Panhandle Disaster Relief Fund
Donate now to support the families and communities affected by the Panhandle and South Plains wildfires in February 2024. The Panhandle Disaster Relief Fund is administered locally by Amarillo Area Foundation.
Panhandle Disaster Relief Fund
Donate now to support the families and communities affected by the Panhandle and South Plains wildfires in February 2024. The Panhandle Disaster Relief Fund is administered locally by Amarillo Area Foundation.
KEYNOTE
Tuesday, February 25 | 9:00-9:30 AM
BIG TEX
In a world where challenges are ever-evolving and increasingly complex, the nonprofit sector must navigate new horizons together. This keynote delves into the transformative power of collaboration, even between the unlikeliest of allies. Drawing parallels from blockbuster movies where nemeses unite to defeat a common enemy, this keynote will illustrate how rivals can become powerful allies in the face of shared challenges. Through engaging storytelling, practical strategies, and personal anecdotes, we will explore the real-world application of these cinematic narratives in the nonprofit sector.
Owner & Lead Consultant, The Mission Mentor Group
KEYNOTE
Tuesday, February 25 | 1:30-2:15 PM
BIG TEX
CEO, Candid
KEYNOTE
Tuesday, February 25 | 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
BIG TEX
In today’s complex political and social landscape, navigating advocacy can feel challenging but it also presents opportunities to drive impactful change. Join Sonal Shah for an inspiring session on turning passion into action through advocacy. Drawing on her leadership at The Texas Tribune and her groundbreaking work in government, academia, nonprofits and beyond, Sonal will share practical strategies for engaging lawmakers in Texas. Learn how to harness your mission to transform challenges into solutions and make your voice heard at the Capitol!
CEO, The Texas Tribune
MASTER CLASS
Monday, February 24 | 2:15-4:30 PM
BALCONES
This Master Class will highlight innovative strategies for cultivating change within communities, leveraging nonprofits’ unique strengths and deep-rooted connections to explore the transformative role of nonprofits in navigating the evolving landscape of social impact work. The presentation will begin with an inspiring overview of the current social and economic challenges faced by communities across Texas, particularly in small and rural areas. We will then dive into practical approaches for nonprofit leaders to enhance their organizational impact through effective leadership, community engagement, and capacity building.
CEO, Giving Blueprint
“The times are urgent; we must slow down.” So says psychologist, philosopher, and thought leader Dr. Bayo Akomolafe. We are living in unprecedented times, calling us to adapt to new ways of thinking, being, and doing. In today’s complex and rapidly changing environment, nonprofits (and the people comprise them) must learn to be flexible, adaptable, collaborative, and energized while staying aligned with their vision and mission. This Master Class provides an innovative framework that helps participants develop their cognitive toolbox for living and working in the now. By applying current understanding of neuroscience, complex-adaptive systems, and mindful-awareness practice, we make space for participants to build and strengthen five capacities essential for decision-making, collaboration, and effective leadership: Openness, Curiosity, Imagination, Focus, and Reflection. Using Liberating Structures facilitation techniques that enhance relational coordination and trust, participants will have a chance to learn together as well as consider and delve into their own unique experience.
Co-Founder, Emerging Perspectives, LLC
Co-Founder, Emerging Perspectives, LLC
MASTER CLASS
Monday, February 24 | 2:15-4:30 PM
STADIUM
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, nonprofits must harness the power of technology to stay ahead. This transformative Master Class is designed to empower Texas nonprofit leaders with the knowledge and tools to leverage artificial intelligence effectively. The interactive workshop will unveil innovative AI-driven solutions tailored for small, grassroots, and rural organizations, ensuring equitable access to technology and resources. Attendees will engage with hands-on activities and discussions and learn from real-world case studies, gaining actionable insights to enhance their operations and drive meaningful impact. Join us to discover how AI can revolutionize your nonprofit, helping you navigate new horizons together for a brighter, more connected future for Texas communities.
Content Strategy & AI Prompt Engineer Architect, AJB Consulting Group
MASTER CLASS
Monday, February 24 | 2:15-4:30 PM
LONGHORN
This Master Class covers every aspect of building rapport with potential donors and key partners and dives deep into how to overcome obstacles to asking for investment of your worthy cause. You’ll learn proven techniques for building trust, finding the “awe” and strengthening relationships with investors in meaningful ways. You’ll walk away equipped with elegant ways to talk about your organization without sounded rehearsed, strategies for holding your team accountable, and the confidence to make the all important “ask”!
Vice President of Development, The Center For Nonprofit Management
MASTER CLASS
Monday, February 24 | 2:15-4:30 PM
BIG TEX
In this Master Class, you will acquire a proven framework for developing a clear, actionable strategic plan. This highly interactive session is designed to help nonprofit leaders clarify their vision to attract top talent, craft a people strategy to ensure the right people are in the right roles, and create strategic bets to build confidence in their team’s ability to execute consistently. You will leave with a practical template to develop a strategic document that aligns your entire organization on where you are headed, what needs to be done, and why it is important. Join us for hands-on activities, group discussions, and real-world case studies to ensure you can immediately apply what you learn.
Founder & Coach, Kenny Lange Coaching
MASTER CLASS
Monday, February 24 | 2:15-4:30 PM
BEVO
In the wake of the 2024 presidential election and amidst growing anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) sentiment, this timely workshop will explore concrete strategies for navigating challenges and fostering inclusive environments across nonprofit settings. We face the dual challenge of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) while contending with increasing anti-DEI sentiment. This Master Class will provide attendees with practical tools and strategies to navigate these complexities and create inclusive learning environments.
CEO, Embracing Equity
BLOCK 1 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 9:45-11:00 AM
BALCONES
Nonprofits large and small are tasked with sharing the stories of impact of an organization, but sometimes this work is easier said than done. In the hectic day of the nonprofit, sometimes managers spend their time communicating more internally than they do externally. This workshop is designed to help nonprofits gain an understanding of marketing fundamentals, while also discovering how to use stories to generate both clients and donors.
President, Colton Strawser Consulting
BLOCK 1 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 9:45-11:00 AM
STADIUM
Power dynamics either overtly or covertly influence how nonprofit teams and boards work together and make decisions. This session will help you build knowledge of practices that support more effective group collaboration and decision making. You’ll gain experience through participating in and leading those practices, and you’ll walk away with actionable steps to move toward more equity, inclusion and power sharing across your nonprofit work teams and board.
Principal, Woollard Nichols Torres Consulting
Executive Director, Capacity Catalyst
BLOCK 1 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 9:45-11:00 AM
LIL TEX
Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) is a movement taking the nonprofit sector by storm, placing a focus on the needs of our community over the needs of our donors. If you are looking for a new approach to fundraising, join us to explore the idea of CCF versus commonly used donor-centric fundraising. We will highlight the CCF’s benefits, practices, and principles that may just transform the future of fundraising and philanthropy.
Executive Director, Southeast Texas Nonprofit Development Center
BLOCK 1 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 9:45-11:00 AM
BIG TEX
Change is the only constant, as they say, and the last few years have been filled with changes — both significant and small — for most of us. When we plan for change in an organizational context, we typically think about timelines, steering committees, work plans, and org charts without fully considering how the change will impact us and the humans we work with. That oversight can spell disaster for any change initiative and wreak havoc on individuals — but it doesn’t have to! Learn more about how change impacts the people at the center of it, how to avoid making it harder than it has to be, and how to get through it — especially if you didn’t choose it.
Founder, South Rim Partners
BLOCK 1 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 9:45-11:00 AM
LONGHORN
Texas is among the most disaster-prone states in the nation, facing fires, floods, severe storms and other crises that adversely affect millions of residents and cause billions in economic damage. Due to our deep investment in and knowledge of our communities, nonprofits are uniquely situated to be changemakers during disaster response and recovery efforts. By embracing our superpowers, nonprofits can boldly face unprecedented challenges to pave a road to recovery and resiliency for our clients and community at large. In this session, you will receive essential information for how to prepare for a disaster, lead a team during response and recovery efforts, engage volunteer networks, collaborate with other nonprofits, navigate legal issues, and engage funders using proven techniques. You’ll hear how the Women’s Home harnessed the talents of its staff to develop a comprehensive disaster response plan and used appreciative inquiry techniques to continually improve and evolve their plan.
Director of Rebuild Texas, OneStar
CEO, The Women's Home
VP of Grants and Evaluation, The Women's Home
Section Chief, Voluntary Agency Liaison, Texas Division of Emergency Management - TDEM
BLOCK 1 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 9:45-11:00 AM
BEVO
The Index for Volunteer Engagement (IVE) is an organizational self-assessment instrument that examines an organization’s capacity to effectively engage volunteers and community members. This session offers a unique opportunity to experience a ‘slice’ of the Index for Volunteer Engagement. In real time, you will assess your organization on a representative statement from each of the 12 characteristics sections of the instrument. The groups’ collective score will then be presented and compared with the average on the same statement from the national data set. Working in groups, you will offer each other suggestions on how to improve your organizations’ overall performance. Join this exciting, interactive session to get a real taste of the IVE and examine ways in which a comprehensive self-assessment could improve your organization’s overall performance. The IVE is a joint project of the RGK Center for Philanthropy and the Institute of Organizational Excellence at The University of Texas at Austin.
Research Associate and Faculty, RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service
Director and Assistant Professor of Instruction, The University of Texas at Austin
BLOCK 2 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 11:15 AM-12:30 PM
BIG TEX
Nonprofit boards are often composed of very accomplished, capable people who frequently behave ineffectively as a group. The reasons for this are many – from the volunteer nature of the role, to a lack of adequate, ongoing training in board roles and responsibilites to an absence of diverse perspectives and lived experience. Because the success of any organization rests on the strength of its leadership, nonprofits are often limited by the makeup and conduct of their governance boards. This interactive session will shed light on these limitations with stories and data, and will then present sound, practical ways to remove or mitigate them. Join us to discover multiple ways in which to make-over your board and your board members’ experiences so that together you can achieve the greatest impact possible.
CEO, BoardBuild
BLOCK 2 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 11:15 AM-12:30 PM
STADIUM
This session addresses one of the most pressing issues for nonprofits today: employee retention. Employee retention is a critical challenge for nearly every nonprofit, especially small and grassroots organizations, those serving rural communities and teams with remote workers. Limited financial resources, burnout, lack of career advancement opportunities, and high emotional tolls are just some of the issues that contribute to high turnover rates in the sector. Join us if you want to gain several actionable strategies and new perspectives to enhance your work culture and create a more resilient and motivated workforce.
Master Trainer, BJR Solutions
BLOCK 2 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 11:15 AM-12:30 PM
LIL TEX
We believe that “those closest to a problem are closest to the solution but furthest from power & resources” (JustLeadershipUSA, Glenn E Martin). Yet in traditional structures of some nonprofits, collaboratives, and funder circles, those closest to a problem are not always able to make key decisions, set strategy, and propose solutions. By shifting how our organizations and collaboratives make decisions and engage community voices, we can move into co-designing a future with our community and shifting decision-making power to those most impacted by the challenges we are looking to solve through our work. If you are part of a collaborative or other type of cross-organizational initiative, don’t miss this highly-engaging panel discussion!
CEO, Mission Capital
Senior Consultant, Mission Capital
Senior Consultant - Good Measure, Collective Impact, Mission Capital
Senior Evaluation Officer, St. David's Foundation
Executive Director, Girls Empowerment Network
Interim Director of Childcare Program, Maternal Health Equity Collaborative
BLOCK 2 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 11:15 AM-12:30 PM
BALCONES
Organizations across Texas often look for funding from usual and familiar sources. While these tried-and-true sources remain important for annual funding needs, the ever-evolving philanthropic landscape presents unprecedented changes and challenges for nonprofits. This shifting environment presents community leaders with an opportunity to pursue transformational giving from a newer kind of data-centric donor who evaluates the impact of their contributions differently. A compelling vision for change, robust internal systems and processes, and energized institutional leadership are also key ingredients for success. Join this energizing session to discover how to tell stories focused on data and measurable impact, understand and communicate the evidence base behind your initiatives, and foster great relationships with strategic partners.
Vice President, CCS Fundraising
Executive Director, Dallas College Foundation
BLOCK 2 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 11:15 AM-12:30 PM
BEVO
Executive Director, Austin Together
BLOCK 2 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 11:15 AM-12:30 PM
LONGHORN
Partner, Holland & Knight
Founder, Nonprofit CFOs
Principal Attorney, Martell Media House PLLC
Chief Experience Officer, Amplify Credit Union
Business Insurance Advisor, Marsh McLennan Agency
BLOCK 3 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 2:30-3:45 PM
LIL TEX
Maintaining board members’ participation in fundraising can be a daunting challenge for many nonprofits. This session will delve into actionable strategies and best practices to ensure sustained board engagement in fundraising initiatives throughout the year. Led by an experienced board fundraising professional, this interactive workshop will cover the key components of a successful board engagement strategy. These components include setting clear expectations, providing meaningful opportunities for involvement, and leveraging the unique skills and connections of each board member. The session will be highly participatory, allowing attendees to share their own experiences and challenges in board engagement and brainstorm solutions as a group.
President & CEO, Supporting World Hope LLC
BLOCK 3 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 2:30-3:45 PM
BALCONES
Texas is a big state with pockets of Native people in larger communities like Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston. However, the state does not have an Indian Affairs Commission. With upwards of one million Native constituents, many of whom rely on the services provided by nonprofits, being Native Aware® is important to understanding cultural sensitivity, effective programming, and outreach. In addition to the urban Native experience, the rural tribes — Alabama Coushatta of Texas, Kickapoo of Texas, and Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas (El Paso) — deserve to have their existence recognized and included in the service experience. Other tribes represented include Caddo, Kiowa, Wichita, Lipan Apache, Coahuiltecan, Jumano, Tonkawa, and Comanche. Even extinct tribes such as the Karankawa, Bidai, and Atakapan have a rich cultural history that deserves to be recognized.
President & CEO, Partnership With Native Americans
BLOCK 3 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 2:30-3:45 PM
BIG TEX
As business entities, nonprofits aim to meet a charitable mission by excelling in a specific programmatic endeavor, which is challenging in and of itself. To be sustainable, a nonprofit must also have sound operations, fundraising, community engagement, board management, amongst other areas. What is a social impact professional to do when faced with all these dimensions? The answer: Leveraging fractional, timely expertise, so you can develop appropriate, time saving systems to get all the things done, while increasing your own knowledge and confidence of nonprofit management. AI can certainly be a help to gut check or get a first draft, but people are our greatest asset. Creating and utilizing a network of smart, dynamic professionals around you is critical to gain clarity and get all the important work done in a nonprofit, whether you are an executive director, development manager, data analyst, communications coordinator, or volunteer lead. How much more powerful would our work be if we all understood the big picture while sustainably executing details well?
Nonprofit Consultant / Executive, Nonprofit Ombuds
Founder and Chief Momentum Officer, Tara Levy Consulting
BLOCK 3 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 2:30-3:45 PM
LONGHORN
Everyone has advice on what nonprofits should do to prepare for the next crisis. The new buzzword of “resilience” is everywhere, but what does it mean for you and your nonprofit? The social and economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic unleashed financial, managerial, and logistical challenges. Many nonprofits encountered funding difficulties as they were forced to suspend or readjust their programs, cancel fundraising events, and/or lose contracts. So what do nonprofits say about what happened and what helped them get through the COVID pandemic? Our team surveyed more than 500 small- and medium-sized charities in two different states to find answers. In this session, we will share what we learned about organizational capacity and reaction strategies in nonprofits and talk about the links we found between the two. Join us to explore ways to assess your own capacity and the implications it might have when you react to your next crisis.
Associate Professor, University of Texas at Dallas
BLOCK 3 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 2:30-3:45 PM
STADIUM
Join this fascinating session to hear from the Executive Director of Academy 4, coordinators of a highly successful mentorship program that recruits nearly 5,500 volunteers annually and is growing fast. You will learn about Academy 4’s strategic, organized method of recruiting a large number of volunteers – a methodology that works for any size or type of organization that relies on targeted volunteer numbers in order to be successful. You will hear all about their systematic approach, including projection of needs, identifying champions within partnering churches and community organizations, training teams to recruit with intentionality, recruiting presentations and materials, an annual “Count Me In” survey, volunteer check ins and hospitality and more. If your volunteer program could use some momentum and structure, this session is for you.
Executive Director, Academy 4
BLOCK 3 BREAKOUT
Tuesday, February 25 | 2:30-3:45 PM
BEVO
Where there is deep difference, there is the possibility for bridgebuilding—cultivating respect, relationships, and cooperation across differences for the common good. In this interactive session we will dig into how The Team Up Project, a national collaboration between Catholic Charities USA, Habitat for Humanity International, Interfaith America, and YMCA of the USA, thinks about bridgebuilding and hear directly from local leaders in Austin. We hope you’ll leave with some fresh ideas about building bridges in your life and work.
Director of National Bridgebuilding Initiatives, Interfaith America
Director of Special Projects, Catholic Charities Central Texas
Senior Manager, Strategy Operations, Greater Austin YMCA
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