“> Insert your preferred way to address your boss and/or board<

I would like to attend the Dismantle Preservation + Decay Devils Learning Lab in Gary, Indiana April 27-29, 2023. With registration limited to 30 attendees the Learning Lab will not only give ideas/inspiration, but will host intimate workshops that give actual strategies to develop my skill set. The Learning Lab’s workshops will focus on: 1. Making institutional change 2. Moving beyond the expected history. 

Costs:

Registration: $75-150; registrants will be able to self select what tier they register at. The tiered pricing takes into account the different professional development budgets individuals/organizations have.

Lodging: $100-150 + hotel occupancy tax 

Travel: Estimate from your location to Chicago airports and/or price compare rental car and gas vs mileage reimbursement. You can take the train from Chicago to Gary or maybe your local community has Amtrak! Check the U.S. General Services Administration for standard mileage reimbursement rates. (Editor Note: I have found that renting a car can sometimes be cheaper than mileage reimbursement)

Meals: Check the U.S. General Services Administration for standard per diem rates; the Learning Lab will be providing some meals. 

With the current economic conditions, I understand that >Insert Name of Organization< has a limited professional development budget. Based on attending the previous virtual Dismantle Preservation (un)conferences (for free), I believe attending the Learning Lab with the Decay Devils is a small investment toward empowering me and others in the historic preservation movement to make a positive change. 

The Decay Devils are a grassroots led preservationist initiative that has received awards from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and The Society of Innovators. Their work is representative of shifting preservationist perspectives and the power of creativity. The positive shifts they have made in Gary, Indiana, provide a practical case study for the Learning Lab workshops and will help us gain knowledge in both organizational decision making and outward facing communication/education strategies. This knowledge will enable us to strategically make positive shifts within our process and our programming, which will reflect favorably on >insert name of organization<.

Thank you for considering my request to attend the Learning Lab with the Decay Devils”