NonProfit PRO 2015 Leadership Conference Recap: What You Missed in D.C.

Early last week, attendees from all parts of the nonprofit sector converged on Washington, D.C. for the inaugural 2015 Leadership Conference. The event, hosted by NonProfit PRO and held at the Capital Hilton—a mere two blocks from the White House—aimed to tackle leadership issues for nonprofits of all sizes and missions.

By all accounts, it delivered.

"It was hard to believe this was an inaugural event," said attendee Khamel Abdulai, MBA, workforce development specialist for the Excelsior College School of Business and Technology. "From excellent logistics to an impressive array of speakers, the conference exceeded my expectations. I found myself wishing it was a two-day event!"

The conference began at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday with breakfast and coffee for attendees, kicking off a jam-packed schedule that featured five high-profile speakers, a moderated roundtable session and several breaks for networking and conversation. The event's format—one day, fast pace, small room—kept attendees engaged and encouraged an open dialogue with presenters, highlighted by several lively, impromptu Q&A sessions.

"It was a great opportunity to share and learn from 150 leading association and nonprofit executives," said Rich Rumsey, vice president of development and communications for Project HOPE and a presenter at the conference. "The size is perfect for networking, too. It felt like we were at an intimate retreat setting."

Speakers addressed topics including scarcity and the need for collaboration; executive engagement; strengthening board leadership and relationships; risk management; and breaking down silos—some of the biggest issues facing nonprofit leaders today. The roundtable session covered even more, with nine moderators presenting on a range of key topics. And, of course, a happy hour closed out the conference with a final round of spirited networking and discussion.

The response from attendees was overwhelming.

"The NonProfit PRO Leadership Conference 2015 was terrific!" said Bunkie Righter, senior director of business development for GuideStar. "The speakers were top notch both in their fields of expertise and in their ability to deliver an informative, entertaining presentation. I learned from them. I also made some terrific connections with other nonprofit leaders and service providers during the intentional networking times built into the program."

"I often attend conferences that have interesting summaries that don't quite live up to the description. This was absolutely not the case here," added Joanne Wilson, of the Humane Society of the United States. "I came back to the office with a slew of ideas how to approach breaking down silos to improve our fundraising. Equally important was being able to sit in on the roundtable discussion, which helped me to think a little differently about our approach to data and segmentation. Hoping to be able to persuade our higher-ups to take the risks!"

If you missed the Leadership Conference, don't worry—there's more to come. Next up? NonProfit PRO's first-annual Emerging Tech & Nonprofit Growth Conference, July 21 in Philadelphia. The event will feature a similar format and will cover mobile, social media, peer-sharing platforms, video, cybersecurity best practices, tech solutions for increasing millennial engagement, advancements in tried-and-true technologies and more.

More on that to come. Until then, email Sean at snorris@napco.com or Pia at ppayne@napco.com for more information on the event and what you can do to get involved.

We'll see you there.