Schedule: By Topic

Finance and Management | Fundraising | Governance | Human Resources | Leadership
Marketing and Communications | Public Policy | Theme-Related

Public Policy

How Nonprofits and Government Can Reframe and End Poverty

Thursday, 1 – 4:30 pm.

Poverty is getting renewed attention in Minnesota and across the country. This session will explore how local communities are changing perceptions of poverty, the opportunities and potential presented by Minnesota’s Legislative Commission to End Poverty, and how nonprofit service providers can use their passion for their missions, their relationships with people in poverty and their expertise in their disciplines to inform government policy.

Barbara Dorry, executive director, Kootasca Community Action Partnership; Gregory Gray, director, Legislative Commission to End Poverty in Minnesota by 2020; Brian Rusche, executive director, Joint Religious Leglislative Commission; Deborah Schlick, executive director, Affirmative Options Coalition.

Climate Change: The Most Important Low-Income Issue since Welfare Reform

Thursday, 2:45 – 4 p.m.

Currently, Minnesota is on a fast-track to join with other Midwestern states to implement a system to reduce carbon emissions. The result will be a cleaner environment for all, but the financial fallout for low-income families could be substantial. However, a well designed “cap and trade” system could still result in a win-win situation for everyone. This session will explore the potential impact on low-income families and discuss strategies for offsetting those effects, review the process already underway for creating a cap and trade system, and highlight the importance of getting engaged in this debate before it’s too late.

Christina Wessel, Minnesota Budget Project deputy director, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

Turning Up the Heat: Breaking Through with the Legislature and Governor

Thursday, 1 – 4:30 pm.

How do you break through the noise of so many different organizations and issues in this extraordinarily difficult issue environment? How do you build power to influence elected officials at the executive and legislative levels? How do you get on the radar screen of the Governor? This workshop will examine the core idea that to turn up the heat, policy-makers need to feel uncomfortable and they need to be forced to act. This session will examine and practice getting comfortable with discomfort, conducting a strategic analysis to find the right targets and messengers, making the right “ask” and backing up the ask with the most powerful grassroots tactics suitable for your issue and organization.

Marcia Avner, public policy director, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and Dan Cramer, co-founder, Grassroots Solutions

Citizens, Nonprofits, and Government: Doing Together What We Cannot Do Alone

Friday, 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

People and organizations interact with government in three primary ways: parallel work with no intersection, collaborative work, and adversarial interactions. This session will explore strategies for collaborative accomplishments and successful interactions. Three models will be presented to provoke ideas and discussion: the Citizen’s League model for citizen engagement, St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health Initiative for Peaceful Families and Communities’ Family Violence Prevention Initiative, and Minnesota Citizens for the Arts’ relationship building strategies. We can do more! Learn about the possibilities!

Marcia Avner, public policy director, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits; Don Gault, Healthy Communities section manager, Ramsey County Department of Public Health; Erin Sapp, Citizen’s League; and Sheila Smith, executive director, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts

Leveraging Leadership to End Homelessness

Friday, 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m

When tackling big issues like homelessness it is important to realize that no one sector can do it alone. One of the greatest strengths of a multi-sector partnership is that each sector can challenge the others, leveraging support and encouraging action. Yet multi-sector partnerships are not without their challenges. This session will offer insight into best practices for engaging multiple sectors in addressing community issues. Representatives from nonprofits, foundations and government will be featured in a moderated panel highlighting the strategies of the state's Heading Home initiatives that have as their goal ending long-term homelessness by 2010.

Cathy ten Broeke, regional coordinator, Heading Home Hennepin; Jim Frey, president, Frey Foundation; Tim Marx, commissioner, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency; Carleen Rhodes, president, St. Paul Foundation; and Tom Triplett, principal consultant, Fieldstone Alliance

Nonprofits and Advocacy Laws

Friday, 2:15 – 3:30 p.m.

Ever wonder what you can and can’t do as a nonprofit advocate? This session will review the rules relating to nonprofit advocacy, lobbying and election-related activities for 501(c)(3) organizations. Participants in this session will learn what lobbying is, how much a 501(c)(3) can lobby, the state rules and regulations regarding nonprofit advocacy and lobbying, and the types of election-related activity 501(c)(3)’s can engage in. Presenters will be able to address your specific questions as well.

David Arons, state government relations director, American Cancer Society and Jeannie Fox, public policy deputy director, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

Leveraging Your Leadership: Participation in Government Agencies, Boards and Commissions

Friday, 2:15 – 3:30 p.m.

Many nonprofit staff and board members are experts in what they do – but they don’t necessarily share their experience and expertise outside their core supporters. Participating as a community leader in government settings - civic boards or commissions, state agency boards or even elected office - can increase the visibility of nonprofit organizations and their leaders. Involvement in other civic organizations helps you achieve your organizational mission as you become a “go-to” community leader, interacting with civic and community leadership in new ways. Discover the benefits of participating in agencies, boards, and commissions; information about open service opportunities; how to apply for these positions; and how to be successful in obtaining competitive leadership positions in your community.

Steve Boland, executive director, Greater Frogtown Community Corporation and Mark Ritchie, Minnesota Secretary of State

Influencing State Policy — Intercepting the Legislative Process through Specialty Councils

Friday, 2:15 – 3:30 p.m.

As nonprofit leaders, you understand the need to evolve into influencers of state policy and budget priority. By building strategic partnerships with state Councils chartered with providing legislative recommendations, you are able to intercept the legislative process and gain consistent access to state legislators and the governor's office. In this session, you will develop an understanding of the Councils' legislative cycle and how best to interject the work of Councils with your ideas and recommendations. Panel members will provide you with an understanding of how they gather the voice of the community, analyze data, and build their legislative recommendations. Learn to take your voice and that of your stakeholders to the state legislature.

Theresa Carufel, council chair, Minnesota State Advisory Council on Mental Health; Rita Garcia, CEO, Business Partners Plus, Inc.; Ilean Her, executive director, Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans; and Rogelio Munoz, executive director, Chicano Latino Affairs Council