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Justify Your Attendance

Need assistance receiving company approval to attend NAFA’s Institute & Expo? We’ve got you covered.

Since you’ve found this page, you recognize the value of attending I&E. In this I&E Attendee Justification Toolkit, you will find support materials that will help make your business case to your supervisor and organization, hopefully leading to the approval and support of your attendance at the premier fleet event of the year. We hope to see you in San Antonio this April!

Helpful Tips on How to Get Approval

Many travel budgets and training budgets have been slashed, and some organizations are experiencing severe financial problems, meaning that, regardless of the merits of a conference, you will probably need to justify the expense. Here are helpful tips to keep in mind:

  • ● Focus on what you will specifically bring back to the organization as return for the investment. Here are some questions to ask yourself while preparing to ask for approval:
  • Offer to prepare and deliver a short presentation and Q&A to your colleagues to share what you learned. That way others in your unit will get the benefits of your attendance, too.
  • Share the speaker handouts with your colleagues. As an attendee, you have unlimited access to materials posted by speakers.
  • If you are working to obtain your CAFM designation, remind your supervisor that this is a great way to fast-track your learning by attending CAFM Live.
  • Be ready with a plan that shows who will cover for you while you are attending the conference.
  • Be sure to check out the registration page where all the various rates are listed to see if you qualify for any of the lower rates or discounts. NAFA offers an Early Bird rate through January 31, 2024. Additionally, NAFA members receive a greatly reduced registration rate, and groups of five or more attendees from the same organization receive a significant registration discount.

2024 Institute & Expo Attendance Justification Letter

If sending an email to your supervisor will assist you in getting approval to attend, check out the below justification letter template for you to customize and personalize.

To:
From:
Re: NAFA 2024 Institute & Expo Attendance

I am requesting approval to attend our profession’s most comprehensive event, the NAFA 2024 Institute & Expo, taking place April 22-24 in San Antonio, TX. It offers three days of learning industry and management best practices through 35+ hours of educational sessions, and professional network building within all sectors of the fleet industry. It is the one event that brings together the entirety of fleet and can result in an immediate ROI.

In particular, I’d like to focus on finding solutions or best practices that could benefit <add projects or initiatives>. By attending the following sessions, <insert session titles>, I will gain valuable insights which will directly impact these projects, saving the organization time and expense. These sessions are led by subject-matter experts and industry leaders, plus with NAFA’s reputation of providing top-notch knowledge, I’ll be receiving best-in-class education.

In addition to trend-focused education sessions, hands-on workshops, and other networking and learning opportunities, NAFA’s 2024 I&E offers the chance to problem solve with suppliers and partners. The exhibition features nearly 200 of the industry’s leading suppliers, making it an ideal place to pick up new ideas to drive better results. The registration fee for a <NAFA Fleet Manager/non-member fleet manager/NAFA Associate Member/non-member supplier> is <look up cost here>. Early bird registration reduces the fee by $200 before January 31!

Here’s an approximate breakdown of this investment:

TOTAL: $[insert]

Peers say that attending I&E delivers incredible value. I’ll learn how to implement the latest best practices and discover new trends. I’ll develop better contacts with industry experts, and I’ll get a hands-on opportunity to evaluate the latest innovations to see which fit our needs/goals. These “wins” will pay off in the form of<[higher sales, streamlined practices, tested solutions, increased efficiencies> and an expanded network of peers to call upon when we need them―all invaluable to our organization.

Upon return to the office, I will submit a post-conference report that will include an executive summary, major takeaways, tips, and a set of recommendations based on what I gathered during I&E. I also can share relevant information with my colleagues.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to your reply.

Regards,
<Your name>