Breakout Sessions

Lead Presenter: Michael Anderson, Founder & Managing Partner, Tangelo Tree Consulting

Financial knowledge can no longer live only within the finance department; the innovative, comprehensive financial work necessary in 2026 requires collective leadership. Through centering collective financial leadership, your organization can carry out your values while building a staff that is prepared to respond to 2026’s changing financial environment. Join local nonprofits Valley Outreach and Accola as they share the steps they took to increase their individual and organizational financial leadership capacity. Map and model your own journey based on their lessons learned. You will leave this interactive panel with a templated process for developing and deepening capacity for financial leadership at all levels of the organization.

Lead Presenter: Ella Daniels, Executive Director, Mill City Farmers Market

As your career evolves, whether you started in programs, policy, fundraising, or communications, you eventually find yourself needing finance skills to have a seat at the table. Suddenly, you’re expected to manage budgets, make financial decisions, and talk confidently about finances, even if no one taught you how. This session is for emerging leaders, new executive directors, and folks from historically marginalized backgrounds—especially women—who are learning financial leadership on the job. We’ll talk honestly about how to own what you don’t know, build your financial skills with confidence, and create inclusive budget processes that help your whole team grow. Financial leadership is about stepping into your power, owning your seat at the table, and leading with integrity, curiosity, and confidence.

Lead presenter: Courtney Scott, Director of HR Consulting and Outsourcing, CLA (Clifton Larson Allen)

This session will equip you to navigate HR and compensation changes while ensuring compliance and resilience. It begins with Minnesota’s Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) launch and integration into total rewards, guiding decisions on state versus private plans, budgeting for payroll tax impacts, and aligning policies with FMLA, PTO, and disability programs. You will learn to identify gaps in PFML alignment within their organizations. Next, explore pay transparency as a strategic tool for equity, trust, and retention, supported by frameworks and nonprofit case studies. Evaluate transparency models and apply tools that promote equitable pay practices and organizational trust. We will also assess emerging trends shaping compensation in 2026—such as skills-based pay, AI-driven planning, and purpose-driven benefits.

Lead Presenter: Scott Koenigsknecht, Area Vice President, Registered Representative, Gallagher

Financial stress impacts employee productivity, retention, and overall wellbeing—yet many organizations struggle to address it holistically. This session explores how nonprofits can design inclusive financial wellbeing programs that meet employees where they are, regardless of income, life stage, or financial literacy. You will learn how to: identify and address organizational and individual financial wellbeing gaps; layer tailored solutions—from budgeting tools to retirement planning education—to support diverse employee needs; and move from intention to action by implementing equitable, scalable financial wellbeing strategies.

Lead Presenter: Daisy Morin, Employer Engagement Lead, WorkFour

Responding to crisis levels of overwork, disconnection, and burnout, organizations and their employees are exploring new approaches to work that can better support engagement and retention. The most transformative solution, proven to improve wellbeing, productivity, and retention across industries, is the 4-day, 32-hour workweek. In 2025, a group of MN nonprofit leaders participated in a practice community to figure out how to adopt the 4-day workweek at their organizations. In this session, they’ll share their experiences, an introduction to the model, and a chance to explore how it could work for your organization. This session is intended for organization decision-makers who are interested in exploring if this workplace model might be a good fit for their organization, although anyone who is curious to learn more is encouraged to attend.

Lead presenter: Dean Dalzell, Vice President, All In One Accounting

As funding landscapes shift and economic pressures mount, nonprofit leaders need stronger financial foundations to sustain their missions and seize opportunities. This session equips executive directors, senior staff, and board members with practical frameworks for monitoring and improving organizational financial health. Through analysis of nonprofit examples, participants will explore how to evaluate financial performance using key metrics and indicators, addressing both data interpretation and the factors driving outcomes. The session includes insights on building institutional infrastructure: board-approved policies, financial reserves strategies, and oversight mechanisms that protect organizational stability.

Lead Presenter: Darrell Beauford, Senior Accounting and Finance Consultant, Propel Nonprofits

In today’s funding landscape, nonprofits face increasing challenges in securing general operating support. Often, the key to unlocking these critical dollars lies in trust that is earned through transparent, consistent, and diligent financial management. This workshop explores how nonprofit organizations can strengthen relationships with existing funders by demonstrating responsible stewardship of grant funds. Learn how to: communicate impact through both narrative and financial data; develop policies and procedures that lead a culture of accountability; adhere to grant terms and reporting requirements with rigor; and make the case for unrestricted operating support by showcasing responsible financial practices and unmet community needs.

Lead presenter: Ellie O’Brien, Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Propel Nonprofits

Strong financial leadership is not just the responsibility of the finance team, it’s a shared commitment across nonprofit staff and board members as well. In this workshop, you will explore how transparent and intentional financial communication can empower your nonprofit, strengthen fiduciary responsibility, and support professional development. Learn why sharing financial information matters, how it connects to individual roles, and how it supports strategic decision-making. We’ll explore practical tools and strategies for presenting financial data in digestible, contextualized formats that foster understanding and engagement even among those with limited financial experience. You will leave with actionable strategies and examples to make financial information meaningful, inclusive, and empowering by turning numbers into narratives that support shared leadership and organizational success.

Lead Presenter: Nathan Maack, Nonprofit Audit Manager, Abdo

Closing out the fiscal year with accuracy is essential for nonprofit financial health. This session will walk through key accrual entries—such as accounts payable, receivables, deferred revenue, and accrued payroll—and explain why they matter. You’ll also learn what auditors typically request during year-end, including documentation for estimates, reconciliations, and internal controls. You will leave this session knowing common year-end accrual entries and their purpose, what auditors look for during year-end close, and how to access and apply resources to strengthen your closing procedures.

Lead presenter: Rebecca Field, Principal, Grant Compliance Services, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP

Federal grant noncompliance can be a serious issue that can result anywhere from audit findings to having to return funds. Knowing and understanding the compliance requirements helps maximize the impact of every dollar you receive. In this session, we will discuss ways that you can assess whether your entity is properly meeting its federal grant compliance requirements. We will cover the October 2024 changes to 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, potential grant termination implications and procedures, indirect cost rates and application, policies and procedures that need to be in place, as well as grants management best practices that can be used to aid in compliance. 

Lead Presenter: Keven Ambrus, Chief Financial Officer, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation

Presenting financials to the board can be a daunting and unclear assignment. What do you include, and how do you present the information? After attending this session, you will gain a clear understanding of how to present the financial health of your organization in a simple and understandable way that both finance and non-finance board members will understand.

Lead Presenter: Sam Amundson, Controller, MAHUBE-OTWA CAP

In today’s climate of uncertainty, nonprofits face mounting pressure to align mission-driven programming with fiscal sustainability. Learn how generative thinking can bridge the divide between program and finance, transforming organizational challenges into strategic opportunities. You will unpack four key levers—relationship building, organizational systems, professional development, and business continuity—that drive integration and resilience. You will learn how to foster cross-functional collaboration, build adaptive systems, and invest in people to ensure long-term impact. Whether you’re navigating budget constraints or scaling your mission, this session offers practical insights to help your organization thrive in turbulent times.

Lead Presenter: Rachel Martinez, Director of HR and Organizational Culture, Hope Community

In uncertain financial times, transparency alone isn’t enough—staff need to be active participants in financial problem-solving. Learn about how Hope Community has evolved from sharing quarterly budget updates to engaging over half their staff in a biweekly finance committee. Through collaborative budgeting, shared decision frameworks, and open discussion of trade-offs, they’ve built a culture of trust and adaptability that strengthens their organization’s resilience.

Lead Presenter: Holly Kellar, Manager – Digital Nonprofit, CLA

AI technology is advancing so rapidly that you may feel afraid of falling behind. Hear from a panel of finance and technology professionals who will speak to how they are using AI in daily work to improve efficiency, reduce burnout, and better serve their organizational mission. This will be a safe place to ask the “dumb” questions and share ideas. By the end of the session, you will be equipped with one to three actionable steps for immediate adoption of AI within your own organization.

Lead presenter: Matt Haggerty, VP of Finance, Carey & Co

Gone are the days where the ideal nonprofit staffing model takes a “butts in seats” perspective. With ever-changing technology, a tight labor market, and limited resources, nonprofit finance teams need to be efficient, agile, and tech-savvy to meet their organizations’ needs. It no longer matters what goes into financial processes, but what comes out. In this session, we will explore various staffing models, including outsourcing, independent contractors, fractional staffing, and traditional full-time employees (and any combination of these). You will gain an understanding of several of these types of staffing models and their pros and cons. Learn how to evaluate various parts of the finance function for optimal staffing and consider how to optimize it within your own organization.

Lead presenter: Kristin Dillon, Associate Director of Research, Wilder Research

Nonprofit leaders often face implicit assumptions about staff roles, goals, and organizational priorities. This session explores how Wilder Research made these expectations explicit by aligning key performance indicators (KPIs) and data-driven decision-making with its evolving business model. You will see how Wilder Research defines and operationalizes KPI selection, collects and tracks data, and translates quantitative metrics into actionable insights. We will share strategies for clarifying staff goals and fostering transparency, while highlighting lessons learned in balancing mission impact with operational sustainability. You will leave with practical examples for using KPIs not just to measure performance, but to tell a story, guide decisions, and ensure everyone on the team understands and contributes to organizational success.

Lead Presenter: Rob Edwards, President & CEO, Homeward Bound

Money is mission, and a healthy P&L goes a long way toward accomplishing any nonprofit mission. Managing both expenses and profitability can generate improvements to the bottom line, but knowing where to begin and what levers to pull can be a daunting challenge. Learn how Homeward Bound, a nonprofit that supports adults with disabilities, used a principled and strategic team approach to move from red to black using fundamental practices important for any nonprofit, including but not limited to holistic margin management, revenue analysis, and unit cost review.

Lead presenter: Dave Nozal, IT Director, Propel Nonprofits

Nonprofits are now the second most targeted sector for cyberattacks, according to the Okta 2025 State of Nonprofits report—trailing only the energy industry. With limited resources and growing digital exposure, these organizations face increasing threats to their financial and data security. This topic takes on greater urgency as several Twin Cities nonprofits have had their operating cash stolen by cyber criminals. Hear from a panel of experts from accounting, IT, and cyber insurance who will share practical, cross-functional strategies to help nonprofits defend against cyber risks. You will gain insights into the current threat landscape, learn how to implement cost-effective security measures, and understand the critical role of cyber insurance. Leave with actionable steps to strengthen your cybersecurity posture and protect your mission-driven work.

Lead presenter: Katelyn Shehu, Chief Financial Officer, Arts Midwest

Financial reports don’t have to be intimidating or sleep-inducing. In this session, we’ll explore how to transform complex financial information into engaging visual stories that help staff and board members truly understand your organization’s financial model and health. Using real-world examples and accessible visualization techniques, we’ll move beyond spreadsheets to show how charts, narratives, and visuals can make your financial presentations more meaningful, memorable, and mission-aligned. Whether you’re a finance professional looking to communicate with clarity or a leader seeking to bridge the gap between numbers and impact, this session will equip you with practical tools to make your financial story resonate across your organization.

Lead Presenter: Trey Kockelman, Abdo

Join us for an insightful session exploring the dynamic journey of an executive director who transformed audit challenges into opportunities for growth and learning, eventually leading to an auditing MBA. This session will delve into practical strategies for managing audit pressures, enhancing organizational compliance, and leveraging these experiences to succeed in future compliance requirements. Attendees will gain valuable insights into balancing professional responsibilities with personal growth ambitions, ultimately achieving both audit success and academic excellence. Whether you’re aiming to enhance your leadership skills or nervous about surviving your first audit, this session offers inspiration and actionable advice for turning challenges into achievements.

Lead presenter: Kelsey Vatsaas, Managing Principal, Nonprofit Industry, CLA

Fraud, waste, and abuse are hot topics these days, and we know nonprofits are seeking ways to be more resilient against these risk areas. In mission-driven organizations, trust is foundational, but trust alone isn’t a safeguard. During this interactive workshop, explore how finance leaders can foster a culture of integrity while implementing smart, proactive measures to deter and detect fraud.

Lead Presenter: Emily Foos, Executive Director, Red Wing Arts

What happens when compliance meets culture? In this session, you will learn what it means for a white-led organization to decolonize its financial practices while working in partnership with Indigenous culture bearers through the Honoring Dakota Project. Drawing from real experiences, such as navigating culturally appropriate payments, redefining documentation, and rebuilding trust with auditors, funders and Indigenous partners, this session will explore lessons learned when traditional systems of proof and control cause harm.