BISA understands that organizations often limit travel and budgets. To support potential attendees, BISA offers resources to help build a strong case for participating in the BISA 2026 Annual Conference. Use the tools on this page to explain how attending this event will maximize the value of your institution’s BISA member benefits and will be an advantageous investment in both your personal career growth and the growth of your institution.
Included in this toolkit are resources to help you through the following steps in securing approvals:
When resources are tight, focus on the bottom line by doing a Cost-Benefit Analysis. Creative solutions can help you get your request approved. Before meeting with your supervisor, prepare a plan that shows who will cover your normal duties while you attend this event.
Step 1. Determine the Costs
Before you can justify your expenses, you need to calculate what they will be. Use this worksheet to estimate the total cost of your attendance.
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Expenses all fees listed below are in USD
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Cost
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Registration Cost
As a Financial Institution member of BISA, you receive an allotment of free registrations for the BISA 2026 Annual Conference. This is a complimentary member benefit to show our appreciation for your commitment to BISA. This complimentary registration is a value of up to $2,595 per registrant.
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$0
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Flight
Visit a travel website to estimate your flight cost. JW Marriott Tampa Water Street, Tampa Bay, FL is conveniently located ~7 miles from the Tampa International Airport and 17.5 miles from the St Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
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$
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Hotel
As a member of BISA, your institution’s registrants receive two complimentary room nights at the hotel for Monday, March 2 and Tuesday March 3. If you would like to stay any additional nights, it will be $319 (Tampa Marriott) or $369/night (JW Marriott) per room/per day.
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$
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Transportation from the Airport & Parking Information
The JW Marriott Tampa Water Street is accessible by Uber, Lyft, and taxi from the Tampa International Airport (averages cost ~$30-35 each way) and it is accessible from the St Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (average $40 each way). The prices listed above are estimates. Actual costs will vary depending on time of day and demand.
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Meals
Use this section to calculate the cost of meals for your trip. Breakfast is provided on Monday, March 2 (for first-time attendees), Tuesday, March 3 and Wednesday, March 4. Lunch is provided on Monday March 2 and Tuesday, March 3. Dinners and lunch on Wednesday, March 4 are on your own.
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Total Value Covered by BISA Membership Per Person (when staying at JW Marriott)
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$ 3,333
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Subtotal Per Person
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Total number of employees attending
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Total Cost
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Step 2. Outline the Benefits
When showcasing the benefits of the BISA 2026 Annual Conference, focus specifically on what benefits you will bring back to your organization as a return on their investment. When considering the questions below, keep these tips in mind:
- List specific sessions/networking events you plan to attend. Explain how they will impact you, your organization, and your job.
- Clearly make the connection between your organization’s needs and the benefits you are identifying.
- Passion is the best persuasion technique – let yours shine through in your letter.
Use the educational sessions program and networking event schedule on the BISA website to answer these questions:
- How can networking open doors for your institution? Could the people you meet help your organization further its mission?
- Which sessions can teach you a skill or solution that will help your team overcome current or future challenges?
- Are there any speakers your organization would benefit from hearing from or working with?
Step 3. Draft Your Justification Letter
Below, you will find a justification letter template to help you explain to your supervisor the benefits you will receive from attending the conference, how it will make you a better employee, and helps advance your organization. This general template will get you started while allowing you to customize it to you and your organization's particular needs.
Dear < approver’s name >,
I am writing to request approval to attend the BISA 2026 Annual Conference, scheduled for March 1–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street in Tampa, Florida.
This premier event brings together leaders from financial institutions, wealth management, and investment programs for four days of forward-thinking education, strategic networking, and professional growth. It offers a unique opportunity to engage with industry peers, explore emerging trends, and gain actionable insights that directly support our strategic goals.
Centered around the theme “Gather. Guide. Grow.” the conference serves as a catalyst for connection, collaboration, and transformation, not only for individual attendees, but for the organizations they represent. Participants Gather to exchange insights and build cross-industry relationships, Guide one another through emerging challenges and opportunities via peer dialogue and facilitated sessions by industry leaders, and Grow by embracing innovative solutions and future-focused strategies. The conference offerings reflect BISA’s commitment to fostering a financial services community that is equipped to shape the industry's future and drive meaningful impact within their organizations.
Key Benefits of Attendance:
- Strategic Learning: The conference features high-impact keynote presentations, expert-led concurrent sessions, and peer group discussions focused on the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing our industry in 2026.
- Networking & Collaboration: I will have the opportunity to connect with professionals from leading financial institutions, fostering relationships that can lead to future partnerships and shared best practices.
- Innovation & Insights: The expansive exhibit hall will showcase valuable solutions and technologies that could enhance our operational efficiency and client experience.
Organizational Value:
As a BISA financial institution member organization, we’ve already invested in this conference through our membership dues. This includes:
- Conference Registration: $2,595
- Hotel Accommodation (2 nights x $369): $738
- Total Value Covered: $3,333
To take full advantage of this investment, I am requesting approval for the following additional expenses:
- Round-trip Airfare: <$xxxx>
- Ground Transportation: <$xxxx>
- Hotel (additional nights, if needed): <$xxxx>
- Meals: <$xxxx>
The insights and connections I gain at the BISA 2026 Annual Conference will not only support my professional development but also help position our team for success in the year ahead. I am confident that this experience will yield measurable benefits for our organization. Please let me know if you need any additional information to support this request. I appreciate your consideration and look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
< your name here >
Step 4. Commit to a Post-Conference Action Plan
Below is a list of examples of acceptable ways to show post-conference follow-through including 4 formats you could use. Choose 1 or a combination that makes sense for your organization.
1. Summary Report
A summary report is a concise, well-organized document that captures the most valuable insights from the conference. This report ensures that the knowledge gained is documented and accessible to others, multiplying the value of attendance across the team.
What it includes:
- Key trends shaping the financial services industry in 2026
- Highlights from keynote speakers and breakout sessions
- Best practices shared by peer institutions
- Strategic recommendations tailored to our organization’s goals
2. Team Briefing
A team briefing can be a 30-minute presentation delivered to your team or leadership group. Sharing learnings in a live format encourages discussion, sparks new ideas, and helps integrate fresh perspectives into ongoing initiatives.
What it includes:
- A summary of the most relevant sessions
- Actionable takeaways for our department or business unit
- Opportunities for cross-functional collaboration based on conference insights
3. Vendor & Solutions List
A vendor and solutions list is a curated list of technologies, platforms, or service providers discovered at the conference. This helps identify innovative solutions that could improve efficiency, reduce costs, or enhance client experience—without the need for a separate vendor search.
What it includes:
- Names and contact info of promising vendors
- Brief descriptions of their offerings
- Potential use cases or benefits for our organization
- Recommendations for follow-up demos or evaluations
4. Action Plan
An action plan is a practical roadmap for applying conference insights to current projects or strategic goals. This turns learning into action, ensuring the conference investment leads to measurable outcomes.
What it includes:
- Specific initiatives or processes that could benefit from new ideas
- Suggested changes or enhancements based on peer learnings
- Timeline and ownership for implementation
- Metrics to track impact or progress