Proposed Federal Changes Could Reshape Conference Attendance: Here’s What You Need to Know

In May, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed sweeping changes to its guidance governing federal grants, cooperative agreements, and financial assistance (2 CFR Part 200). Within their broader changes to the rule, several proposed shifts would directly impact the meetings and events industry – and they’re drawing widespread concern from industry partners, academia, and scientific communities, among others.

Under these proposed rules, conference attendance would change from being considered an allowable project expense to costs that would only be allowed if pre-approved by the awarding federal agency and included in the grant's terms and conditions.  

In June, the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) submitted comments on behalf of the business and professional events industry urging OMB to withdraw the proposed language entirely, warning of the unintended consequences for the meetings and events industry and the businesses and organizations that rely on them. Despite widespread opposition, the final rule is expected to be released in October 2026.

What's Changing?

Currently, conference and event participation is generally considered an allowable expense when it’s deemed necessary, reasonable, and directly supports the objectives of the federal award.

Under the proposed rule, recipients would need explicit approval from the awarding agency for any costs associated with conference or event participation, and that approval would also need to be written and reflected in the grant's terms and conditions.

Here are the two provisions with the greatest implications for the meeting and events industry:

• Pre-approval for conference attendance (200.432) – Recipients would need to know, at the time the grant is awarded, what conferences or events they’d want to attend, even over a multi-year period.

• New federal conditions around event services at publicly funded venues (200.219) – Another proposed change would regulate local event operations for public entities that receive federal financial assistance as well as non-public entities within the scope of activities funded by a federal award.

  
  

In addition, for professional society organizations, memberships must also receive written approval and be expressed as “necessary” to fulfill the award’s requirements.

Organizations argue that the rule would restrict opportunities for federal grant recipients to share findings, collaborate with peers, and participate in professional development. In turn, for meeting and event planners, these changes could result in additional administrative work, delays in conference registration and travel planning, reduced flexibility with attendance, and greater uncertainty around meeting and event budgets.

Who Could Be Impacted?

The organizations likely to be impacted by this shift in federal financial assistance would be:

• Universities and higher education institutions

• Academic medical centers and hospitals

• Research institutions

• Scientific and professional societies

• Nonprofit organizations receiving federal grants

• State and local government agencies

• Contractors and partners participating in federally funded projects

  
  

As a result, meeting and event organizers that traditionally rely on federal grantees as attendees, speakers, exhibitors, committee members, or presenters could all experience changes in participation.

Looking Ahead

Organizations that stay informed, communicate proactively with stakeholders, and build flexibility into their planning processes may be better positioned to adapt, whatever the final rule looks like.

Meeting Priorities will continue to stay engaged in this issue and share the information we receive with our community of meeting and event planners. If you you want to talk about these changes may impact you, please do not hesitate to reach out.