting a diverse workforce which I amproud to be a part of. Your support of my attendance at the NABA National Convention acknowledges the value[company name] places on supporting and cultivating that diversity in both tradition and non-traditional ways.Thank you for considering the support of my attendance at the 2015 NABA National Convention and Expo.Sincerely,

NABA, INC. 2015 National Convention & Expo“Lifting As We Climb” N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F B L A C K A C C O U N T A N T S , I N C . Attendance Justification Toolkit Convention Quick LinksABOUT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACKACCOUNTANTSABOUT THE 2015 NABA NATIONAL CONVENTIONAND EXPOTHE CONVENTION AT A GLANCETHE SCHEDULE AT A GLANCECPE TECHNICAL AND DEVELOPMENT SESSIONSLEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE TRACKSREGISTRATION LINKHOUSING / HOTEL RESERVATION LINKDOWNLOAD THIS TOOLKIT AS PDF