Arizona Nonprofit + Grantmaker Conference
Join us in-person on August 24th as we bring back our highly-anticipated annual conference!
After convening our SOLD OUT annual conference in 2022, the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits + Arizona Grantmakers Forum is excited to announce that the 2023 UNITE Nonprofit + Grantmaker Conference will be hosted at the newly-renovated Mesa Convention Center. This year's 1-day conference will feature two keynotes, 18 breakout sessions, and 3 panel discussions on topics for all levels of nonprofit and philanthropic professionals!
THE 2023 UNITE NONPROFIT + GRANTMAKER CONFERENCE IS NOW SOLD OUT. PLEASE JOIN THE WAITLIST.
Date and Time
August 24th
7:00am - 4:00pm
Happy Hour immediately following until 6:00pm
Conference Location
Mesa Convention Center
263 N Center Street
Mesa, AZ 85201

Conference
About Us
The 2023 UNITE 1-day conference will feature two keynotes as well as 18 breakout sessions and 3 panel discussions!
This year, our pricing is discounted depending on how many individuals registered at once with group rates discounted as the number of registrants increases. Group discounts start at 3 people.


Strengthen
Broaden your knowledge and network with other nonprofit + philanthropic professionals to strengthen Arizona’s sector.
Discover
We offer educational sessions for everyone: from EDs/CEOs, to development teams, to program staff, to grantmaking teams, and even board members.
Connect
Mix and mingle with fellow nonprofit + philanthropic professionals and exhibitors.

32+ Hours
of Content!
Scholarships
The Alliance strives to ensure this conference is accessible to all nonprofits.
We are able to provide full scholarships to attend the event for free, courtesy of our generous friends at Vitalyst Health Foundation and partial scholarships are available courtesy of our generous friends at Abbett Family Foundation.
Scholarships were available on a first come, first serve basis. Organizations could receive a scholarship for a maximum of 2 attendees.
Note: All scholarship funds for 2023 have been allotted.
Apply for a scholarship here.
Please note: you will be prompted to sign into your Alliance account before completing the scholarship form. If you do not have one, you can sign up for free by following the prompts! If you don’t know your password, please click forgot password.
Hotel Accommodations
Sustainability & Accessibility Matter To Us
The full program for the event will be provided digitally (accessible by QR code) in an effort to promote sustainability and reduce paper waste, which aligns with our IDEA(s) values. A printed agenda will be available but will not contain all session information. We will only print the number of large-print paper materials as determined in the attendee survey.
We have ASL Interpretation or Spanish Language services available upon request and have ensured table clearance at the conference is 28 inches, and the distance between tables and booths are at least 3 feet to accommodate any wheelchairs or mobility devices.
Gender neutral bathrooms, as well as a pop-up lactation and prayer room, will be available per request.
We want you to enjoy this conference worry-free. If you have additional special accommodations, please let us know by indicating such in your attendee survey.

Conference
Gallery

































Our
Speakers

Kristen Merrifield
Preserving the Charitable Deduction: How We Got Here & Where We Go From Here

Carolyn Sechler
Ten Real Estate Rules Every Nonprofit Should Know

Kathy Foster
The Workplace as an Engagement Tool

Bianca Buliga
How to Crush Nonprofit Marketing with Limited Staff, Budget, and Time

Dr. Jeff McGee
Community Cultural Wealth

Michael Barry
Executive Roundtable

Laura Dillingham
Engaging Through Team Dynamics

Beth Jo Zietzer
Ten Real Estate Rules Every Nonprofit Should Know

Terri Shoemaker
Create and Successfully Present Your Giving Season Plan

Keith Yaskin
How to Master Media Interviews

Torrie Taj
Leadership for the Roaring (20) 20’s: C-Suite Discussion & Panel

Laurie Liles
Preserving the Charitable Deduction: How We Got Here & Where We Go From Here

Claire Louge
Stress, Trauma, and the Trauma‐Informed Approach

Keith Perske
The Workplace as an Engagement Tool

Tiffanie Dillard
Moving From Exhausted Leadership to Effective Leadership

Ellis Carter
Creating and Managing an Endowment Fund

David Martinez
Advocacy Roadmap: Making “Cents” of Your Advocacy Plan

John Scola
Dirty Money ‐ Ethics In Nonprofits

Jennifer Bonnett
Building the Capacity Ecosystem

Laura Ingalls
How to Spot and Solve Nonprofit Burnout

Darlene Newsom
Leadership for the Roaring (20) 20’s: C-Suite Discussion & Panel

Brandy Petrone
Preserving the Charitable Deduction: How We Got Here & Where We Go From Here

Chris Sower
Understanding the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program

Kristiana Fox
How to Build a Social Enterprise or Earned Revenue Strategy for Your Nonprofit

Tara Bethell
Moving From Exhausted Leadership to Effective Leadership

Lisa Deane
Envision, Establish and Execute: Engaging Your Stakeholders to Create and Achieve Your Strategic Plan

Jeffrey Wilcox
Nonprofit Succession Planning ‐ Creating a Continuity of Leadership to Advance Your Mission

Julie Euber
What Young Nonprofit Professionals Need to Engage Fully In the Sector

Kay McDonald
How to Build a Social Enterprise or Earned Revenue Strategy for Your Nonprofit

Tom Ralser
ROI & True Sustainability: Moving Beyond the 3 G's (Golf, Galas, and Giveaways)

Tom Egan
Leadership for the Roaring (20) 20’s: C-Suite Discussion & Panel

Penny Allee-Taylor
Preserving the Charitable Deduction: How We Got Here & Where We Go From Here

Beverly Browning
Taking the Right Steps Toward Nonprofit Sustainability

Donita Douglas
Envision, Establish and Execute: Engaging Your Stakeholders to Create and Achieve Your Strategic Plan

Steve Browning
Nonprofit Succession Planning ‐ Creating a Continuity of Leadership to Advance Your Mission

Jerry Houston
Engaging Through Team Dynamics

George Heiler
3 Things All Nonprofits Should Know About Cyber Security To Avoid Scams, Threats and Disasters

Brianna Klink
Create and Successfully Present Your Giving Season Plan

Todd Vigil
The Road to 100% Digital Marketing

Michael Barry
Leadership for the Roaring (20) 20’s: C-Suite Discussion & Panel
Conference
Schedule
Check-in begins at 7:00am and programming begins at 8:00am. Breakfast and lunch will be included.
Times for each session will be announced as we near the conference date.
Intercultural Creativity® for NonProfit: The Ace Up Your Sleeve for the Future of Work
Speaker: Genein Letford
Advance Your Breakthrough, Avoid the Breakdown
Speaker: Dr. Roderick Logan, Senior Faculty with the Arizona Trauma Institute
When you think about you, your work, and your workplace, do you feel liberated and empowered, or do you feel fatigued and overwhelmed? Are there seasons when it seems there is a wall between you and where you are wanting to go. Is there a sense of desperation inside you that is hoping for a breakthrough, but you fear a breakdown is more likely? Dr. Roderick Logan, Senior Faculty with the Arizona Trauma Institute, will share a simple but profound idea that many have reported has helped them to regain their momentum and renew their mission.
Strengthening Volunteer & Board Engagement
Speaker: Ben Burke
Be the Chief Storytelling Officer for Your Brand
Speaker: Matthew Clyde, IDEAS Collide
Whether you run a large non-profit or starting to get your idea off the ground, we all have a compelling story to tell. This session, ‘How to be the Chief Storytelling Officer for Your Brand,’ will arm you with strategies and tactics to embody the traits and mindset of a Chief Storytelling Officer (CSO). The proven framework will inspire you and your essential stakeholders, members, supporters, investors, and advocates to action. In addition, this informative and interactive discussion will also include practical examples and steps where you will workshop your brand story and content.
Using the 3P’s to Create Innovative Solutions
Speaker: Kevin Holt
In this workshop, you will learn how a team-size group can use the “3Ps” to do a better job of thinking together when creating an innovative solution to a problem or a new or improved product or service. The first P is to use proven PROCESSES, both group processes, like the nominal group technique, and task processes, like the jobs-to-be-done method for identifying innovation opportunities and analogical thinking for generating creative ideas. The second P has to do with new collaboration PLATFORMS, like collaborative workspaces and combining electronic brainstorming technology and AI tools like ChatGPT. (Electronic brainstorming technology was largely developed by the University of Arizona and IBM.) The third P is about PEOPLE–using a meeting facilitator to help assemble a team of people who have the needed knowledge and to manage the meeting. In this workshop, you’re going to have the opportunity to apply what you learn. Some of the PROCESSES you learn will be mapped to the electronic brainstorming PLATFORM, which the workshop group will use to brainstorm a solution to a problem that is common to nonprofits. Remember to bring your laptop so you can participate!
Creative Reflective Leadership: Improve Self-Awareness & Authenticity
Speaker: Genein Letford
Being able to understand yourself is an integral part of understanding and leading others.Improving reflective practices that develop self-awareness and emotional regulation is now acritical skill in this VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) environment.Learn how to develop your self-awareness so you can better understand how others see youand better align your actions with your intentions. In this course you will learn tangiblestrategies for reflective and creative leadership.
Successes and Challenges of Using Trust-Based Philanthropy
Speakers: Panel
Being able to understand yourself is an integral part of understanding and leading others.Improving reflective practices that develop self-awareness and emotional regulation is now acritical skill in this VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) environment.Learn how to develop your self-awareness so you can better understand how others see youand better align your actions with your intentions. In this course you will learn tangiblestrategies for reflective and creative leadership.
Love the Ones You’re With
Speaker: Kim Madrigal
Perennial Differentiation
Speaker: Emily Soccorsy
Being different is a necessity in the crowded, noisy world we live in. While every brand is unique, few are able to confidently express what makes them different. Brands that can express their uniqueness to their defined audience and can create memorable experiences are the ones that remain in the heart and mind long after you’ve left the room. Differentiation includes the key disciplines of articulating your differentiators, knowing your audience, designing your customer experience and owning your brand category.
MORE SESSIONS TO COME!

Conference
Pricing
Days until the big event
INDIVIDUAL
(1 person)
GROUP
$140
(Per person. Rates vary depending on size of group)
INDIVIDUAL
(1 person)
GROUP
$190
(Per person. Rates vary depending on size of group)
*Only Alliance members qualify for discounts. Interested in becoming a member? Click here.
Thank you to Vitalyst Health Foundation and Abbett Family Foundation for providing scholarships the the conference.
Important Notes on Registration:
- Registrants who are unable to attend the 2023 UNITE conference may substitute someone to attend in their place; please submit the change via your account or email our Events Team. Substitutions must be received by August 15.
- Registrants who are unable to attend the conference may substitute someone to attend in their place; please submit the change via your account or email our Events Team by August 15th. Cancellations received by July 31 will reach a full refund less a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds will be provided after July 31.
Conference
Sponsors
Virtual Conference Orientation Sponsor – 0/1 available – $5,000 (SOLD)
Nonprofit Networking Sponsor – 0/1 available – $5,000 (SOLD)
Keynote Introduction Sponsor – 2/4 available – $2,500
Commercial Break Sponsor – 1/1 available – $2,500
Session/Speaker Introduction Sponsor – 12/16 available – $1,000
Conference Supporter – $500
Member Scholarship Supporter – $500 (supports 5 attendees)
2023 UNITE Nonprofit + Grantmaker Conference offers a unique opportunity for you to get your brand in front of Arizona’s nonprofit audience. Connect with nonprofit professionals in a way you never have before with our sponsorship opportunities!
If you have any questions about these or other sponsorship, exhibiting, or advertising opportunities, please contact Jennifer Purcell, Chief Impact Officer, at JenniferP@arizonanonprofits.org or call 602-279-9166.
Thank you to our 2023 Sponsors!
