nonprofit essentials - Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

#npessentials
CONFERENCE
August 20, 2015
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
University of St. Thomas
Minneapolis
www.minnesotanonprofits.org/nonprofit-essentials
2015
NONPROFIT
ESSENTIALS
2015
NONPROFIT
ESSENTIALS
CONFERENCE
Inside:
Conference Schedule-at-a-Glance
page 4
Welcome and Opening Plenary
page 5
Breakout Sessions Ipage 6
Breakout Sessions IIpage 7
Breakout Sessions IIIpage 8
Breakout Sessions IVpage 9
Presenter Biographiespages 10-12
About MCN and UST
page 13
Upcoming MCN Events
page 14
This conference is brought to you by:
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Conference Schedule
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Welcome and Opening Plenary
Welcome and Introduction
Margie Siegel, Program Manager, Executive Education, University of St. Thomas
Opening Plenary
Building Trusting and Meaningful Working Relationships Within and Across Organizations Dr. Rama Hart, Associate Professor; Department of Organization Learning and Development, University of St. Thomas
9:45 - 11 a.m.
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Building Relationships through Social Media SCH AUD Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Self-ReflectionTMH 260
Cost-Effective EvaluationTMH 446
The Twelve Golden Rules of Nonprofit Finance
TMH 448
Board Basics - From the Organization’s Perspective
TMH 460
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
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Breakout Sessions I
Breakout Sessions II
Grantwriting: Getting the Most Out of Your Grant Proposal
SCH AUD Developing Women’s LeadershipTMH 260
Recruiting, Retaining and Rewarding Your Volunteers
TMH 446
Essentials of SupervisionTMH 448
Legal Requirements and the Importance of Being Transparent
TMH 460
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch - On Your Own
Enjoy the company of colleagues during lunch on your own in downtown Minneapolis. Maps of nearby restaurants
can be found on page 9 of the program. Those interested in networking during the lunch hour should meet in the
TMH lobby. Two MCN staff will host a networking lunch at a nearby restaurant.
1:45 - 3 p.m.
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Co-Leading & Bridging for Change: The EPIP-YNPN Leadership Institute Model SCH AUD Identifying Foundation and Corporate Grant Prospects
TMH 260
Board and Executive Director DynamicsTMH 446
Human Resources BasicsTMH 448
3:15 - 4:30 p.m. •
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Breakout Sessions IV
Time Flies When You Waste it: How to Take it Back
Communicating Your Impact: Leveraging Online Tools to Tell Your Story
Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence
Make $ Make ¢: Reading and Understanding Financial Statements Download Center
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Breakout Sessions III
Get handouts, presentations and additional resources:
www.minnesotanonprofits.org/nonprofit-essentials
SCH AUD TMH 260
TMH 446
TMH 448
Conference Hashtag
#npessentials
Welcome and Opening Plenary
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Building Trusting and Meaningful Working Relationships Within and Across
Organizations Dr. Rama Hart, Associate Professor; Department of Organization Learning and Development, University of St. Thomas
How can we create long-lasting, trusting, working relationships within organizations and with our
strategic partners, both locally and globally? Dr. Rama Hart will explore the hidden potential of the
seemingly mundane and everyday interactions we exchange to build trust, in the face of an ever
increasingly diverse, dispersed, and multicultural context. She will provide leadership strategies
to engage team members and colleagues, making use of technology and knowledge about
generations and cultures.
Dr. Rama Hart has spent the past 20 years as an educator and consultant in the areas of leadership and organization
development, virtual team collaboration and communication and management consulting. Rama is engaged in
research and practice focused on three areas: virtual team communication and decision making, particularly in technology-mediated environments, leadership and organization development through “action research,” “critical,” and
“appreciative” methods, and issues facing minority women working in dominant culture climates, such as women
workers in Indian call-centers, and minority women faculty in higher education. Her teaching includes masters, doctoral and undergraduate honors courses focusing on topics such as organization development, leading organizational
change, virtual team effectiveness, group dynamics, leadership, organizational change theory and practice, technology-mediated communication, and learning and development in 3D virtual environments
Lunch - On your own 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
For lunch, you are invited to experience downtown
Minneapolis’ diverse restaurant offerings. Please note
that lunch is on your own and not included in your
conference fees; a continental breakfast and
afternoon snack will be provided.
You are encouraged to use this time to network
with peers and enjoy downtown Minneapolis!
Those interested in networking during the lunch
hour should meet in the TMH lobby. Two MCN staff
will host a networking lunch at two nearby restaurants.
A handout containing a list of restaurants and a
full-sized map of the area surrounding the University
of St. Thomas campus can be found at the
conference registration table.
Session evaluations will be emailed following the conference.
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Breakout Sessions I
9:45 - 11 a.m.
Building Relationships through Social
Media
The Twelve Golden Rules of Nonprofit
Finance
Social media is a great tool to get the word out about
your programs, but that’s only the beginning. Build
strong communities through social media by creating
meaningful conversations online and providing relevant,
consistent information. This session will give you the tools
to create your own social media plan, including tools for
measuring success and templates for managing it all.
Steve Boland, founder and principal, Next in Nonprofits
Nonprofit financial health can seem like an elusive,
nuanced and subjective judgment call. But when you
break it all down, it boils down to 12 Golden Rules of
nonprofit finance that help keep your organization
healthy. From budgeting to operating reserves, if you
follow these rules, you’ll be on your way to a better
understanding of nonprofit financial health. This session
is a great introduction for those who are new to nonprofit
finance.
Curt Klotz, finance director, Nonprofits Assistance Fund
Room: Schulze Auditorium (capacity 200)
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Self-Reflection
Room: TMH 260 (capacity 200)
Each one of us has a race, gender, sexual orientation and
a whole host of other identities that make up the entirety
of who we are. Everyone participates in these identity systems every day, but often our discussions of diversity, equity, and inclusion focus on outside forces. What role do
we each personally play to advance equity for all? During
this session we’ll explore how each of personal identities
inform interpersonal interactions and how those interactions inform systemic and institutional practice over time.
Alfonso Wenker, director of diversity, equity and inclusion,
Minnesota Council on Foundations
Cost-Effective Evaluation
Room: TMH 446 (capacity 60)
Informing your stakeholders about the good work you
do is more than counting activities and storytelling.
Meaningful output and outcome data is important to
governance, fundraising and program management. In
this session we’ll consider both data gathering and using
evaluation information to improve your organization’s
performance…and on a budget!
Reid A. Zimmerman, principal, RAZimmerman Consulting
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Room: TMH 448 (capacity 60)
Board Basics - From the Organization’s
Perspective
Room: TMH 460 (capacity 60)
Nonprofit board members have several important roles
and responsibilities. This session will delve into basic
board responsibilities and the role the nonprofit organization has in ensuring these are fulfilled and optimized.
You will also have the chance to apply what you learn
through a case study discussion.
Jennifer Kramm, strategic services consultant, MAP for
Nonprofits
Breakout Sessions II
Grantwriting: Getting the Most Out of
Your Grant Proposal
Room: Schulze Auditorium (capacity 200)
Whether you are writing your first grant proposal or need
a quick refresher, this session will cover how to make the
most out of each section of a grant proposal, using the
Minnesota Common Grant Application format as a guide.
Common questions will be addressed such as what kind
of data you need to support your case, how to include a
lot of information within the specified page (or character) limits, and how to present information in different
formats to make it interesting to the reader. Common
proposal weaknesses and how you can avoid them will
also be discussed.
Paul Vliem, development and project manager, Minnesota
Council of Nonprofits
Developing Women’s Leadership
Room: TMH 260 (capacity 200)
Women are increasingly filling leadership positions in
organizations and communities. What does this mean for
organizational culture and for the development of emerging women leaders? Through the understanding of the
female brain and behaviors, you can increase the role and
value of women’s leadership to advance your mission and
goals. Participants will leave better prepared to recognize
the unique ways in which women lead and begin to leverage their contributions for long-term community change.
Kabo Yang, principal consultant, Legend Consulting Services
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Essentials of Supervision
Room: TMH 448 (capacity 60)
This session will be an interactive experience for both
new and experienced supervisors. Participants will practice several key interpersonal competencies of the supervisory role and develop a strategy for how to fit them into
the broader context of supervisory/management competencies as a whole. You’ll also get a better understanding
of key characteristics of excellent communicators and
effective managers.
Lisa Negstad, principal, Negstad Consulting, LLC
Legal Requirements and the Importance
of Being Transparent
Room: TMH 460 (capacity 60)
Nonprofit organizations must and should disclose information about their mission-related activities, governance
policies, finances and other practices. These disclosures
are made to a number of audiences, including the IRS, the
Attorney General’s office, donors, and the general public.
This session will include an overview of legal reporting
requirements of the IRS form 990 followed by a discussion of the disclosure expectations of donors, nonprofits,
other stakeholders, and the general public.
Emily Robertson, attorney, Robertson Law Office, LLC and
Amy Sinykin, associate director, Charities Review Council
Recruiting, Retaining and Rewarding Your
Volunteers
Room: TMH 446 (capacity 60)
The “Three Rs” – recruiting, rewarding, and retaining – are
vital to your mission. You will hear strategies for each “R”
as they relate to your organization’s volunteers. We will
take an extra look at the third “R” volunteer retention by
exploring how to identify and work with the motivation
of your volunteers.
Zeeda Magnuson, associate director, HandsOn Twin Cities
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Breakout Sessions III
Co-Leading & Bridging for Change: The
EPIP-YNPN Leadership Institute Model
Room: Schulze Auditorium (cap. 200)
Successful leadership in the nonprofit and philanthropic
sectors requires not only strategic relationship building
and clarity of vision, but investment in emerging leaders and peer-mentorship to strengthen those relationships for the future. In this session, you’ll learn about the
intended purpose as well as key reflections and lessons
learned from the EPIP-YNPN Leadership Institute. This
interactive session will lead you through the model
framework and hands-on activities of key sessions from
the Institute that will build your own perspective on what
leadership looks like, and what the skills and tools are to
be a successful leader and mentor.
Ernest Comer III, HR generalist, MACC Alliance; Andrea
Davila, deputy director, Echoing Green; and Eriks Dunens,
alumni program and cohort coordinator, University of Minnesota Extension
Identifying Foundation and Corporate
Grant Prospects
Room: TMH 260 (capacity 200)
So many funding sources and so little time, so how do
you know if a funder is a good fit for what your nonprofit
does? Are there other foundations that should be added
to your list? In this session, you’ll learn how to focus your
search by screening a foundation’s guidelines and process, when and how to contact its staff, and find out who
else receives its money.
James Lekvin, manager of institutional giving, Minnesota
Children’s Museum
Board and Executive Director Dynamics
Room: TMH 448 (capacity 60)
Boards and executive directors engage in diverse behaviors, interactions, and roles within unique organizational
contexts. This session is for those who want to gain information about board and executive director dynamics
based on a synthesis of empirical research. The information provided during the session is intended to facilitate
an enhanced understanding of governance and leadership to include organizational assessment and development.
Melissa Mathews, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, University of
Minnesota
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1:45 - 3 p.m.
Human Resources Basics
Room: TMH 446 (capacity 60)
Often times the biggest issues with human resources in
nonprofits is that you don’t know what you don’t know.
This session will help to identify common HR issues and
pitfalls including compliance, employee relations and
other human resources basics. Understanding these
basics are key to helping you improve your organization’s
operations.
Kelly Rietow, principal, Roo Solutions
Breakout Sessions IV
3:15 - 4:30 p.m.
Time Flies When You Waste it: How to
Take it Back
Make $ Make ¢: Reading and
Understanding Financial Statements
The old saying “Time flies when you are having fun!” is
true, but time flies at the speed of light when you waste
it. This session highlights the ways we waste time professionally AND personally, and offers practical, helpful tips
for getting the most out of each precious moment we are
given. Do you feel like time is no longer your own? In this
refreshing and motivational training you will learn how to
take it back.
Josh Dye, marketing & outreach coordinator, HousingLink,
and president & founder, Convene, LLC
Have you ever wondered what a balance sheet or cash
flow statement is, or what they’re good for? In this session
we will go over the balance sheet, income and expense
statement, and cash flow statement to learn what these
documents are, what they mean, and changes to be
aware of. Be prepared to de-glaze your eyes and see the
fun in financial statements!
Becky Johnson, accountant, Minnesota Council of
Nonprofits and Curt Klotz, finance director, Nonprofits
Assistance Fund
Room: Schulze Auditorium (capacity 200)
Room: TMH 448 (capacity 60)
Communicating Your Impact: Leveraging
Online Tools to Tell Your Story
Room: TMH 260 (capacity 200)
The digital revolution now enables nonprofits of any
size to use online and social media tools to tell their
stories and demonstrate the real-world impact of their
good work on communities. In this workshop you’ll learn
easy-to-implement steps to optimize your nonprofit’s
donation page, attract and engage volunteers with your
website and the basics of search engine optimization. The
presenter will also help you avoid the 5 biggest mistakes
when launching a nonprofit social media strategy. You’ll
leave this workshop with a portfolio of easy and actionable takeaways that your nonprofit can begin implementing within 24 hours.
Terry Low, president and co-founder, Byte Technology
Principles and Practices for Nonprofit
Excellence
Room: TMH 446 (capacity 60)
MCN’s Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence
cite 133 ways that organizations can ensure stability,
quality and transparency. These 133 practices are often
common sense, sometimes mandated by law, and always
“best practice” recommendations for nonprofit success.
Learn how these practices can help you keep the passion
for your work by building an excellent nonprofit.
Elizabeth Coco, VISTA program coordinator, and Rinal Ray,
public policy advocate, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
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Presenter Biographies
Steve Boland is a nonprofit leader with expertise in
building strong communities, creating effective financial
strategies and using technology to further fundraising
and operational goals. Steve has over 20 years of
nonprofit and public sector experience, including
executive director positions at Saint Paul Neighborhood
Network, Summit-University Planning Council, and
Greater Frogtown Community Development Corporation. A graduate of
the University of Minnesota, Steve holds a master of nonprofit management from Hamline University, is an alumnus of the Shannon Leadership
Institute, and serves on the board of directors for Outfront Minnesota
and Community Neighborhood Housing Services. Steve writes industry
opinions for organizations such as Nonprofit Quarterly, Community Tech
Knowledge, and the Minnesota Council on Foundations. Steve is the
founder and principal of Next in Nonprofits, a consulting and writing
firm.
Elizabeth Coco is MCN’s VISTA project coordinator. In
this role, Coco coordinates the day to day activities of the
MCN VISTA Program which seeks to better serve community based nonprofit organizations, specifically led by
or serving communities of color in the Twin Cities. Coco
began working with MCN in 2013 as an AmeriCorps VISTA
member in the role of new American nonprofit specialist.
Coco came to MCN after completing a year with AmeriCorps serving as
a Minnesota Reading Corps literacy tutor at Bethune Community School
in Minneapolis. She is an alumnus of Gustavus Adolphus College with
degrees in religion and gender, women and sexuality studies and has a
deep passion and dedication for social issues, justice and service.
Ernest Comer III is a nonprofits fanatic driven to improve
the industry of community engagement. An HR generalist and career advancement strategist, Ernest has made
a career of helping people go further, faster. Currently a
staff member at MACC Alliance/MACC Commonwealth he
works to provide HR services to member organizations.
In this work he strives to fulfill key principles of service
in supporting the administrative functions of nonprofits so they can
be focused in delivering on their mission in the community. Ernest also
provides training and consultation to new and transitioning professionals. He is a member of the coordination teams for several important
initiatives including the EPIP – YNPN Leadership Institute, the Kente
Summit for Students of Color at Minnesota Private Colleges and his own
initiative, the Wealth & Leadership Summit.
Andrea Davila is a recent transplant to the Twin Cities
from New York City, where she works supporting the next
generation of social change innovators at Echoing Green,
a global social venture fund. She spent the previous ten
years of her career building and scaling social innovation
in the public sector. Andrea has worked in government,
for the City of New York, in philanthropy, and as the startup C.O.O. of a small college access organization, Let’s Get Ready. Andrea
sits on the board of Right Rides for Women’s Safety, which advocates and
provides safer transportation options for women and LGBT individuals. Andrea teaches financial literacy and continues to find new lakes to
explore. She has a B.A. in philosophy from Barnard College, and an M.B.A.
from Columbia Business School.
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Eriks Dunens is the alumni program and cohort coordinator for the Leadership and Civic Engagement program
area of University of Minnesota Extension. In practice,
Eriks supports and enables leaders as they take their
ideas, strengths, knowledge, and connections and puts
them into action to create positive public impacts. Eriks
has a master’s degree in public policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. His study
focused on public participation processes and engaging individuals in
decision making that impacts them. Eriks also serves as a supporting
steward for Minnesota Rising. At its core, Eriks’ work is about identifying
and leveraging the collective resource we can offer each other to create
common good.
Josh Dye has a master’s degree in public and nonprofit
administration from Metropolitan State University. He
has worked at the Minnesota Multi Housing Association
(MHA), National Association of the Remodeling Industry - Minnesota Chapter (NARI MN), and now serves as
the marketing & outreach coordinator for HousingLink.
While working for MHA he doubled its membership in
Greater Minnesota in less than 18 months, and launched the organization’s education programing statewide. At NARI MN, Josh set association
records in member recruitment, event attendance and awards program
participation. At HousingLink, the organization has reached all-time
highs in website traffic and individual donations. He also spearheaded
the recent launch of HousingLink’s first earned income venture. Josh is
also the founder and president of Convene, LLC, a speaking, training and
consulting company for nonprofits.
Becky Johnson is an accountant for the Minnesota
Council of Nonprofits. She joined MCN in 2009. Becky is
responsible for the daily financial management of MCN
as well as monthly, quarterly, and annual financial duties
and assists with the financial management of Nonprofit
Insurance Advisors. In addition to her financial management duties, Becky responds to accounting and tax
inquiries from member organizations. Prior to her work at the Minnesota
Council of Nonprofits, Becky was an auditor at a public accounting firm
in St. Paul. Becky has served on various boards and committees in the
twin cities and enjoys volunteering with nonprofit organizations. She
holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Becky is a certified public accountant.
Curtis Klotz is the finance director of Nonprofits Assistance Fund. He oversees the organization’s financial
activities and is a member of the training and consulting
team. Curt has worked in nonprofits for over 25 years,
both in program and financial management. Prior to his
current position, Curt served as vice president of finance
and administration for CLUES, and as director of finance
and administration at the Indian Law Resource Center in Montana. Curt
is a past chairperson of the Montana Nonprofit Association (MNA). He
has provided management consulting and accounting for a variety of
nonprofits, was an adjunct faculty member at Carroll College, and has
presented financial management seminars at Carroll and for the MNA
Annual Conference. Curt is a certified public accountant and a graduate
of St Olaf College.
Presenter Biographies
Jennifer Kramm, strategic service consultant at MAP for
Nonprofits, offers strategic insight to nonprofits in order
to strengthen their board of directors, develop their
strategic plans and/or explore realignment opportunities. She has seven years of experience working with
nonprofits, with expertise in new business development,
philanthropy, and social entrepreneurship. Prior to joining MAP, Jennifer worked for The Lutheran Community Foundation as
a grants associate; Thrivent Financial for Lutherans as a social entrepreneurship fellow; and St. Olaf College as a Reaching Our Goals Mentoring
Program co-director and Career Center and Academic Support student
counselor. Jennifer has a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in management studies from St. Olaf College. She serves on the
board of directors of the Twin Cities chapter of the Social Enterprise
Alliance and Aynah.
James Lekvin is the manager of institutional giving for
the Minnesota Children’s Museum, managing corporate and foundation relationships to support general
operations and strategic initiatives for the Museum.
He currently serves on the fundraising committee for
Swandive Theatre providing direction of fund development with a focus on developing an institutional giving
program. Prior to joining Minnesota Children’s Museum, James served as
the corporate gifts associate for the Children’s Theatre Company where
he developed and launched the Corporate Theatre Council. Additionally,
James was founder and co-artistic director for Frontier Theatre,
responsible for event fundraising and performance.
Terry Low is the founder and CEO of Byte Technology.
Since 2001, he’s been passionate about both technology
and nonprofits. His company creates digital destinations that build communities and help change lives for
nonprofit clients in Minnesota. As a result, its nonprofit
clients enjoy the digital resources required to capture
attention for fundraising, generate financial support
through donations (aka donor engagement), attract more volunteers
and promote real progress.
Zeeda Magnuson, associate director of HandsOn Twin
Cities (HOTC), develops and facilitates the HOTC training
calendar, and conducts workshops for corporate and
nonprofit audiences in volunteer management. Zeeda
has also taught classes for the University of St. Thomas
and Hamline University. She offers consultation services
including “Changing the Paradigm” program assessments, and disseminates resource and reference material to organizations interested in building the capacity of their volunteer programs.
Her background includes owning a consulting business, and she has
12 years experience as a director of the Business Economics Education
Foundation (now Best Prep), a nonprofit that serves K-12 students and
teachers in Minnesota. Zeeda is a recipient of the Minnesota Association
of Volunteer Administrators’ Excellence in Leadership Award.
Melissa Mathews has served as executive director of
nonprofit organizations in the Twin Cities for more than
10 years. As an executive director, Melissa has successfully partnered with diverse constituencies from the
private, public and nonprofit sectors. She has a master of
public affairs from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs
at the University of Minnesota. Currently, she is a Ph.D.
candidate in organizational leadership, policy, and development with a
specialization in human resource development at the University of Minnesota. She teaches courses in human resource development at the University of Minnesota and her research interests are in civic engagement,
leadership, human resource development and the nonprofit sector.
Lisa Negstad, nonprofit strategist, specializes in designing training that uses creative and engaging methods,
leverages individual strengths, and produces sustainable
learning. A graduate of Yale University’s M.B.A. program
and Luther College, Lisa held senior leadership and
management positions in several (international and
U.S.-based) nonprofit organizations before starting her
company, Negstad Consulting, LLC. Lisa has directly supervised over 70
individuals in various types of departments.
Rinal Ray joined the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
as the public policy advocate in 2014. Rinal works with
MCN’s public policy director to advance the organization’s policy agenda and train leaders on nonprofit
advocacy. Prior to her role at MCN, Rinal served as a staff
attorney for the Minnesota Justice Foundation at William
Mitchell College of Law. As former project coordinator
for MCN, she also worked on the Charitable Tax Exemption Campaign
and the Nonprofit Legal Handbook. Additionally, Rinal served on MCN’s
board of directors in 2013 and as a co-chair of the Principles and Practices advisory committee. Rinal is a former AmeriCorps member with
College Possible. She has a B.A. in international studies and political
science from Macalester College and a law degree from William Mitchell
College of Law.
Kelly Rietow helps leaders and organizations create
simple and sustainable solutions to people and process
challenges. She excels in aligning human resource and
performance management systems with organizational strategies. With broad-based expertise in human
resources, organizational development, facilitation and
leadership, Kelly helps leaders and organizations be
accountable and effective. Kelly has a particular passion for optimizing
the performance of nonprofits and organizations experiencing growing
pains. A two-time recipient of the Employers Association Best Practices
Award, Kelly earned her M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas and the
professional in human resources certification through the Society for
Human Resource Management.
Emily Robertson has spent much of her career working in and around nonprofit organizations. In 2011, she
started Robertson Law Office, LLC, through which she
helps nonprofits with tax, business, and employment law
issues. Think of Emily as a small business attorney for the
nonprofit sector. Outside of her practice, she volunteers
for various organizations, including as a board member of the Charities Review Council. She is adjunct faculty for Hamline
University in their Masters in Nonprofit Management program, and is a
frequent speaker on governance and other issues related to nonprofit
organizations. Emily was recently named a “2014 Up & Coming Attorney”
by Minnesota Lawyer.
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Presenter Biographies
Amy Sinykin has spent her 20+ year career in the
nonprofit sector. She began as a member of the Lutheran Volunteer Corps in Washington D.C. She’s held
such positions as volunteer manager with the National
Multiple Sclerosis Society, Minnesota Chapter, agency
relations manager for the Volunteer Center of St. Paul and
associate director of the Volunteer Resource Center (now
HandsOn Twin Cities). In 2004, she became the associate director of the
Charities Review Council. Amy graduated with honors from St. Olaf College with a degree in sociology. She’s served on numerous boards and
committees, including Articulture, the Corporate Volunteerism Council,
the Mentoring Partnerships Quality advisory committee and the GiveMN
strategy cabinet. Amy is currently a member of the Youth & Family committee of the Jewish Community Center of St. Paul.
Paul Vliem is the development and project manager at
the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and is responsible
for coordinating the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of grant support for programs at
MCN. Additionally, he coordinates ongoing MCN projects
like the Nonprofit Salary and Benefits Survey and the Minnesota Grants Directory. Prior to position as development
project coordinator, Paul worked as the MCN Minnesota Grants Directory
intern. He has also completed internships with local nonprofits, and from
2008 to 2009 he worked in Northern Uganda, exploring the implementation and impact of nonprofit programs on community development in
rural Uganda. Paul holds master’s degree in public policy from the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota and a B.S.W. from Calvin
College with a focus in international development.
Alfonso Wenker is the Minnesota Council on Foundation’s (MCF) director of diversity, equity and inclusion.
He has a range of experience in the philanthropic sector
spanning program design, training and facilitation,
fundraising, and event planning. Most recently, Alfonso
developed a philanthropic fellowship program at the
Bush Foundation now housed at MCF. Prior to his time
at Bush Foundation, Alfonso held various staff roles at PFund Foundation, including as the foundation’s first full-time program staff person,
integrating racial equity frameworks across the organization, increasing
volunteer participation and engaging new institutional funding partners. His responsibilities at MCF include leading the MCF Philanthropy
Fellows program and managing MCF’s internal and external diversity,
equity and inclusion work.
Kabo Yang is principal consultant of Legend Consulting Services, an independent practice she founded
with an emphasis on management and leadership. She
has worked with nonprofit organizations on projects
including strategic planning, leadership development,
community engagement, fundraising and team development. Kabo is active on nonprofit boards, currently
serving on the boards of CAPI USA, Minnesota Food Association, MN
Hmong Chamber of Commerce, and Galore: Professional Hmong
Women’s Network. She also serves on advisory committees such as the
Asian Women Business Fellowship for the Asian Economic Development
Association and Volunteer Leadership for Neighbors, Inc. Kabo has a B.S.
in business administration from Metropolitan State University, an M.A. in
organizational leadership from St. Catherine University and is currently
pursuing her Ph.D. in human and organizational systems from Fielding
Graduate University.
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Reid A. Zimmerman is a 30 year veteran leader in the
nonprofit sector of Minnesota, having served as an executive director, board member and senior development
officer for a number of organizations. Reid is a lecturer at
Hamline University in the Nonprofit and Public Administration programs, adjunct faculty at St. Thomas, and
consults with nonprofit organizations across the region.
He served as member of the MCN Principles and Practices committee
and the board of evaluators with the Performance Improvement Network. Reid holds a Ph.D. in organizational development, is credentialed
as a certified fund raising executive, and is the author of a new book by
Charity Channel Press: The Seven Deadly Sayings of Nonprofit Leaders…
And How to Avoid Them.
About MCN and the University of St. Thomas
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) is the statewide association of over 2,000 nonprofit organizations.
Through its website, resource publications, workshops and events, cost-saving programs and advocacy, MCN
continually works to inform, promote, connect and strengthen individual nonprofits and the nonprofit sector.
MCN Staff
Clark Biegler, Policy Analyst
Andrew Bocher, Emerging Nonprofit Specialist
Susie Brown, Public Policy Director
Mark Buenaflor, Operations Assistant
Christina Casey, Nonprofit Services Assistant
Shelly Chamberlain, Director of Operations and Human Resources
Elizabeth Coco, VISTA Project Coordinator
Catherine Dahlberg, Inclusion and Engagement Resource Specialist
Kate Fridley, VISTA Leader
Ben Horowitz, Policy Advocate
Maria Isley, Northeast Minnesota Regional Coordinator
Becky Johnson, Accountant
AmyJo Lennartson, Southern Minnesota Regional Coordinator
Nan Madden, Minnesota Budget Project Director
Paul Masiarchin, Program Director
Shannon McCarville, Program Coordinator
Christina McGee, Nonprofit Insurance Advisors Office Assistant
Andrew Morse, Nonprofit Insurance Advisors Senior Insurance
Consultant
Laura Mortensen, Minnesota Budget Project Communications
Manager
Ann Mosey, Southeast Minnesota Regional Coordinator
Joe Pederson, West Central Minnesota Regional Coordinator
Jon Pratt, Executive Director
Rinal Ray, Public Policy Advocate
Sondra Reis, Associate Director
Emily Steinmetz, Central Minnesota Regional Coordinator
Caitlin Swanson, Communications Coordinator
Paul Vliem, Development Project Coordinator
John Wurm, Membership & Communications Director
MCN Board of Directors
Robert Benes, Lakes and Pines Community Action Council, Inc.
Cameron C. Bloom Kruger, Duluth Children’s Museum
Amy Brugh, Amy Brugh Consulting
Bobbi Cordano, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
Susan Estee, Second Harvest North Central Food Bank
Tracy Fischman, Prepare + Prosper
Molly Greenman, The Family Partnership
Rodolfo Gutierrez, Hispanic Advocacy and Community
Empowerment through Research (HACER)
Kenza Hadj-Moussa, Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless
Lynn Hunt, Happy Dancing Turtle
Mary Jones, YWCA of Minneapolis
Cathy Maes, Loaves & Fishes MN
Angie Miller, Community Action Duluth
Kathy Potter, Access of the Red River Valley
Lori Saroya, Bush Foundation Fellow
Sheila Smith, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts
Sue Speakman-Gomez, HousingLink
Jarell Skinner-Roy, College Possible
Susan Strandberg, Three Rivers Community Action
Chris Taylor, Minnesota Historical Society
Ernesto Velez, Centro Campesino
Melinda Wedzina, Feeding Our Communities Partners
Fartun Weli, Isuroon
The University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business
The University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business is a community of learners committed to furthering the growth of our community by developing effective, principled
business leaders who think globally, act ethically and create enduring value for society. It offers undergraduate concentrations in 13 fields and master’s degrees in six
programs, including day and evening MBA programs. The school enrolls another 4,300
participants annually in executive-education classes.
The Center for Nonprofit Management (CNM) provides resources and services through thought leadership, education and
training, and research to Minnesota and national communities within the private, public and nonprofit sectors. CNM is
uniquely positioned to help build the capacity of nonprofits by offering effective and relevant business principles together
with proven nonprofit practices.
Center for Nonprofit Management
Charles M. (Mel) Gray, Ph.D.
Interim Director and Senior Research Fellow, Center for Nonprofit Management www.stthomas.edu/cnm
Nonprofit Executive Education programs, http://www.stthomas.edu/execed/programs/nonprofit/
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Upcoming MCN Events
Nonprofit Effectiveness Clinics
MCN Conference Room
St. Paul
The foundational skills of effective communication never go out of fashion. Both written and interpersonal communication are key
elements of most job descriptions, are integral to organizational outreach and can make-or-break your success in fundraising.
The Art of Public Speaking
November 10 | 9 – 11:30 a.m.
Fee: $50 for MCN members / $75 for nonmembers
Join this session to think about your strengths and opportunities in the realm of public speaking. Take time to delve into
strategies for crafting a strong message, delivering a bold
oration and considering the use of props or audiovisuals.
The Art of Leading Meetings
December 1, 9 – 11:30 a.m.
Fee: $50 for MCN members / $75 for nonmembers
Join this workshop to learn how to lead productive and focused
meetings. Topics include processes and frameworks for collaborative problem solving and decision making, using the skills of
the people around the table, making the most of limited time
and managing the experience and dynamic of meetings.
The Art of Written Words
December 15, 9 – 11:30 a.m.
Fee: $50 for MCN members / $75 for nonmembers
Attendees of this writing clinic will practice ways to organize
thoughts, develop strong messages and grab the attention of readers. You’ll also get a few tips to improve grammar and punctuation.
Join the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, in collaboration with
the Minnesota Community Action Partnership, on October 1 - 2
for the 2015 MCN Annual Conference. Together, we are designing a statewide gathering and learning opportunity for
Minnesota’s robust nonprofit sector.
Whether working in the area of arts, environment, human
services, education, health, community services, international
work, animals or any other focus area – you will find a place to
join together, celebrate the sector, learn from one another and
prepare for another year.
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For more information—including conference schedules,
registration rates, breakout sessions, speaker bios and more—
visit www.WeAreNonprofit.org or contact the Minnesota
Council of Nonprofits at 651-642-1904, 800-289-1904, or email
[email protected].
www.WeAreNonprofit.org
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2314 University Avenue West, Suite 20
St. Paul, MN 55114
www.minnesotanonprofits.org
CONFERENCE
2015
NONPROFIT
ESSENTIALS
This conference is brought to you by:

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