Promoting Partnerships To Improve Veterans’ Health

NPC CORE OPERATIONS TRACK

(Ritz-Carlton Ballroom)

Friction to Function: Managing HR Complexities Across NPC–VA Relationships

This session will revisit essential HR fundamentals to help ensure your hiring processes are resilient in the face of ongoing challenges. Topics will include conducting effective performance reviews, structuring positions and remuneration, and managing workplace conflict. Attendees will learn best practices for aligning VA requirements with NPC needs, while complying with state and federal policies. Leave equipped with practical strategies for strengthening your HR foundation.

LEADERSHIP/GOVERNANCE TRACK

(Ambassador Room)

Engaging with Executive Leadership Team: Where Insight Meets Impact

Moderators will focus on engaging executive leadership (panelists) how they are investing in their facility’s research enterprise, and what strategies they utilize to overcome the pernicious barriers (lack of resources, manpower, infrastructure).

Panelists will share their insights on “force multipliers” and “measurable momentum” in growing research and innovation at their facilities.

RESEARCH APPLICATIONS TRACK 

(Diplomat Room)

Indirect Cost Rates - Changes are Coming

Major changes are coming to the way nonprofits recover their indirect costs on federal awards.  The Federal Government is pushing for a cap of 15%, how will your organization recover its costs?

Learn how you can be prepared for this change by joining a discussion of the different possible options for recovering your indirect costs, including the FAIR Model now being proposed to Congress.  If implemented, what are the next steps for your organization? 

This overview will give you the basic tools needed to start reviewing your current accounting structure, software, and indirect costs allocation model so that you can create a plan and are not caught unprepared for anticipated changes.

NPC CORE OPERATIONS TRACK

(Ritz-Carlton Ballroom)

The Latest and Greatest on VA Policies and Procedures

An opportunity for key VA offices to provide an update on VA policies that have immediate impacts on NPC operations.

LEADERSHIP/GOVERNANCE TRACK

(Ambassador Room)

Having Difficult Conversations

Leadership often requires making difficult decisions for the good of the organization and the research program, but these decisions often create the need to deliver bad news or make difficult asks of subordinates and partners. This session shares strategies for how NPC leaders and others can manage difficult conversations and making them as productive as possible.

RESEARCH APPLICATIONS TRACK 

(Diplomat Room)

Engaging Industry

Presentation from an industry partner supporting the conference.

NPC CORE OPERATIONS TRACK

(Ritz-Carlton Ballroom)

Stronger Together: Proven Strategies to Engage and Empower PIs

Explore proven strategies for strengthening relationships between NPCs and VA Principal Investigators (PIs). This session will highlight effective approaches to outreach, clear and transparent communication, and ways to position PIs as champions for research. Attendees will also learn how to partner with their ACOS to amplify visibility, expand engagement, and ensure research efforts are widely understood and supported.

LEADERSHIP/GOVERNANCE TRACK

(Ambassador Room)

Working With the Affiliate: New Models of Partnership

New models of partnership with academic affiliates. This session will showcase concrete examples of exciting partnerships between NPCs and their academic affiliates, following up on the sessions on academic affiliate partnerships at the 2025 conference.

RESEARCH APPLICATIONS TRACK 

(Diplomat Room)

Going Further With Industry Partnerships

Successful examples of NPCs connecting with industry, forming partnerships, and bringing projects to fruition. Includes readouts of NAVREF's State of the Science series and resulting industry partnerships.

Pulling Together NPC Policies: Is your board up to date on essential policies? This session will guide Nonprofit Corporations (NPCs) in reviewing and updating board policies to align with current national standards. Key focus areas include residual funds, board terms, investments, travel, academic affiliation, whistleblower protection, social media, and codes of ethics. Consideration will also be given to how bylaws intersect with these policies, helping participants ensure ongoing compliance and effective governance in these critical domains.

(Ritz-Carlton Ballroom)

Connecting the Disconnected: Getting boards and leaders engaged

(Ambassador Room)

Reaching Research Sites: Navigating the vast research ecosystem

(Diplomat Room)

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

Human Resources

(Invitation Only - Boardroom)

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

OGC STAR

(Invitation Only - Directors Room)

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

TBD

(Invitation Only - TBD)

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

FIELD OPS

(Invitation Only - TBD)