GCUC Blog

Securing GCUC Conference Funding from Your Leadership Team: Email Template

By Stormy McBride On January 16, 2025 In CommunityGCUC North America

Why Conference Attendance Matters

In today’s competitive coworking landscape, professional development isn’t just a perk – it’s a necessity. Yet many community managers and operations professionals struggle to secure funding for industry conferences, often missing out on valuable opportunities for growth, networking, and skill development.

GCUC (Global Coworking Unconference Conference) stands out as the industry’s premier event, offering specialized tracks designed specifically for the people who make coworking spaces thrive: the community managers, operations teams, and hospitality professionals who create exceptional member experiences every day.

The most successful coworking brands understand that investing in their teams’ development creates stronger spaces and more satisfied members. When community teams attend GCUC, organizations see multiple returns on their investment:

Immediate Business Impact

GCUC’s tactical tracks provide actionable strategies for improving member engagement, space operations, and revenue optimization that you can implement immediately. You’ll learn best practices for everything from member retention to community programming from industry leaders who’ve proven what works.

Professional Growth & Retention

In an industry where exceptional community managers are highly sought after, professional development opportunities signal your organization’s commitment to growth. Conference attendance builds loyalty and provides the kind of enriching experiences that keep top talent engaged and growing.

Competitive Advantage & Network Building

The connections made at GCUC become an invaluable resource long after the conference ends. You’ll build a network of peers facing similar challenges, learn about emerging industry trends, and gain insights that keep your space ahead of the curve.

This Year’s Special Focus

GCUC 2024 features dedicated tracks specifically designed for community and operations teams. With programming that addresses your day-to-day challenges and opportunities, you’ll gain practical skills while connecting with others in similar roles.

Ready to Make Your Case?

Use the template below as a starting point, but remember to personalize it with your specific achievements, challenges, and goals. The most compelling requests connect conference opportunities directly to your space’s success.

Use this template

Subject: GCUC Boston Conference – Growth Opportunity for Our Space

Hi [Manager’s Name],

I wanted to reach out about an exciting opportunity – GCUC (the coworking industry’s biggest conference) is headed to Boston, and I’d love to attend! The GCUC team reached out specifically inviting community teams and operations staff this year, and they’ve provided a special discounted registration.

Why I’m excited about this:

  • They’ve created special tracks just for people in my role, focused on the day-to-day challenges we face
  • It’s a chance to learn from (and connect with) other community managers who really get what we do
  • I’ll come back with fresh ideas and strategies we can implement right away

The Investment:

Conference Registration: [insert current price] (minus 20% with discount code COMMUNITY23)

Travel Costs: [estimated amount]

Accommodation: [estimated amount]

Total Estimated Investment: [total amount]

What We’ll Get Out of It:

  1. Practical Skills: The workshops are super hands-on – everything from member engagement to space operations
  2. Network: Direct connections with other spaces facing similar challenges
  3. Fresh Perspective: New ideas to keep us competitive and growing

My Commitment:

  • I’ll share everything I learn with the team
  • Create an action plan for implementing the best ideas
  • Build relationships with other spaces that could lead to partnerships
  • [Optional: I can help reduce costs by volunteering at the event]

[Optional Value Demonstration Section]

In the past year, I’ve contributed to our space’s success through:

  • Increased member retention from [X]% to [Y]%
  • Launched [X] new community initiatives resulting in [Y] positive member reviews
  • Achieved [X]% revenue growth in additional services
  • Maintained [X]% member satisfaction rating
  • Successfully organized [X] events with average attendance of [Y] members
  • [Add other relevant metrics and achievements]

Many successful spaces like Workbar and Perfect Office make it a priority to send their teams to GCUC, seeing it as an investment that pays off in both team growth and space success.

I’d love to grab 15 minutes to talk more about this opportunity and how we can make it work. The conference is coming up [date], so I wanted to get this on your radar.

Thanks for considering this!

Best, [Your Name]

P.S. You can check out the full conference program here: [link]