SOAR Conference 2025
The World Needs Who You Are Meant to Be
Oct. 3-5, 2025 | Omaha, NE
What is SOAR?
SOAR stands for Seeking Opportunities for an Advocacy Revolution. This event brings together self-advocates with disabilities from around the Midwest to exchange ideas and learn from each other about advocacy. At the SOAR Conference, self-advocates from Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming have opportunities to grow their advocacy skills by attending presentations and connecting with other advocates.
The event is hosted by Nebraska's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at the Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, and People First of Nebraska.
- Conference Dates: Oct. 3-5, 2025
- Conference Check In: Oct. 3, 2025; 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
- Conference Kickoff: Oct. 3, 2025; 6:00 pm social event
Cost to attend the conference is $125.
Conference registration includes conference materials, presentations and activities, evening events, Saturday lunch and dinner.
- T-shirts are available for purchase from People First of Nebraska. A limited number of shirts will be available at the conference on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Voucher tickets for hotel-provided events are available to purchase by non-hotel guests.
- Evening social hour ($20 per person)
- Hotel breakfast ($15 per person)
Nebraska
People First of Nebraska is offering scholarships to provide hotel rooms for Nebraskans with disabilities and their support staff/family. For more information, please visit the People First of Nebraska website.
Submitting Proposals
The 2025 SOAR Conference invites you to submit proposals for presentations on one of the following topics:
Leadership and Advocacy
- Presentations on personal advocacy and leadership experiences.
Healthcare
- Presentations on healthcare impacts and supports for people with disabilities.
Policy
- Presentations on laws, guidelines, and programs that affect people with disabilities.
Community and Connection
- Presentations on relationships, outreach, and the day-to-day of being a person with a disability.
Use your best judgment on which category your presentations fall into. Upon review, the programming committee will help organize the chosen presentations. 45 minutes will be given for presentations, including questions.
Submission Guidelines
The SOAR Conference is an opportunity for people with disabilities to share their experiences, connect with others, and learn about advocacy. For this reason, the committee highly encourages that all presentations include a person with a disability as a presenter, or as an important part of the development of the presentation. Proposals that do not include people with disabilities may not be accepted.
As the SOAR Conference is a regional gathering, the committee encourages that presenters collaborate with others around the region. If similar presentations are submitted from different states or organizations, presenters may be asked to work together.
Please note, all presenters are required to register for the Conference and to arrange their own travel and hotel plans.
To submit a proposal, please complete this form.
Presenters will be asked to follow guidelines for accessible presentations set by the Association of University Centers on Disabilities:
The 2025 SOAR Conference is committed to making the conference as accessible as possible. Accommodation requests can be made through the registration form and other accessibility questions can be directed to our email.
The 2025 SOAR Conference will be hosted at:
Embassy Suites by Hilton
Omaha Downtown Old Market
555 S. 10th Street, Omaha, NE 68102
Check in is anytime after 3:00 pm on October 3, 2025.
A reduced, block conference rate is available at the conference host hotel. $159 plus tax, per night. To reserve your room or request an accessible room, please see the resources below:
Omaha Tourism
The conference will take place in the Old Market district of Omaha. For more information on food and attractions of this area, please visit their website.
More information on other accessible attractions in the Omaha area can be found here at Visit Omaha.
Interested in sponsoring this event? Click here to purchase one of the below sponsorship levels.
Friend ($1000)
- Two registrations available.
- Includes a vendor table, registration and meals, evening event and breakfast vouchers, and your name in the program.
Ally ($2500)
- Three registrations available.
- Includes all Friend level benefits, as well as an acknowledgement in the opening ceremony, an inclusion on conference banner, and a social media shout-out.
Advocate ($5000)
- Four registrations available.
- Includes all Friend and Ally level benefits and a half page ad in the program, a full slide in the opening ceremony presentation, and organization name on back of conference T-shirt.
Exhibitors ($150)
- Exhibitor tables are available for purchase for $150. Exhibitor tables do not include conference registration.
- SOAR Conference Facebook page
- To join our mailing list, please email us at mmisoar@unmc.edu.