Keynote speaker: Diane Yentel, President & CEO, National Council of Nonprofits

Join us for an engaging keynote conversation with Diane Yentel on the current state of the sector and how nonprofits can co-create a better future. Additional details will be available soon.

1A – Impact: Making Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts
Presented by: Anna Young, Principal, Anna Young Consulting

Nonprofit leaders often feel frozen and avoid making decisions in highly volatile and unpredictable environments, which has knock-on negative consequences for impact and team morale. This workshop provides frameworks to understand (a) when (and when not) to make decisions and (b) how to make the best decision possible when key facts are unknown. Participants will apply these models to real-life examples and have space for peer coaching and group support. 

Participants will walk away with:  

• Enhanced understanding of how to make decisions in times of uncertainty and how to overcome the mental barriers that put us in freeze mode
• Frameworks and tools they can start using straight away and share with their teams
• First steps toward solving real-life challenges they are bringing into the room

Session format: Seminar 

Target audience: This session is intended for leaders and board members who are responsible for making mission-critical decisions.

1B – Insight: Forms for the Win! Updating Forms and Surveys to Make Them Work for You
Presented by: Corey Newhouse, Founder and Principal, Public Profit

Nonprofits use forms and surveys nearly every day, and for good reason. They are an efficient way to gather lots of types of information that nonprofits need to do their work well, yet nonprofits can face unexpected challenges when it comes to forms and surveys: 

• Receiving responses that take lots of time to analyze
• Making sense of responses that don’t seem relevant to the question
• Getting incomplete responses
• Not getting the answers needed for important reports

Fortunately, there are a handful of tactics you can use to make forms and surveys more effective. In this session, attendees will learn four key skills to apply to their forms and surveys and will get hands-on practice with support from a professional program evaluator. Please bring a laptop or tablet to this session! 

Learning Objectives 
Attendees will learn how to:

• Organize forms and surveys thematically
• Choose between open- and closed-ended questions
• Reduce bias in survey questions and forms
• Structure surveys and forms to make analysis easier

Session format: Seminar 

Target audience: Professionals who are responsible for fielding and analyzing forms and surveys. Ideal for program and fundraising staff and others wanting more experience with this topic. 

Helpful prior experience: Creating forms/surveys, using Excel or Google Sheets to create figures and tables. 

1C – Insight: The New Reality for Nonprofit Fundraising
Presented by: Anthony Petchel and Deborah Steinkopf, AFP Oregon & SW Washington Chapter

Economic uncertainty, changing donor behavior and giving vehicles, government funding instability, and rising costs are reshaping the nonprofit fundraising environment. Fundraisers and nonprofit leaders are navigating a rapidly changing landscape while trying to sustain mission impact, retain donors, and diversify revenue. 

This session combines national philanthropic and economic trend data with real-world fundraising perspectives from the field. Presenters will share key insights from leading sector data sources, followed by a moderated panel discussion focused on how organizations are adapting their fundraising strategies in practice. Panelists will be announced soon.

Session format: Seminar. There will be time for audience Q&A and discussion.

Target audience: Development staff and executive directors. 

This session is presented by:

1D – Impact: What Is Your Data Telling You? From Hidden Assets to a Story of Impact
Presented by: Tanisha Tate Woodson, PhD, CEO + Principal Strategist, Woodson Insights

Most of us do not think about data until a funder asks for it, and by then it feels like a scramble. The truth is your organization is already sitting on something powerful: evidence of the change you create every day, waiting to be seen and told. This session expands what counts as data for your organization, from community stories to the patterns in how your programs work, and then asks an honest question: how well are you using what you already have? 

Using VITALS™, a guided data check-up built for mission-driven teams, you will take your organization’s vital signs across six dimensions and see which pieces are strong, which are missing, and which are worth building next. From there, we put the pieces together. You will learn how to transform your data into a story of impact that shifts narratives, earns the trust of your community, and builds stronger, more durable relationships with funders. Data is not a box to check at report time. It is how you prove your work matters, to your community, your funders, and yourself. Whatever stage you are in, you will leave with a clearer view of the data you hold and a practical sense of how to turn it into a story only your organization can tell.

No advanced preparation is required. If you can, come with one program or a recent report in mind, so your VITALS™ self-assessment feels concrete and you leave with insights you can use right away.

Participants will walk away with:

• A broader understanding of what counts as data for your organization and the many shapes it can take beyond numbers
• A completed VITALS™ data check-up that shows how your organization is using its data today and where it is strong or thin
• A practical sense of which pieces you already have and which to build next, no matter your stage or capacity
• A method for putting those pieces together into a story of impact that shifts narratives, earns community trust, and strengthens relationships with funders

Session format: Interactive session built around the VITALS™ self-assessment, so participants can take their own data’s vital signs and focus on what matters most for them.

Target audience: This session is designed for program, development, and operations staff at the manager and director level, as well as executive directors. It is ideal for anyone responsible for reporting, storytelling, or making the case for their organization’s impact.

Enjoy a buffet lunch, included with your registration.

2A – Impact: Building Relational Evaluation Systems that Strengthen Trust, Learning, and Impact
Presented by: Leialoha Kaʻula, Executive Director, and Lexie Jackson, Kaiāulu Research & Development Director, Ka ʻAha Lāhui O ʻOlekona

Meaningful evaluation helps nonprofits understand their impact, strengthen programs, honor community voices, and secure funding, but it often feels disconnected from daily work and driven by compliance rather than relationships and community priorities. This interactive session explores how nonprofits can build evaluation systems that are practical, community-centered, and grounded in organizational values. 

First, participants will learn how to use logic models to identify meaningful outcomes, support continuous learning, and design staff-led data collection processes using the relational database Airtable. Second, participants will explore strategies for strengthening community governance and trust in evaluation. This includes developing advisory structures, establishing community-informed data governance practices, and creating feedback loops that ensure data is collected with communities rather than from them. Attendees will engage in guided activities, receive tools and templates, and leave with strategies they can immediately adapt within their own organizations.

Learning Outcomes
Participants will learn how to:

1. Apply logic models to develop meaningful evaluation questions, outcomes, metrics, and learning frameworks
2. Integrate data collection into existing staff roles and program workflows to increase sustainability and reduce burdens
3. Develop community-informed data governance practices, advisory structures, and feedback processes that strengthen trust and accountability
4. Use evaluation as a tool for continuous learning, adaptation, and stewardship while aligning organizational values, community priorities, and funder expectations
5. Identify ways to elevate community knowledge, lived experience, and cultural values within evaluation design and implementation

Session format: Seminar

Target audience: Executive directors, program managers, evaluation staff, community engagement professionals, foundation partners, and board members seeking practical and values-aligned approaches to evaluation and learning in community-based organizations.

2B – Insight: Respond, Don’t React: What Leaders Get Wrong in High-Stakes Conversations
Presented by: Bess Goggins, CEO & President, YMCA of Columbia-Willamette

Hard conversations come with the job. Staff conflict, board tension, community concerns, equity conversations—these moments shape how people experience your leadership. Even experienced leaders, despite knowing the basics of good communication, can move too fast in high-stakes moments. We explain, defend, try to fix things on the spot, or sometimes we shut down. The result is often a gap between our intent and our impact, which can erode trust and create more confusion.  

This session starts with that reality. We will look at why reactivity shows up and how it affects team culture, decision-making, and relationships. From there, participants will learn an effective, four-step approach for tense conversations: pause, reflect, validate, and build. While many communication techniques exist, this session focuses on using a clear, repeatable practice in situations where leaders are most likely to abandon it. 

Through discussions and role-playing exercises, participants will work through real scenarios they are facing right now. The goal is not perfect communication. The goal is to respond with intention, reduce harm, and move conversations forward to build trust and strengthen teams.

Participants will: 

• Recognize how reactivity shows up in their leadership and its impact on trust and team culture
• Practice a clear, four-step approach to navigating difficult conversations that acknowledges people while still addressing issues directly
• Identify a real conversation in which they will apply this approach immediately 

Session format: Seminar 

Target audience: Executive directors, senior leadership, people making tough calls, board chairs/members, executive assistants, and others seeking tools to navigate tense conversations. 

2C – Impact: The Power of a One-Pager: A Small Format with Big Impact 
Presented by: Anna Beth Rucker, Founder, Tree Frog Solutions

A one-pager isn’t just a quick overview; it’s a high-impact communication tool that helps nonprofits distill complex programs, services, or initiatives into clear, compelling messages. Whether you’re pitching a project, rallying community support, preparing board materials, or streamlining internal planning, a well-crafted one-pager can save time, strengthen buy-in, and motivate people to act.

This interactive session introduces a practical, step-by-step approach to building powerful one-pagers, based on a proven seven-part framework developed specifically for mission-driven organizations. We’ll cover real examples of how one-pagers can be used across departments—from fundraising to program delivery to board development—and explore storytelling and design principles that help your message land. 

You’ll walk away with a better understanding of what makes a one-pager effective, how to adapt it to different audiences, and how to avoid common pitfalls that weaken your impact. You’ll also leave with access to free templates, examples, and a detailed planning worksheet to jumpstart your own. Whether you’re brand new to one-pagers or looking to refine your strategy, this session will help you use them to align your message, inspire your stakeholders, and advance your mission. 

Learning Outcomes: 

• Understand what a one-pager is (and isn’t) and how to use it effectively in nonprofit contexts 
• Identify common mistakes and missed opportunities in one-pager design and messaging 
• Learn a seven-step process for creating a one-pager that drives action and communicates clearly 
• Gain practical tips and tools to immediately apply what you’ve learned to your organization’s materials 

Session format: Seminar 

Target Audience: Nonprofit staff and leadership across departments—especially those working in communications, fundraising, programs, and board relations. Ideal for organizations of all sizes looking to increase clarity, engagement, and strategic alignment through effective messaging. 

2D: Funder Panel

During this session, we will hear from visionary leaders driving the work of some of Oregon’s major foundations. Topics will include emerging trends, evolving grantmaking strategies, collaboration between foundations and nonprofits, and the current role of philanthropy in addressing social and economic challenges. The conversation will offer a unique opportunity for attendees to gain invaluable insights from foundations as they navigate a changing nonprofit and philanthropic landscape. Participants will have the opportunity to pose questions and engage in thought-provoking dialogue. Participating foundations and description will be shared soon.

3A – Innovation: Creating a Culture of Innovation: If you Build It, They Will Come
Presented by: Robert Wyllie, Project Manager, Innovation and Development Services, Energy Trust of Oregon

Innovation is often seen as a luxury reserved for large or for-profit organizations with dedicated resources, but it is essential for nonprofits of every size. In this session, attendees will learn a practical, people-centered approach to fostering innovation that aligns with mission-driven work. 

Many nonprofit teams face constraints that can unintentionally stifle creativity, including limited staff capacity, risk aversion, and pressure to deliver immediate results. While acknowledging this reality, we will explore how to create a “how might we?” mindset, encourage idea generation at all levels of staff, and implement small, low-risk experiments that lead to meaningful change over time. Through real-world examples and lessons learned from the Energy Trust of Oregon’s Innovation and Development Services team, this session will provide a roadmap for embedding innovation into everyday operations.  

Innovation is meant to be an ongoing organizational mindset and practice, not a one-time initiative. Participants will leave with tools and actionable strategies to empower their teams, improve adaptability, and better serve their communities.   

Key Takeaways:

• Define “innovation” in a nonprofit context
• Understand how to build and sustain a culture of innovation, regardless of staff size or budget
• Adopt a “how might we?” mindset to encourage new ideas and make innovation more accessible across staff roles
• Learn frameworks for testing and implementing ideas with limited resources
• Embed innovation into existing workflows

Session format: Seminar 

Target audience: Nonprofit staff at all levels of an organization. Prior experience with innovation is not required. 

3B: How Oregon’s Foundations Measure Impact

This panel brings together leaders from prominent Oregon foundations to provide insight into how philanthropy approaches evaluation and impact. Participating foundations and more details will be shared soon.

3C – Insight: What Charitable Nonprofits Need from the Governor and How to Get It
Panelists: Mercedes Elizalde, NAO Board President and Director of Advocacy, Latino Network Portland; Cassi MacQueen, Executive Director, Deschutes Children’s Foundation; Sahaan McKelvey, Director of Advocacy & Engagement, Self Enhancement, Inc.; Kim Silva, Executive Director, Friends of Outdoor School; and Janet Yousey, CEO, Shangri-La

In this session, Tim Inman, an Oregon political veteran and senior staff member with the Ford Family Foundation, will host a panel discussion with selected leaders of charitable nonprofits in Oregon. The panelists were carefully chosen for their experience working with state government and their ability to offer practical insights from across Oregon’s nonprofit sector. The panel will explore what role the governor should play in strengthening the nonprofit sector, answering key questions such as:  

• What are the most effective ways to get the governor to hear your message and act?”
• What does our sector broadly need from the state’s highest elected office?”
•  What are some tips and tricks that have been particularly useful in engaging the governor?  

Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of what the governor can do for the nonprofit sector and how nonprofits can effectively engage the governor’s office. 

Session format: Panel discussion

Join your fellow conference attendees for a reception in the Columbia Event Center. This is your opportunity to relax and kick back with hors d’oeuvres, a cold beverage, and good conversation.

Join us in the Grand Ballroom for a special plenary session.

4A – Impact: Get Your Financial House in Order
Presented by: Erin Zollenkopf, CEO, Susan Matlack Jones & Associates

Confidence in financial management doesn’t come from working harder or worrying more. It comes from having the right infrastructure in place: the right people around you, technology that actually works, controls that protect your organization, and a clear plan for long-term sustainability.  

This session takes a full-systems approach to nonprofit financial management. We’ll work through four interconnected areas: (1) the people and roles needed for sound financial oversight; (2) the technology and tools — including accounting software and AI — that support good financial management; (3) the internal controls every nonprofit needs and how to ensure they are followed; and (4) the financial practices that build long-term organizational sustainability. 

Learning Outcomes: 

• Identify the people, roles, and relationships needed for sound financial management—and evaluate how your own organization measures up. Know what to expect from your finance staff and contractors, board treasurer, and finance committee.
• Assess whether your accounting software and technology tools are doing what you need them to do. Understand where AI can genuinely help (and where it can’t) with nonprofit financial management today.
• Name the internal controls your organization needs, build a plan for ensuring they’re followed, and connect your financial infrastructure to long-term organizational sustainability.
• Walk away with concrete action steps for the next 30 days. 

Target audience: This session is geared toward executive directors and senior leaders who carry financial responsibility for their organization — whether they feel well-supported or like they’re largely going it alone. 

4B – Impact & Innovation: Storytelling for Impact with AI
Presented by: Samhir Vasdev, CEO, Dev Design

Artificial intelligence can help nonprofits tell clearer, more compelling stories—but only if you know how to use it thoughtfully and safely. This hands-on workshop explores practical ways AI can support storytelling across written, visual, spoken, and interactive formats. Participants will experiment with mainstream and specialized tools to strengthen messaging, refine voice and tone, practice pitches, and turn reports or raw content into more engaging formats. Along the way, we’ll surface key considerations for responsible AI use such as authenticity, bias, and environmental impact, grounded in real-world nonprofit communications work. This interactive session is designed for people who want practical ideas they can try right away. Bring your laptops and curiosity!  

Note: This workshop is focused on how AI can support storytelling. While we’ll spend some time on ethics in AI, nuanced discussions or debates are outside the scope of this workshop. 

Target audience: Best suited for beginners and intermediate users who are comfortable exploring tools in real time and signing into new platforms during the workshop. Advanced AI users seeking technical or specialized instruction may find the workshop too introductory. 

4C – Impact & Innovation: Action Summit
Presented jointly by the Nonprofit Association of Oregon and the National Council of Nonprofits

Building on the opening keynote with Jim White and Diane Yentel, the Action Summit is a highly interactive, participant-driven session designed to move us from inspiration to action. Join nonprofit and philanthropy leaders from across the state in exploring how we can build a stronger, more sustainable nonprofit sector, together.

This is not a traditional workshop. The session, which is part of a nation-wide initiative, predominantly features facilitated small-group conversation. Participants will be invited to explore the opportunities and challenges facing our sector, examine both the external pressures and internal barriers that limit our impact, and imagine bold, innovative solutions. Our goal is to identify actions that can be taken at every level, from national and statewide efforts to changes within our own organizations, communities, and individual leadership.

Come ready to listen, contribute, challenge assumptions, and help shape what’s next for our sector.

Target audience: The Action Summit is open only to staff and volunteers of nonprofit organizations and foundations. We encourage participation from individuals at every level of experience and leadership, recognizing that meaningful solutions emerge from diverse perspectives and lived experiences. Note: To preserve this peer-to-peer space, we ask that consultants, corporate sponsors, and other nonprofit service providers select a different breakout session.

4D – Impact & Insight: Research, Reflection, and Practical Tools for Stronger Impact
Presented by: Steve Patty, Principal Consultant, Dialogues in Action

How are nonprofits really doing when it comes to evaluating their impact? What gets in the way, and what can we do about it?

In the first half of this interactive workshop, we’ll share key findings from a five-state study of nonprofit evaluation practices across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. Together, we’ll explore common strengths, persistent challenges, and practical strategies for making evaluation more useful and sustainable.

In the second half, participants will learn how to identify and articulate the change theory at the heart of their work—the unique way their organization creates impact. Through discussion with regional experts in evaluation, participants will strengthen their ability to connect strategy, evaluation, and outcomes in ways that support learning, decision-making, and communicating impact.

Whether you’re building an evaluation approach from the ground up or refining an existing one, you’ll leave with research-based insights and practical tools you can put to work right away.

Target audience: This workshop is ideal for program staff, executive directors, and other nonprofit professionals who are responsible for communicating their organization’s impact. Anyone interested in refining their approach to evaluation and supporting a culture of learning is encouraged to attend.

NAO has secured courtesy discount rates at the Holiday Inn Portland for October 26-30. Please refer to your event confirmation email for instructions on how to redeem this discount. We encourage you to make your reservation ASAP, as the courtesy rates are based on availability, and no guest rooms are being held. While staying at the hotel, guests have access to a number of amenities such as the fitness and business centers, EV charging, Wi-Fi, the onsite restaurant and bar, and more. For information on additional lodging options, food, and activities, check out Travel Portland.

Room rates:

• Standard Room (two queen beds): $159/night plus taxes and fees
• Premium Room (two queen beds or one king bed): $169/night plus taxes and fees

• Free parking is available at the hotel for conference attendees.
• Electric vehicle charging stations are located in the hotel’s parking lot.
• The hotel is accessible by TriMet bus line 6. Plan your trip on TriMet’s website.

We are thrilled to welcome exhibitors to the Nonprofit Impact Conference. Make sure to stop by their tables! 

• Amalgamated Bank
• Amplify HR
• Beneficial State Bank
• Bloom Grant Consulting
• CFO Selections
• Dolly Parton Imagination Library
• Ernest L. Tomkiewicz, CPA
• First Interstate Bank
• Heritage Bank
• Incite! Consulting
• Nonprofit Professionals Now and A to Z Staffing
• Nonstop Health
• OnPoint Community Credit Union
• Pacific University
• Spitzer Technology Consulting
• Susan Matlack Jones & Associates
• Uncommon Evaluation

We are always excited to partner with sponsors to bring impactful learning opportunities to the nonprofit sector!

Do you want to learn more about sponsorship opportunities at the Nonprofit Impact Conference? Please reach out to Jennifer Monegan, Director of Membership, Development and Communications, at [email protected].

• Refunds: Refunds (minus a 25% handling charge) are available for the conference until Thursday, October 15, 2026. Cancellations received after this time frame will not be refunded. Email [email protected] to request a refund.
• Substitutions: If you’d like to transfer your event registration to another individual, please email a request to [email protected]. We cannot apply your payment to a future training event.
• No Shows: If you are unable to attend the conference and have not cancelled in advance, your payment will not be refunded. 
• If NAO Cancels an Event: We reserve the right to cancel any event or substitute presenters if needed. If we cancel an event, we will contact all registrants and offer a full refund.
• View NAO’s refund, privacy, media, and accommodations policies.