see you soon, colorado springs!

Tuesday, May 20, 2025 8:15 AM- 4:15 PM

The Antlers, A Wyndham Hotel, 4 S Cascade Ave. Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Join us for Connecting Southern Colorado, where nonprofit professionals, leaders, and changemakers come together to network, learn, and grow. This year’s event promises dynamic sessions, inspiring speakers, and opportunities designed to empower you and your team.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

8:15 AM – 9:00 AM	Check-in
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM	Opening Remarks
9:30 AM – 9:40 AM	Transition Break
9:40 AM – 10:55 AM	Breakout Session 1
10:55 AM – 11:05 AM	Transition Break
11:05 AM – 12:00 PM	Breakout Session 2
12:00 PM – 12:40 PM	Lunch
12:40 PM – 1:40 PM	Plenary in the Ballroom
1:40 PM – 1:50 PM	Transition Break
1:50 PM – 2:45 PM	Breakout Session 3
2:45 PM – 3:00 PM	Transition Break
3:00 PM – 3:55 PM	Breakout Session 4
3:55 PM – 4:00 PM	Transition to Ballroom
4:00 PM – 4:15 PM	Closing Remarks

Conference Plenary: Navigating the Future of Nonprofits in Colorado

The nonprofit sector has always been resilient—navigating the unknown through economic downturns, global crises, and shifting policies. From the Great Recession to the COVID-19 pandemic, nonprofits have adapted, innovated, and found ways to serve their communities despite uncertainty. Today, as organizations face new complexities—political shifts, economic pressures, and rising demand for services—leaders are once again being called to do more with less.

Join this dynamic plenary panel featuring trusted voices from across Colorado as they explore how nonprofits can sustain their missions and drive impact in an evolving landscape. From harnessing emerging technologies like AI to strengthening cross-sector partnerships, preparing for policy changes, and fostering innovation, this conversation will offer fresh perspectives and actionable strategies.

More than ever, nonprofits must lean on each other, share knowledge, and build collective resilience. Whether you’re an executive director, board member, or nonprofit professional shaping the future of your organization, this is an opportunity to engage in a vital discussion that will challenge, inspire, and equip you with the tools to lead with confidence. Together, we can strengthen our sector—and the communities we serve.

colorado springs conference partners in education

session descriptions

Breakout Session 1

Sustaining Nonprofit Leadership: Strategies for Staff Retention, Burnout Prevention, and Leadership Transition

Katie SanFilippo, Ripple On Purpose

Nonprofit leaders are facing growing challenges in staff retention, burnout, and leadership transitions—each of which directly impacts an organization’s sustainability. In this highly interactive session, participants will explore practical strategies to foster a culture of retention, mitigate burnout, and prepare for smooth leadership transitions. Through guided discussions, case studies, and self-assessments, attendees will leave with actionable tools to strengthen their organization’s capacity and leadership pipeline. This session is designed for senior nonprofit leaders seeking advanced-level insights and peer-to-peer exchange on navigating these critical workforce issues.

Risks and Opportunities of AI for Nonprofits

Edwin Harvey, Ph.D. and Aimee Pourciau, CPA, CGMA, Your Part-Time Controller

AI is evolving rapidly, with new opportunities use cases for Nonprofits emerging at a staggering pace. This session is designed to help you think about where begin, what pitfalls to avoid, and what resources and capacity your organization will need to make this buzzy, hyped-up race worth running. We’ll distinguish between traditional automation, AI-augmented automation, and agentic AI. We’ll explore lessons learned from actual use cases. We’ll highlight the stakes and urgencies of “Responsible AI”. And we’ll talk about how to create safe environments in which you can say yes to your organization’s early adopters and explorers. Join us as we answer common questions about: 1) what distinguishes AI from more traditional forms of automation, 2) how to play to AI’s strengths and away from its weaknesses, and 3) how to approach the ethical, privacy, and legal components of “Responsible AI.”

Aligning Priorities: Tackling Tension Between Nonprofit Boards and Executive Leadership

Eloise Casdorph, Nonprofit Navigators

This interactive session will explore strategies for addressing conflicts within nonprofit boards, including tensions between the Executive Director and Board Chair and conflicts among board members. Participants will learn internal solutions such as establishing guiding principles, grievance policies, and feedback processes, as well as external approaches like mediation and professional development. The session integrates DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) principles to foster a collaborative, inclusive environment, emphasizing diverse perspectives, equitable decision-making, and accessible communication. Through role-playing crucial conversations and reflective activities, participants will practice conflict resolution techniques and improve communication within their boards for stronger organizational outcomes.

Breakout Session 2

Cybersecurity Fundamentals for Nonprofits

Brian Wortley, Cyber Samurai

Come learn the basics of Cybersecurity for Nonprofits. Topics include: why security cannot be ignored, simple and practical ways to stay safe, creating a culture of awareness, when to get help, implications of handling donor information, and Colorado legal requirements for Nonprofits.

Using AI and other 21st Century Tools to Improve your Nonprofit’s ROI with Grants

Megan Ferry, Nonprofit Navigators

Do grants overwhelm you and your team, at times? Is your nonprofit’s Return-On-Investment (ROI) with grants not what you think it should be? In this session, participants will learn what foundations are looking for with grants today, including attachments. They’ll also see how 2-3 “real” nonprofit Case Studies used AI to improve their grant writing efforts and go through a prompt exercise to demonstrate how AI can be used to do free grant research. Participants will leave the session with real-life tools and how to use them to improve their nonprofit’s ROI with grant writing and grant-seeking.

Advocacy Is Your Superpower—Here’s How to Use It!

Maegan Vallejo & Nia Wassink, Prismatic Consulting

Your nonprofit has the power to create real change—are you using it to its fullest potential? Advocacy isn’t just for policy organizations; it’s a superpower that every nonprofit can harness to strengthen its mission and community impact. Whether it’s mobilizing voters, supporting local initiatives, or inspiring civic engagement, strategic advocacy can amplify your work without mission creep. In this session, you’ll learn how to integrate advocacy in a way that energizes your supporters, strengthens donor relationships, and drives lasting change. Through case studies and hands-on planning, you’ll leave equipped with the tools to become a true changemaker in your community.

Breakout Session 3

Maximizing Impact: Leveraging Consultants for Nonprofit Success

Robin Chalecki, Emily Griffith Foundation

In today’s uncertain economic and social landscape, nonprofits must balance growth with financial sustainability. This session will explore how strategic engagement with consultants can help organizations expand capacity, enhance efficiency, and drive impact—without increasing long-term operational costs. Participants will gain insights into when and how to engage consultants effectively, as well as the key roles they can play in supporting nonprofit success.

Investing in Fundraising

Ben Domingue, AmPhil

Join us for an engaging session exploring the need to invest in fundraising amid the decline in philanthropy. We’ll break down where to invest for the greatest impact, how to assess your organization’s current fundraising performance, and what level of investment makes sense. This discussion will also address concerns about watchdog organizations like Charity Navigator and provide real-world case studies demonstrating what works. Whether you’re an emerging leader or a seasoned executive, this session will equip you with the insights needed to make informed, strategic fundraising decisions.

Beyond the Logo: Building a Nonprofit Brand That Inspires & Engages

Lauren Atherton, Heart Spark Design

Your nonprofit’s brand is more than just a logo—it’s how you communicate your mission to build trust, attract donors, and strengthen community support. In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn how to refine your visual identity and public presence to better engage donors, volunteers, and partners. We’ll cover how branding builds trust, the key elements of a strong brand, and practical strategies to take your visual brand from meh to memorable. You’ll leave with actionable steps to enhance your brand, whether you’re a small team, volunteer-led, or working with a designer.

Breakout Session 4

Unlocking the Confidence Within – Strategies to Lead with High Levels of Confidence

Priya Ford, Elite Edge LLC

Priya Ford’s “Unlocking the Confidence Within” session helps individuals unlock higher levels of self-confidence by challenging self-doubt, reframing limiting beliefs, and developing a mindset of resilience. Through dynamic storytelling, interactive exercises, and proven psychological strategies, Priya guides audiences to step into their full potential with conviction and clarity. She teaches practical tools to build unshakable confidence, communicate assertively, and lead with authenticity. Whether addressing corporate teams, military leaders, or athletes, Priya’s energetic and empowering approach equips individuals to break past mental barriers, trust their abilities, and lead with unwavering self-belief in any situation.

Marketing Matters: Taking Stock and Building Your Toolkit

Katie O’Dell, Jennifer Gauerke, Jenny Mulligan, YellowDog Denver

Feeling lost in the madness of marketing? Overwhelmed by changing definitions, new technology and the pressure to be everywhere? Ready to stop chasing squirrels and channel your efforts towards real impact? Then this interactive session is for you.

The brand and marketing experts at YellowDog will guide participants through a high-level marketing audit, providing the blueprint for an effective, efficient marketing strategy. We will define the essential ingredients to help you make the most of your brand and budget.

Navigating the New Donor Landscape: Trust, Trends, and Impact

Laura Andes & Lori Collins, Charity Navigator

Over the past two decades, the number of donors to nonprofit organizations has declined, driven by eroding trust in U.S. institutions—including nonprofits—a growing wealth divide, and the rise of crowdfunding. Remaining donors are more generous but are increasingly focused on trustworthiness, efficiency, and impact.This session will explore the latest donor research on motivations, preferences, and the pivotal role trust plays in giving. Participants will gain insights into emerging giving trends and practical strategies to connect with today’s donors. Learn how to leverage tools like Charity Navigator ratings to effectively communicate your nonprofit’s story, showcase your organization’s impact, and build the trust needed to inspire support.