To: [insert name]
From: [insert name]

Subject: bbcon 2026 – Great opportunity for our team

Dear [insert supervisor's name],

I’d like to get your approval to attend bbcon 2026, Blackbaud’s annual conference for its customer community, in Columbus from September 29-October 1.

The event would be a win-win: My goal in attending is to make sure we’re getting the maximum value from our investment in Blackbaud software, plus attending would be a great professional development opportunity for me personally. 

Here are some ways [name of organization] would benefit from my attendance: 

  • Making the most of our Blackbaud investment: There are more than 100+ breakout sessions for me to learn more about how to use our software. 
  • Growing our network: This is the largest gathering of Blackbaud customers in the world, so I’ll have the opportunity to build our network with peers from other organizations. 
  • Investigating opportunities for tech stack: The event also includes dozens of Blackbaud’s technology partners, so I’ll have the opportunity to explore any enhancements to our tech stack we should be thinking about. 

[If selecting pre-conference workshops, include below justification]
If approved, I can also participate in a full day of hands-on learning focused on [specify products]. These workshops offer focused, small-group instruction from Blackbaud University experts and may qualify for NASBA CPE or CFRE credits. This would expand my skills in ways I can apply immediately to support the team's goals.

Here’s an approximate breakdown of the costs: 

  • Registration: [insert based on current pricing] 
  • Airfare: [insert] (Typical roundtrip fares to Columbus this time of year are around $400-500, depending on your home airport) 
  • Hotel: $190-$300 per night (based on Blackbaud's hotel block options – check them out here) 
  • Meals not covered by the conference: $100 (most meals are included in registration, except dinner) 
  • Total: [insert] 

After bbcon, I’ll prepare a post-conference report highlighting key takeaways, actionable recommendations, and learnings so I can share everything I absorbed at the conference with other team members, and potentially the larger organization. 

Thank you for considering my request. Looking forward to your reply. 

[NAME]