Wisconsin Nonprofit Summit 2026

Rising Together: Renewal Through Community

Join Us at the Wisconsin Nonprofit Summit 2026: Rising Together Through Community

The nonprofit sector is carrying a great deal right now.

Organizations across Wisconsin are adapting to changing funding landscapes, evolving workforce expectations, increasing community needs, and a level of uncertainty that has left many leaders searching for both practical solutions and meaningful connection.

The Wisconsin Nonprofit Summit was created to offer something many nonprofit professionals rarely have enough of:

• Space to learn
• Space to connect
• Space to think strategically
• Space to be renewed in community

This year’s theme, Rising Together: Renewal Through Community, centers the belief that we move forward best when we strengthen relationships, learn from one another, and work collaboratively to create solutions that no organization can achieve alone.

We are excited to share that we have assembled an outstanding lineup of speakers, panelists, and community leaders from across Wisconsin and beyond. Attached, you will find our Speakers at a Glance schedule, offering a preview of the conversations, learning opportunities, and networking experiences planned throughout the day.

The Summit includes practical and inspiring sessions across four tracks:

• Executive Leadership
• Programming
• Fundraising
• Consultants

Throughout the day, attendees will gain:

✔ Actionable strategies and tools
✔ New perspectives and ideas
✔ Opportunities for statewide connection
✔ Practical learning they can immediately bring back to their organizations

Whether you are an executive director, fundraiser, program leader, consultant, board member, or emerging nonprofit professional, we invite you to join us.

Breakout Sessions Topics

Speakers at a Glance

Fundraising

• Grant Go or No-Go: A Practical Tool for Smarter Grant Decisions — presented by Amanda Aliperta
• Open Hearts Lead To Open Minds: Taking Your Fundraising To The Next Level With Human Stories — presented by Brian Artka
• Too Many Ideas, Not Enough Time? Focus Your Fundraising Strategy — presented by Jackie Mauer
• Stop Apologizing for Your Budget — presented by Adele Gambardella

Programming

• From Transaction to Transformation: Reimagining Community Engagement — presented by Rashidah Butler-Jackson
• Making the Most of Your Evaluation — presented by Angelika Gulbis
• Getting Inclusive Language Right — presented by Kim Walters
• From Purpose to Practice: Aligning People, Policy, Programs and Places for Real Community Impact — presented by Dan Schiller

Executive

• Actions You Can Take to Build a Future-Ready Board — presented by Frank Martinelli
• Fulfilling Your Responsibility: Redistributing Power with Care and Accountability — presented by Darryl Anderson
• Trust, Transparency & Tricky Situations: Building Ethical Relationships with Stakeholders — presented by Rikki Harry
• Staff Retention by Design: Building Healthy Nonprofit Culture Through Proactive Leadership, Trust and Accountability — presented by Catherine Pederson (Paul Eberle)

Consultants

• Beyond Listening Sessions: Designing Community Engagement That Builds Trust and Leads to Action — presented by Laurice Snyder
• Federal Policy Changes Impacting the Sector and the Communities We Serve: Continuing to Navigate and Plan — presented by Mary Beth Collins
• Engaging Your Strengths to Build a Consulting Practice for Nonprofits — presented by Jeff Burkhart
• Stable Teams, Stronger Missions: A Framework for Leading Well When There Is Never Enough — presented by Lynsey Retzlaff

Registration Fees

✔ Parking is included in your registration fee in The Avenue parking structure. View parking directions and details.
✔ Limited scholarships are available

Standard Rate Before June 5
Regular — $125

Late Rate after June 6
Regular — $150

Student Discount Code — NP26STUDENT
($50 off registration fee)

Group Discount Code — NP26GROUP
(5 or more / 10% off per registration)

If cost is a barrier, please email support@wisconsinnonprofitsummit.org with a brief note about what attending the conference would mean to you.

Community matters now more than ever. We hope you’ll join nonprofit leaders, funders, public partners, and community changemakers from across Wisconsin as we learn, connect, and rise together.

Schedule

8-8:30 am — Check-in, Coffee & Networking
8:30-9:30 am — Breakfast & Keynote
9:30-9:45 am — Break
9:45-10:45 am — Breakout Session – Topic 1
10:45-11 am — Break
11-Noon — Breakout Session – Topic 2
Noon-1:15 pm — Lunch & Launch
1:15-1:30 pm — Break
1:30-2:30 pm — Breakout Session – Topic 3
2:30-2:50 pm — Coffee Break
2:50-3:50 pm — Breakout Session – Topic 4
3:50-4 pm — Break
4-4:45 pm — Rising Keynote
4:45-5 pm — Closing Remarks
5-6 pm — Happy Hour, 3rd Street Market

For more information, please contact Bryce Lord at balord@uwm.edu.