Austin | February 24-26, 2025
On February 24-26, 2025, nonprofit leaders, changemakers, and community advocates from across the state gathered in Austin for the 2025 Texas Nonprofit Summit. This year’s theme of Navigating New Horizons Together resonated deeply as organizations continue to adapt to a rapidly evolving landscape. In an era of change and uncertainty, nonprofits play a vital role in guiding our communities toward a brighter future. The Texas Nonprofit Summit provided a space for leaders to come together, share diverse perspectives, and form meaningful partnerships. The challenges facing the sector—from shifting funding sources to evolving community needs—require collective solutions. By working together and embracing innovation, we strengthened our impact and moved toward lasting change for Texas communities.
Throughout the Summit, our keynote speakers shared powerful insights on how nonprofits can embrace change, foster collaboration, and drive impact.
- Ann Mei Chang, CEO of Candid – In her session, Future Proofing Your Nonprofit, Ann Mei explored how data, technology, and innovation can help organizations adapt to a changing world and ensure long-term sustainability.
- Sonal Shah, CEO of The Texas Tribune – Sonal’s keynote, Advocacy in Action: Our Mission Moment, underscored the critical role nonprofits play in shaping public policy and using advocacy to advance their missions.
- WyKisha Thomas-McKinney, Owner & Lead Consultant of The Mission Mentor Group – WyKisha’s talk, Rivals to Allies: Harnessing the Power of Collaboration to Conquer Common Threats, highlighted the transformative power of collaboration and how even the most unlikely partnerships can drive meaningful change.
We are incredibly grateful to all of our presenters who shared their knowledge, strategies, and best practices across a wide range of topics. From leadership development to fundraising strategies, and from community-centric philanthropy to nonprofit advocacy, attendees had the opportunity to explore the sector’s biggest challenges and opportunities. Some of the relevant topics covered included:
- Leveraging technology to increase nonprofit impact
- Building sustainable funding models in a changing economy
- Strengthening nonprofit boards for better governance
- Human-centered approach on managing change
- Collaborative strategies to tackling community challenges
One of the most powerful moments of the Summit was Texas Nonprofit Strong Day at the State Capitol on Wednesday, February 26. This day gave nonprofit leaders a platform to amplify their voices, share their needs, and engage directly with policymakers. We extend our deepest thanks to United Ways of Texas for co-hosting this important event and to the Center for Nonprofits & Philanthropy for providing fresh and relevant data on the nonprofit sector to share with legislative representatives.
As we reflect on this year’s Summit, we are filled with hope and inspiration for the future of Texas nonprofits. The connections made, ideas exchanged, and commitments forged at this gathering will propel our sector forward as we continue navigating new horizons together. The 2025 Texas Nonprofit Summit would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. A heartfelt thank you to:
- Presenting Sponsor: Amplify Credit Union
- Supporting Sponsors: Moss Adams, Urgensee, and UT Austin’s RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service at the LBJ School of Public Affairs
“I loved meeting up with fellow nonprofits professionals! There's so much to learn... I was scribbling notes the entire three days and filled my notebook with brilliant takeaways. I thought the theme of the Summit emphasized the importance of unity and collaboration—something we all can benefit from.”