FOCUS 2025: A Pathway to the Future for Genealogy and Family History Organizations
Dear NGS Organization Members, Administrators, and Delegates, Join fellow organizations, the National Genealogical Society, and the Filson Historical Society in Louisville, Kentucky, on 23 May 2025 for a unique experience designed to help your organization thrive. FOCUS offers time to discover new ideas, engage with other participants, and learn about planning strategically for the future. Register for FOCUS and be part of building the community of genealogy and family history organizations. The Filson is excited to welcome you, share expertise, and encourage collaboration and inspiring discussions. Enjoy making connections throughout the afternoon and takeaway practical steps to support and grow your organization. Learn More and Register for FOCUS The FOCUS program this year includes: Welcome Luncheon—While having lunch, get an introduction to the Filson and FOCUS 2025 and its relevance to outreach and engagement with an eye toward America250 in 2026. We’ll then split up into smaller groups to rotate through the three main sessions that follow. Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Tour—A special tour of archive and museum collections storage space will provide insight into the challenges and innovative solutions to an organization’s preservation needs. While exploring facilities, discuss how to create an incredible visitor experience and prepare someone for on-site research. Development and Growth—For long-term sustainability, organizations must be able to reach new people, engage members/patrons, and secure needed resources. Get tips on fundraising, including major gifts and grant writing, ideas on attracting and retaining members, and how to set your organization up for success and growth. Relationships and Structure—Organization leaders must think and plan strategically to nurture the relationships that improve their operations. Learn about managing volunteers, developing leaders, building partnerships, and creating an organizational structure and vision that encourages meaningful involvement and a bright future. Everyone is invited to participate in FOCUS! Registration is $150 for NGS individual members and $175 for non-members which covers lunch, sessions, and transportation from the Galt House Hotel to the Filson and back. Sign up through the NGS Family History Conference website (conference registration is not required to attend this pre-conference event). Learn More and Register for FOCUS
Tacoma FamilySearch Center is sponsoring the 4th Annual African American Family History Event, “Family Ties That Unite Us”, March 22, 2025 – 9am – 2pm at 1102 S Pearl St., Tacoma WA 98465. Family Ties That Unite Us is free and is open to the public of all levels of Family History ability and interest. The Event will have 200-300 in attendance. Two musical groups will perform, there will be an adult and youth keynote speakers and two Family History Speakers during the event. There are informational tables from local museums, historical societies and genealogical societies and one on one Family History assistance throughout the event.
The free luncheon includes Philly Cheese Steak and Chicken sandwiches, salads and more.
Keynote speakers will be Ethelda Burke, University Place School Board Member and past local principal, Lynese and Malando Redeemer, the current Tacoma NAACP President and Youth Pastor for Shilo Baptist Church. The Family History Speakers include Andre Escalante – a local father of 3 who will share his story about beginning Family History research, and Tamu Smith who will speak about Plantations and Reservations. Tamu is a nationally known speaker with Sistas in Zion and Time Out For Women. She will include groups and resources for researching those of Enslaved and Native American heritage.
The Tacoma FamilySearch Center will be open during the entire event with all services, including digitizing equipment – ready for tours and to sign up to use with help. The Center is located at 1102 S Pearl St, Tacoma WA 98465. On the South side (12th Street side) of the building. Watch for the green FamilySearch Center Sign. It is open 33 hours per week – Tues, Wed, & Thurs 10am – 8pm and Sat 10am – 1pm. The Center has 12 different Family History websites available for use free of charge and has 20% + more records in FamilySearch than you can access from home.
Tacoma FamilySearch Center has 47 volunteers, many who bring a tote of their own photos, slides and videos to digitize each shift they work – helping others while helping themselves. New volunteers of all levels are welcome. We are happy to train and put new people with experienced ones for a great start.
Saturday’s African American Event will be live and in person and also on zoom. The zoom link is https://zoom.us/j/96665929487 . Zoom 9:30am – 2pm
The speakers will be recorded and the recordings will be found on the Webpage
Southside Community Center – 3151 E 27th Ave, Spokane, WA 99223
Celebrating our 90th Anniversary
Presentation by Dolly Webb Little known fun facts, stories and surprise guests
Thomas MacEntee:
“Creating An Ancestor Sketch”
Class Description: Face it: most genealogists never get around to publishing that family history book based on their genealogy research. How about a different approach: producing short 3-5 page “sketches” about an ancestor? You’ll learn how to include a cover, photos, facts, family stories, source citations and more! And guess what, once you get a few of these ancestor sketches done, you can compile them together for one big book!
James M Beidler: President of PA Society
“Digging Pennsylvania Roots From Your Desktop”
It’s estimated that one in four Americans has Keystone State roots. Much of Pennsylvania research – from church records to land documents – to courthouse filings, can be done remotely.”
Registration is required for this seminar.
You wil receive a handout via email 2-3 days PRIOR for this seminar.
You MUST be registered to receive the handouts & the zoom link.
DEADLINE IS MARCH 31ST
$40 for EWGS members,
$50 for non-members,
$20 for zoomers
IF you pay by check we ask you to include your email address so we can send your handouts.
My name is David Green, a manager at FamilySearch.org.
I’m reaching out to invite you and anyone in your organization who might be interested to participate in RootsTech 2025 6-8 March, either in person in Salt Lake City or online for free.
RootsTech is the largest family history discovery celebration in the world!
Learn how to better find, save, and share your family story, past and present, with family history classes for all skill levels, an interactive Expo Hall, inspirational messages, and a family discovery day on Saturday full of games and activities for everyone.
Here is an image if you would like to post this on your events page, or if you see value in sending an email to your members. And as a reminder, all online classes are free!
Thanks! And we hope to see you either online or at the event!
You are invited to attend the fifth annual Arizona Genealogy Day conference on Saturday, 29 March 2025. Registration is now open (https://azsos.libcal.com/calendar/starl/azgenday25). The free, virtual conference is sponsored by Arizona Genealogical Advisory Board and the Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records.
Arizona-based as well as national speakers are presenting, and the subjects cover Story Telling/Sharing to DNA to Artificial Intelligence. We think there is something for everyone! And the topics are NOT necessarily Arizona based subjects, so anyone can learn something. If you cannot attend on the day of the conference, go ahead and register because the conference will be on the Arizona State Library’s YouTube channel for a limited time afterward.
If you have any questions, please contact myself or Kori Tueller from the Arizona State Library: ktueller@azlibrary.gov.
This is a reminder that the early bird registration discounts for the 2025 IGGP conference are ending soon. You have until Feb. 28, 2025 to save money on your registration. Or choose a “bundle” and save on all the conference activities.
The conference will be held June 12-15 at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio. The event is in-person only.
We’ve recently updated hotel information with additional options. If there is no room at the conference venue, you can get a room at a nearby hotel at a comparable package rate.
Our speakers and topics are all available for review. As is the weekend schedule. And don’t forget to plan for the social activities on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Sponsors and exhibitors/vendors are also welcome to participate. If you know of someone who may be interested — including genealogy societies — please share the information to them.
Our mailing address is: International German Genealogy Partnership 1385 Mendota Heights Road, Suite 100 c/o Minnesota Genealogy Center Mendota Heights, MN55120-1367
Be a Part of the OrgConnects! Conversation on 30 January 2025
Dear NGS Organization Members, Administrators, and Delegates, Start 2025 by joining the National Genealogical Society (NGS) for our next OrgConnects! event to participate in a town hall conversation about your membership and building our organization community on Thursday, 30 January 2025, at 8:00 p.m. (ET). Register for OrgConnects! via Zoom* and share the event information with people in your organization.Every NGS member society, library, archive, museum, and institution is welcome to have leaders, members, staff, and volunteers sign up for this one-hour Zoom* event. This session will be most beneficial for officers, board members, decision-makers, and others in leadership roles within your organization and offers time to: Get the latest updates on benefits and resources Learn about the administrator and delegate roles and their importance Meet NGS leaders and staff involved in supporting organizations Ask questions related to organization membership Connect with fellow organization leaders Discuss how we can all work together to strengthen our community We look forward to seeing you and your organization at this event!Register for OrgConnects! on 30 January*PLEASE NOTE: NGS Zoom events require attendees to have an authenticated Zoom account. Each attendee must sign up for this session using their existing Zoom account (and the email address used with Zoom) or create a free Basic Zoom account at zoom.us/pricing.
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