Nonprofit Professionals Receive Advice from Chicagoland’s Major Funders
CHICAGO, June 13, 2017—Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management at North Park University hosted nearly 130 attendees representing Chicagoland nonprofit organizations at its “Focus on the Important” conference. The engagement-themed agenda—packed with practical tips on getting the most out of human capital, the importance of relationship-building, and collecting the right kind of data for sound decision making—featured an entrepreneurial keynote speaker, moderators, and funders.
Keynote speaker Jacob Harold, President and CEO of GuideStar is a social change strategist, grantmaker, and author. Attendees absorbed best practices on collecting and utilizing data while Jacob lectured on “Data Scaffolding for Philanthropy – Information and the Marketplace for Good.”
Lisa Brown Alexander, President and CEO of Nonprofit HR followed with a session on employee retention; she offered strategies for leaders to keep employees engaged.
The afternoon panel, “Do Funders have a Secret Sauce?” was facilitated by James Parsons, President of The Brinson Foundation. Engaging discussions ensued from panelists:
- Sandra Aponte, Program Officer at The Chicago Community Trust
- Donald A. Cooke, Senior Vice President for Philanthropy at the McCormick Foundation
- Robin Steans, Executive Director of Advance Illinois and Board Chair of the Steans Family Foundation.
The funders participated in a lively conversation about a range of topics, from the nature of the funder/grantee relationship to the role of foundations in addressing the budget woes in Illinois. They fielded questions during the Q&A on trends for grant opportunities, elements of successful collaborations, and views about sustainability.
The “Ask a Funder” sessions held at day’s end provided attendees with brief appointments to speak with funding representatives, including:
- The Brinson Foundation
- The Chicago Community Trust
- Chicago Foundation for Women
- Community Memorial Foundation
- JPMorgan Chase
- Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation
- Springboard Foundation
Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management at North Park University hosts conferences, workshops, custom trainings, and a BootCamp for New Nonprofit CEOs that offer learning and networking opportunities. The mission of the Center is to enhance the performance and effectiveness of organizations and individuals in the nonprofit sector through education, service, and resources.
North Park is Chicago’s city-centered, Christian University.
