Nonprofit leaders across Wisconsin are being invited to a powerful day of learning, connection, and community-rooted innovation. The Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management at UW–Milwaukee is now accepting breakout session proposals for the Wisconsin Nonprofit Summit 2026, which will take place on June 17, 2026, at UWM’s School of Continuing Education in downtown Milwaukee.
Rising Together: Renewal Through Community
The 2026 Summit theme, Rising Together: Renewal Through Community, centers on one big idea: the strongest responses to disruption and inequity emerge when communities act together, not alone. Nonprofits, public agencies, funders, and residents are invited to explore how to rebuild trust, deepen relationships, and co-create solutions that reflect local realities and lived experience. This Summit will elevate models in which those most affected by decisions help shape policies, programs, and resource allocation—shifting from “business as usual” to shared power and collective resilience.
What We’re Looking For
HBI invites proposals for breakout sessions that provide practical, Wisconsin-focused content to help nonprofits strengthen leadership, strategy, and impact. Proposals should align with one of four tracks: Executive Leadership, Fundraising, Programming, or Consultants. Priority themes include governance and board development, fundraising and donor engagement, financial management, program design and evaluation, equity and belonging, talent and organizational culture, collaboration and community engagement, and nonpartisan, mission-aligned policy and advocacy.
Sessions may take the form of 75-minute workshops, 30-minute short talks, or 75-minute panel discussions, all designed to foster interaction, reflection, and real-world application. Strong proposals clearly identify their target audience, articulate concrete learning outcomes, and offer tools, frameworks, or examples participants can immediately adapt.
Key Details and How to Apply
Completed proposals are due March 15, 2026, with all applicants notified of decisions by March 31, 2026. Final session materials and presenter information are due May 15, 2026. All program presenters and panelists must register and pay for the conference, helping keep the event accessible and sustainable for the broader nonprofit community.
Whether you are a nonprofit practitioner, consultant, researcher, or community leader, this is your opportunity to help Wisconsin’s nonprofit sector rise together. Share your best ideas, tools, and stories—and join a statewide conversation about building resilient, community-rooted systems of support.
Learn more and submit your proposal at the Wisconsin Nonprofit Summit 2026 Call for Proposals page.
For questions about the call or your submission, contact hbi-info@uwm.edu.
