Special Thanks!

Thank you to all the attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and staff at our inaugural Inland Northwest Nonprofit Conference. We’re in the throes of analyzing the feedback in preparation for future educational events. Stay tuned!

Many folks have asked if they can contact their speaker. If your speaker opened up that opportunity during your session, then please feel free to connect with them. If they didn’t provide their contact information that day, you can find their name and company on our blog and Google for specific contact information.

Throughout your sessions, you may have realized that your needs as an organization call for to change. Should you want to discuss consulting services or recommendations on services that would help facilitate your needs, please don’t hesitate to contact us. All initial consultations are free. And if we cannot help you, we’ll do our best to point you in the right direction.

If you have any additional comments, concerns, or suggestions, please go to our website’s Contact Us page and email us.

Conference Day Info

We're finally here! Today's our conference. Over 100 people will be coming through the doors today!

We cannot take walk-ups, sorry.

All participants who have signed-up should have received an email via Constant Contact from AE that contains the location (Spokane Masonic Center), directions, and parking pass. We will not have parking passes available. Please print one before you arrive.

Check-in is in the Ballroom on the 2nd floor.

All classes are on the 4th floor. Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your first class.

Thank you.

Conference Speaker: Grants Panel, Open-forum Discussion

Panelists: Patty Gates, Executive Director, Community Building Foundation; Kristine Meyer, Executive Director, Avista Foundation; Sarah Smith, Strategic Grants Program Assistant, Empire Health Foundation; and Jennifer Pearson Stapleton, Spokane County Grants Administrator

Moderator: Sandy Gill, Northwest Nonprofit Resources

(www.nnr.org)

Each panelist will discuss the specific details of their grant making process from matching their funding interests to positioning your organization for funding to their expectations on administration and reporting. The open-forum will be moderated by Sandy Gill, who will facilitate the discussion with the audience and guide with relevant questions as needed.

Whether or not you are new to grant seeking, this panel discussion will provide immense insight into northwest funders explaining detailed information that will help streamline the funding process. Join this panel and come prepared with your questions about grant seeking.

Registration closes February 11th. The first annual Inland Northwest Nonprofit Conference – Fund Development Series will be held Thursday, February 17th, 2011, at the Spokane Masonic Center. For more information visit the AE website.

Conference Speaker: Building Sustainable Organizations

Janet Bourque, Principal, Bright Star Grant Consultants, and Nina Eckberg, Founder, Great Gardens in North Idaho

(www.brightstargrants.com)

Janet is an innovative and experienced consultant with expertise in program development and administration, course development, outcome based curriculum development, logic models, budget development, and evaluation. She is a respected leader and administrator with extensive knowledge and skills to support client missions and guiding principles. Janet’s experience includes positions as a Director of Federal, State and Special Projects, Branch Campus Director and Evening School Director for Lake Washington Technical College, and National Director of Education and Self Sufficiency for The Casey Family Foundation. She has led a wide range of workshops in national venues, served on the Department of Education grant review team, and advised U.S. Senate members regarding issues of workforce training.

Nina received her Bachelor of Science in Horticultural Science from Colorado State University and used her education as a landscaper in Colorado, Missouri, and Georgia, and then became a County Extension Agent for the University of Georgia, teaching Master Gardener classes and horticulture workshops to the public. She moved to Idaho in 2002 and worked for the Noxious Weed Department in Kootenai County, teaching residents the advantages of good land stewardship and invasive weed species control. Nina was awarded funding to projects through grant writing that resulted in educational outreach and weed control research. From there, Nina established Great Gardens.

The first half of the class will include PowerPoint's, small group discussion, and structured activities. During the second half, Nina will identify Great Gardens’ plan for sustainability, including the inspiration, initial planning, selection of board members, and articles of incorporation and she will show how building a sustainable organization is similar to building a sustainable garden.

Registration closes February 11th. The first annual Inland Northwest Nonprofit Conference – Fund Development Series will be held Thursday, February 17th, 2011, at the Spokane Masonic Center. For more information visit the AE website.

Conference Speaker: Program Evaluations

Karen L. Michaelson, Ph.D., Tincan, Executive Director

(tincan.org)

Karen is currently responsible for overall management of Tincan, including project design, funding requests, funder reports, budget development and management, supervision of personnel, and she acts as community liaison. All of Tincan’s programs require evaluation – sometimes external, sometimes more informal. Karen has used evaluation data to build Tincan into a $700,000 a year organization. She will cover the importance of evaluation, when and how to begin planning for evaluation, and how to design an evaluation that will give you replicable results. Karen will also cover embedded evaluations and choosing an evaluator.

Join Karen and learn details surrounding the importance of program evaluations and why they are a vital key to obtaining funding.

The first annual Inland Northwest Nonprofit Conference – Fund Development Series will be held Thursday, February 17th, 2011, at the Spokane Masonic Center. For more information visit the AE website.

Conference Speaker: Sponsorship & Corporate Relationships

Bill Kalivas, Co-Owner and Managing Partner, LaunchPad Inland Northwest, LLC

(launchpadinw.com)

Bill is the Co-Owner and Managing Partner of LaunchPad Inland NW, and was the Founder and CEO of a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization, Connect Northwest. Connect Northwest raised $150,000 in startup funding from Spokane County and several local businesses. Bill was responsible for building relationships with these partners and maintaining funding for four years. Currently, he operates a private company that teaches relationship building workshops.

Join him and learn the importance behind establishing credibility before making “the ask" and how to build relationships and create partnerships with your sponsors.

The first annual Inland Northwest Nonprofit Conference – Fund Development Series will be held Thursday, February 17th, 2011, at the Spokane Masonic Center. For more information visit the AE website.