Schedule

September 28

4:30 PM to 5:45 PM
Check-in at the conference information desk. Enjoy hors d'oeuvres and conversation with other conference attendees. 

5:45 PM to 7:00 PM
Wyoming Nonprofit Network Strategic Priorities Update - Jody Shields, Executive Director and Britney Tennant, Board Chair
We will be providing an update on 2021 goals including the Nonprofit Sector Report and outreach, Salary and Benefit Report, Health Insurance research, and policy priorities. We will provide a debrief on WyoGives 2021 and plans for 2022.

We will also facilitate a reflection and moving forward exercise.

7:15 AM to 8:00 AM
Hot Breakfast 

8:00 AM to 9:00 AM
Keynote: Reimagining the New Business Model - Kari Anderson, InCite! Consulting
Anyone feel like they've been on the largest hamster wheel ever created during the past 18 months? Stopping, starting, pivoting, reversing - all to keep our nonprofits solvent, staff motivated, board engaged, clients, served, donors contributing.... mission delivered. It's been exhausting. And, when we let ourselves pause for a bit for a hamster snack...there's a different emotion that might pop up...invigorating. What's that, you say? How could the last 1.5 years of a pandemic and global economic crisis be invigorating? Because change is a constant in business. And, the pandemic and economy have forced many of our nonprofits to face issues, problems and the dust bunnies in the corners that have been convenient to ignore for years. What might those issues be? Overdue marketplaces pay adjustments. Outdated human resources practices. Antiquated technology. Lackluster board recruitment. Lukewarm planning. 2020 (and 2021) forced our hand to make long-overdue changes at many of our shops. And these changes created angst for those who are not a fan of change. Folks, accepting and navigating change is part of leadership. Good news - this can be and is a learned skill! Join me to learn more about lessons learned, and habits to keep, as we lead our organizations forward into our new normal. Let's lean into what's worked the last 18 months and learn some new tricks to support our team, diversify fundraising, report impact, and deliver on mission. After all, shedding antiquated practices and learning new habits must be part of our new DNA moving forward. Because change isn't coming - it's here now.

Breakout Sessions

9:30 AM to 10:30 AM

Developing and Sustaining Partnerships - Amy Salinas, On 3 Learn
This session will support organizations in increasing their understanding of what it takes to ensure partnerships and collaborations are successful. As a foundation, participants will explore the Dimensions of Success that support successful partnership work and dialogue about the roadblocks that can sometimes get in the way.

Ethical Perspectives in Evaluation - Dr. Gabel Taggart, University of Wyoming
Beyond the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ of many ethics discussions of evaluation, in this session we discuss the ethical foundations that undergird different types of nonprofit evaluation including consequentialist, deontological, and virtue ethical approaches. We’ll discuss what this understanding means for evaluation flexibility and usefulness and pay particular attention to virtue ethics as it is the least discussed but possibly the most commonly used approach to evaluation.

Donor Retention and Stewardship - Emma DeVos, Innovative NonProfit

When your organization is fortunate enough to have a sudden influx of new donors, it can be overwhelming to think about implementing a stewardship strategy. Stewardship is the foundation of donor retention and is what binds the donor to your organization. It motivates them to give subsequent gifts and should never be overlooked. In this session, we will outline how to implement an effective donor retention and stewardship strategy. We will cover methods to cultivate relationships to ensure your donors feel appreciated and connected to your organization, which in turn will make them more likely to give again and again. You will leave with an action plan, handy templates, and methods to review your strategy so you can measure the results of your hard work.

10:40 AM to 11:40 AM

Monetizing the New Vision - Kari Anderson, InCite! Consulting
So. You’ve finally come to terms with the fact that special events and dependence on grant funding will not fund your annual budget. The horror!!!! (Queue teeth-gnashing, hand-wringing and general unease.) As you work through the fund-raising pros’ seven stages of grief, let’s talk about what WILL fund your new normal, and how to transition from event dependence and restricted funding. Let’s double down on your annual campaign. Reacquaint yourself with your major donors. Playing matchmaker with your communities’ businesses and your mission. Connecting foundations with your cause. And - rethinking why – and how – events play a role in your nonprofit’s budget.

The Dark Side of Empathy - Jamie Leslie, Three Trails Employee and Family Assistance Program
This session looks at burnout, compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma.  Burnout, compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma are often experienced by individuals in a career field that requires lots of empathy and care taking.   The presentation defines these terms and looks at symptoms for all these draining mental health conditions.   General wellness tips are also provided to prevent and decrease the symptoms of burnout, compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma.  At the end, you will work on developing a wellness plan that is realistic and do-able that you can start to use to battle the “Dark Side of Empathy.”

Highly Skilled Volunteers: Get'em, Keep'em - Wendy Luck and Vicki Pollock, ServeWyoming
Skills-based volunteering means leveraging the specialized skills and talents of individuals to strengthen the infrastructure of nonprofits, helping them build and sustain their capacity to successfully achieve their missions. We will discuss this innovative approach that takes advantage of individuals’ skills and experience to help service organizations build and sustain their capacity to bring real solutions to our most pressing social problems. Includes a discussion of National Service resources dedicated to higher skilled volunteers.

Keynote

Amy Salinas, On 3 Learn

12:00 PM to 12:30 PM
Lunch

12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
Keynote: Civic Reflection - A Practical and Important Leadership Tool - Amy Salinas, On 3 Learn
The last year and a half have challenged us all in many ways both professionally and personally. As leaders in community, environment, and organization work, we owe it to ourselves and those we work with and for to look back and learn from what has happened. Leadership requires us to take steps back, to pause, to question, and to reflect on what we are doing. But the pace of life and demands that require our attention often prevent us from taking these important steps which are crucial to not only the work we do, but also our overall wellbeing. Attendees of this conference will engage in a mini civic reflection process that allows them to not only take a moment to reflect on this last year and a half but also consider the important role dialogue and questions have in our work.

Funders Panel



Closing

1:45 PM to 2:45 PM
Funders Panel - Allison Renton, Wyoming Community Foundation; Molly Hughes, Hughes Charitable Foundation; Becca Steinhoff, John P. Ellbogen Foundation, and Shelly McAlpin, ServeWyoming.
Join us for a panel discussion of available funding resources for Wyoming nonprofits. 

2:45 PM - 3:00 PM Closing