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This year’s Conference Keynote invites us to reimagine generosity as a bold, collective act of freedom—one that dismantles hierarchy, redistributes power, and builds a future rooted in mutual thriving.
Plus! Don’t miss our new Expanded Session offerings.
Keynote and Expanded Session presentation slides and handouts are available for download following the conference for continued learning.
Keynote: The Future is Not Finished
with Tonya Allen, President, McKnight Foundation
Kick off the conference with a conversation on what giving freely, abundantly, and without fear can look like and the current solidarity movement in philanthropy, spurred in part by McKnight, that is focused on ensuring resources continue to flow where they are needed to support thriving communities and a thriving democracy. As Tonya reminds us “the future is not finished” and now is the time to build the world we need and want together.
Tonya will be joined by Ashley Oolman, Chief Equity Officer for the Office of Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan and Founder and Equity Strategist for Allied Folk.
New this year! Expanded Sessions
Want to dig deeper into a topic than only an hour allows? Consider joining one or both of the Expanded Sessions, which will unfold over 75-minutes and include insights from industry leaders and facilitated conversation and activities around the topic at hand.
Funding in Flux: Facing Federal Cuts, DEI Backlash, and the Path Forward
8:30 am – 9:45 am – University Hall
Join MCN for a frank, data-informed, and heartfelt conversation on the current climate of the nonprofit sector and its intersecting points with fundraising. Using MCN’s new 2025 Current Conditions report as a jumping off point, presenters will weave together external resources, information, and insights into:
- Disruptions to and loss of federal funding for nonprofits—what to know and what you can and should do;
- The myth of so-called “illegal DEI” and holding steady in our collective work toward justice while addressing the very real concerns of funding cut retaliation;
- And potential cuts of federal funding to the state of Minnesota and advocacy avenues for shaping state decision-making about how to deal with those potential cuts.
Presenters will balance data delivery and interpretation with facilitating activities that will help you build tools for taking immediate and sustained action related to your own situation and that are tied to facts and sensitive to variations in risk levels.
Presented by Kari Aanestad, Associate Director, Marie Ellis, Public Policy Director, Shonni Krengel, Research Manager, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
Community Care: Avoid Burnout, Be Well While Working
2 pm – 3:15pm – University Hall
Join two fellow fundraisers who have been overcome by serious burnout and lived to tell the tale. With Betsy Altheimer of Table Forte and Cecelia Caspram of Mission Growth Partners as guides, participants will receive, and practice tools designed to create wellness while you work.
Explore how to create an active, effective culture of community care in your team, which is far more powerful than self-care. Prepare for an interactive session as you deeply engage with facilitators and each other to co-create a meaningful learning experience. The intention of this session is for you to leave feeling grounded and ready, equipped to re-enter working life and transform it by prioritizing both your own wellness and that of your colleagues. As Betsy and Cecelia remind us, nothing else we do is possible without our wellness. So, let’s prioritize it together in community!
Presented by Betsy Altheimer, Owner, Table Forte; Cecelia Caspram, Founder and CEO, Mission Growth Partners/For the Love of Humanity
Note: Session titles, descriptions, and presenters are subject to change.
Thank you, Conference Sponsors!
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