Speakers
Darla Marburger
Darla Marburger’s passion is amplifying good. As Greater for Good’s founder, she partners with nonprofits to advance their missions using business management principles to work smarter and measure their progress. Because impact measurement is essential to nonprofit development, and many nonprofits lack that in-house expertise, she provides fractional chief impact officer (CIO) services so that small- and mid-size nonprofits can have an impact expert part-time when their budget and workload do not justify the expense of a full-time CIO. She also enjoys designing and facilitating staff retreats to strengthen teams.
Darla launched her career in public service after earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Texas A&M University. Her policy work for the Texas Legislature supported the use of education data for greater student achievement. Later, as Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, she oversaw 15 nationwide grant programs awarding $20 billion annually. Darla led a team in the landmark achievement of every state having an approved plan to hold schools accountable for student achievement—an honor that earned her a trip to the White House.
Following her career in public service, Darla spent 12 years in corporate consulting before starting Greater for Good in 2019. Her commitment to social change is unwavering, as evidenced by her 10-year service on the board of a small family nonprofit and her role as a trusted adviser providing strategic direction for 25 years.
Darla lives in Austin, Texas, where she enjoys dancing the tango and hiking with her geriatric poodle, Moxy (but not simultaneously).
9:00 am - 9:30 am
Morning Keynote: Self-Made Success: The Dos and Don’ts of Nonprofit DIY
Kick off your morning with a fun and practical keynote to help you get in a great DIY mindset and make the most of the summit. As a nonprofit leader, you have one head and wear many hats. The work is demanding, fulfilling, and often stretches you as you tackle tasks outside of your wheelhouse that must be done. How do you do it yourself without doing yourself in? We will explore the pitfalls to avoid and the strategies to
employ as you muster the courage, knowledge, and skills to have success as you DIY.
Whether you are a small nonprofit looking to extend your resources or a larger organization aiming to build your in-house talent, this keynote will provide you with valuable insights and actionable advice to know how and when to use DIY to advance your mission.
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Afternoon Session: Crucial Measures: How & Why to Make Your Nonprofit’s Impact Known
You know your nonprofit is making a positive change in the world, but do you have a consistent and reliable way to measure its impact and show others how great a difference your organization is making? Investing a bit of time, thought, and structure to support impact measurement gives you the data you need to tell your impact story and:
- Secure and maintain grants
- Attract new donors
- Build trust and loyalty with donors
- Engage volunteers
- Fine-tune your programs and operations for continual improvement
In this interactive session, you’ll learn:
- Why it is worth your time and effort to establish a system of impact measurement
- How to create a logic model to aid you in defining the building blocks of impact measurement (situation, input, outputs, and outcomes)
- How to create a plan for defining the impact measures and collecting the data
- Who needs to be involved
- What to do with the results
- Recommended resources to support you in DIY impact measurement
By effectively communicating their impact, nonprofits can build stronger relationships with supporters, secure necessary funding, and ultimately achieve their mission more effectively. Come and learn how it is done!
Chris Carmona, CPA, Partner
Christopher (Chris) M. Carmona, CPA, is a co-founder at Schriver, Carmona & Company, with over two decades of experience in public accounting. Spearheading the audit department, Chris brings a specialized focus to serving the nonprofit sector, aligning closely with the firm's ethos encapsulated in the mission: "To serve others in their journey to fulfill their mission (as long as it doesn’t send us to jail or hell!)."
Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris embodies this mission on a personal level, evident through his multifaceted involvement with numerous local nonprofit organizations. Currently, he holds pivotal roles such as Immediate Past Chair of the San Antonio regional board of KIPP Texas Public Schools, Board Member of Eva’s Heroes, Board Member of The San Antonio Medical Foundation, Education Minister for Rey Feo LXXVI, Fabian Castillo, Sr., and member of the Founding Board of Governors of the Centre Club (formerly the Plaza Club). Chris is an alum of Leadership San Antonio Class 46, and actively participates in C12 Group: Leon Springs CEO Peer Business Forum and Social Venture Partners of San Antonio.
Chris's dedication extends further as he has previously served as Treasurer for The Nonprofit Council, Chair for Guide Dogs of Texas, and chaired the finance council at his parish, St. Matthew Catholic Church. At St. Matthew, he led initiatives such as the Annual Archbishop’s Appeal and played a pivotal role in the Archdiocesan Capital Campaign. Additionally, he served as Education Minister for Rey Feo LXX, Ken Flores.
Chris holds a BBA in Accounting from the University of Texas at San Antonio (GO RUNNERS!) and maintains active memberships in professional bodies such as the American Institute of CPAs and the Texas Society of CPAs.
Chris finds profound fulfillment in his family life, sharing over 20 years of marriage with his wife, Ana. Together, they are blessed with three children: Sophia, Daniel, and Michael.
9:45 am - 11:15 am
Morning Session: Financial Statements of Nonprofits & Key Financial Metrics
- Workshop Overview:
Financial management for nonprofit organizations is becoming more important due to increased donor sophistication and access to information, increased competition, and reliability of financial data for executives and board members to make key decisions. This course will provide a basic overview of financial statements and key financial metrics applicable to nonprofit organizations.
- Who should attend this workshop?
Board members/finance committee members, executive directors, CFOs, Controllers, and any other nonprofit accounting/finance staff that assist in preparing financial information for executive directors and/or board member/finance committee members.
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Afternoon Session: Advanced Budgeting for Nonprofits
- Workshop Overview:
Advanced budgeting for nonprofits delves into the strategic elements of budgeting that go beyond the foundational knowledge of developing a budget. This session will explore advanced topics such as budget management, financial planning with organizational strategy, and leveraging budgeting tools for decision-making under uncertainty. Participants will gain insights into optimizing resource allocation, managing financial risks, and improving financial reporting and accountability in their organizations.
- Who should attend this workshop?
Board members/finance committee members, executive directors, CFOs, Controllers, and any other nonprofit accounting/finance staff that assist in preparing financial information for executive directors and/or board member/finance committee members. Nonprofit professionals who are already familiar with the basic budgeting process.
Liz Deering
My name is Liz Deering. I am the owner of Impact Haven.
I am a facilitator, learning designer, coach, program strategist, and social entrepreneur. I have spent my career holding space and building communities for founders, leaders, and impact makers. I started in tech startups and creative agencies and co-founded several impact organizations, including an incubator for women and other minorities.
It is my greatest joy to be in the room (in person or virtually) facilitating groups of leaders, working in collaboration with teams, connecting people, and watching new concepts come to life.
For the last 10 years, I have served as a coach to founders and leaders. My specialty is supporting women and other minority founders, as they navigate a transition, plan for a new program launch, prepare a business strategy, or prepare to pitch. I also provide facilitation services for existing incubators or accelerator programs.
Impact Haven is my boutique creative agency based in Austin, TX. I lead a team of talented creatives from around the country. Our studio supports organizations that are launching new training programs with full-service support to build, launch, and manage the early seasons of the program. We specialize in implementing custom online training programs and incubators/accelerators designed with experiential learning principles and community
9:45 am - 11:15 am
Morning Session: Authentic Storytelling For Your Brand
-
- Why storytelling? As humans, we are wired for story. We want to identify with the hero and we also often want to BE the hero.
- What will we cover? In this session, we will be unpacking the structure of the hero’s journey and how to apply it to authentic storytelling for your organization.
- Who is this for? This session is for leaders who are facing challenges as they communicate with their various constituents, from partners to donors to those they serve. Perhaps, you are on a small budget or you do not have resources for a full-time communications/marketing team. It matters just as much, that you connect with and engage your audiences.
- What will the outcome be? We will be practicing the principles of story development, you will leave with a new perspective and a template and framework for approaching your next marketing push or fundraising campaign.
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Afternoon Session: Design Thinking For New Program Ideation
-
- What is design thinking? Design thinking is a mindset and approach to problem-solving and innovation anchored around human-centered design. While it can be traced back centuries—and perhaps even longer—it gained traction in the modern business world after Tim Brown, CEO and president of design company IDEO, published an article about it in the Harvard Business Review in 2008.
- What will we cover? In this session, we will be unpacking the human-centered approach to design, and applying it to designing a new program
- Who is this for? This session is for leaders who are facing challenges are they launch new programs or have faced challenges. Perhaps, you are struggling to get alignment across the various parties involved, or the results and impact are hard to define, or measure.
- What will the outcome be? We will be practicing the principles of design thinking, you will leave with a new perspective and a template and framework for approaching your next program design.
Matt Glazer
Matt has a diverse career in launching new ventures, executive management, and change management. He is a two-time Executive Director at nonprofits, including founding Progress Texas and leading the Austin Young Chamber of Commerce through a significant transformation. He has been an interim executive director multiple times for notable organizations like - Urban Roots, Good Work Austin, and Project Transitions. Currently, he is a professor of practice and the former Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Trinity University, where he teaches introduction to entrepreneurship, human-centered design, and business planning. Matt has served on multiple boards, focusing on fundraising and board governance. He currently serves on the board of Merivis, focusing on workforce development and supporting veterans. He holds degrees from Trinity University and the University of Texas at Austin.
9:45 am - 11:15 am
Morning Session: Building & Maintaining a Sustainable Board of Directors
- Define the roles and responsibilities of board members.
- Clarify the distinctions between governance and management.
- Identify the skills and diversity needed for an effective board.
- Develop strategies for recruiting and selecting board members.
- Implement orientation and ongoing education programs for board members.
- Board onboarding, board mentorship, and long-term board development
- Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
- Design and facilitate productive board meetings.
- Different approaches to meeting designs and understanding board vs staff roles and responsibilies.
- Implement regular board assessments to ensure effectiveness.
- Develop mechanisms for accountability and performance improvement.
-
- Plan for board succession to ensure continuity.
- Create strategies for the long-term sustainability of the board and organization using tools like skills inventories and assessments, leveraging governance committees, and being a self-regenerating board.
- Current and prospective nonprofit board members.
- Nonprofit executives and senior leaders.
- Individuals interested in nonprofit governance and leadership.
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Afternoon Session: Creating a Culture of Sustainability and Impact
- Define sustainability and impact in the context of nonprofit organizations.
- Define and differentiate vision, mission, unique value proposition, and goals
- Explore the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
- Evaluate the current state of sustainability and impact within the organization.
- Developing a gap analysis, or pre-mortem, related to sustainability to de-risk an iniative.
- Formulate a strategic plan that integrates sustainability into the organization’s mission and goals.
- Develop and apply a Theory of Change to guide strategic planning and program development.
- Ensure the organization’s activities are aligned with its long-term vision and impact goals.
- Identify and engage key stakeholders in sustainability efforts in an equitable, inclusive, and effective way.
- Foster collaboration and buy-in from staff, board members, volunteers, and the community to harness passion for collective impact.
- Develop policies, practices, and incentives that support sustainable behaviors and decision-making.
- Integrate sustainable practices into daily operations, programs, and services.
- Explore resource efficiency, waste reduction, and environmentally-friendly initiatives.
- Utilize decision matrices to effectively prioritize initiatives and allocate resources.
- Learn how to say “no” to projects and requests that do not align with the organization’s sustainability goals.
- Develop metrics and tools to measure sustainability and impact.
- Communicate progress and successes to stakeholders transparently and effectively.
- Fight against the race for perfection
- Implement strategies to prevent burnout and promote long-term engagement and well-being.
- Foster a mindset of continuous improvement and innovation.
- Stay current with emerging trends and best practices in sustainability.
- Nonprofit executives and senior leaders.
- Staff members responsible for program implementation and operations.
- Board members and volunteers interested in sustainability and impact.
- Individuals seeking to enhance their knowledge of nonprofit sustainability.
- Funders interested in capacity building
Erin McCord
Erin McCord is a passionate advocate for nonprofit organizations, dedicated to helping them raise funds and awareness for essential, life-changing programs through impactful events. As a seasoned nonprofit consultant, Erin specializes in event management, fundraising, and marketing for small and medium-sized organizations. After more than 10 years of experience working on large-scale fundraising events, she founded her consultancy in 2021 to leverage her expertise in supporting teams with limited staff and resources. She also has significant experience helping organizations fill critical gaps during staff transitions or parental leave.
Erin enjoys connecting with other community-minded individuals through volunteer service and finding inspiration by attending local events. In her downtime, she loves listening to audiobooks and spending time with her rescue dog, Dakota, a four-year-old Great Pyrenees mix.
9:45 am - 11:15 am
Morning Session: DIY Events: Practical Strategies & Tools for Success
Organizing impactful events on a limited budget and with a small team can be challenging, but it's achievable with practical strategies and cost-effective tools. In this session, we’ll explore how to plan and execute DIY events that drive engagement and support for your organization. We'll discuss how to leverage your existing resources creatively, utilize no or low-cost tools, and engage community partners and volunteers for event success. An interactive discussion and relevant examples will inspire the application of these strategies in your own organization.
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Afternoon Session: Innovative Approaches to Fundraising and Community Engagement
Whether reassessing current strategies or seeking to introduce new ones, fundraising and community support are crucial for an organization to truly thrive. During this session, we’ll dive into effective resources and creative approaches to elevate your fundraising efforts and energize your engagement with your audience, ambassadors, and community. This conversation will offer valuable takeaways that can be immediately implemented to make a meaningful impact. With a focus on active participation, come prepared to share your most successful tactic and join the conversation!