Pando PR Tips No. 72
Award and Conference Submissions
TechLearn 2026 Conference — Deadline is Mar 15
This conference is looking for innovative how-to, best-practice, and solution-focused session proposals on how technology empowers learning. TechLearn 2026 is September 15-17 in Austin.
32nd Annual Communicator Awards — Extended deadline Mar 20
This is not an education-specific awards program although there are categories for education. Enter your best projects and join impressive names like The Walt Disney Company, Tom Ford Beauty, McCANN, Dentsu, Pfizer, Wunderman Thompson, Squarespace, and more.
The PIEoneer Awards 2026 — Entries close on March 20
These awards celebrate innovation, excellence, and leadership at every scale. Their judging panel, drawn from across the international education community, will be looking for bold ideas, outstanding impact, and fresh thinking that pushes boundaries and raises standards.
2026 Inc. 5000 — Preferred-Rate Deadline is Mar 20
Each year, the list highlights businesses that are scaling with focus and delivering measurable results in competitive markets. The preferred-rate fee to apply is $495.
Best Workplaces for Innovators — Final Deadline is Mar 27
Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators celebrates company cultures that empower employees at all levels to improve processes, create new products, or invent new ways of doing business. The entry fee for companies with under 1,000 employees is $995 and those with over 1,000 employees is $1,795.
The Social Impact Heroes Award — Submission deadline is Mar 30
Authority Magazine is joining forces with DigiFest’s®, 10th-anniversary celebration to present the Social Impact Heroes Award. Create a 1-minute video explaining the work you are doing and the impact it has on lives. Every single person who submits a video will receive an opportunity to be featured in Authority Magazine as a Social Impact Hero.
Other Application
Open Call: Apply to Join the Learning Cabinet — Apply by Mar 13
Applications are open for the Learning Cabinet, a UNICEF-led initiative that helps identify high-quality EdTech solutions ready to support education systems around the world. Through the Learning Cabinet evaluation process, solutions receive structured expert review covering areas such as learning impact, safety, and readiness to scale. The process also encourages providers to share evidence of their product’s impact on learning.
Resources
Why they worked: A pitch breakdown with PR coach Michael Smart
Watch on-demand as PR coach Michael Smart walks through 10 real-life media pitches that landed coverage and shows you how to apply the same principles to your own pitching. We have been fans of Michael's programs and training for years. If you are a PR Pro, consider joining his Inner Circle for year-round coaching and webinars.
K–12 Education Grant Funding Guide for 2026
To help schools stay organized as they consider funding options, EdTech Magazine: Focus on K-12 put together a chart including the name of the grant, the target technology, and the application quarter.
SXSW EDU Cheat Sheet: 26 Sessions for 2026
Attending SXSW Edu next week? Here is Greg Toppo's look at the key panels, workshops, and sessions to check out while at the conference.
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On my mind...
When sending out a pitch or a press release, don't shy away from website forms. It may feel more personal to send an email, however, forms work, too. Email inboxes are stuffed to bursting these days with automated emails and AI slop. That makes it difficult for your email message to stand out. We find that contact-us forms or better yet, those dedicated to news tips, are often more effective than email.
These forms exist for a reason; they are usually monitored by more than one person and there is a system in place for routing messages to best contacts. This is especially true for broadcast news. — Jennifer
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I’m the founder and CEO of Pando Public Relations. If you liked this issue of PR Tips, subscribe here. New issues publish on Thursdays alternating between articles with practical advice on the PR profession and PR in EdTech Tips.