2023 Nonprofit OpCon

The 9th annual Nonprofit OpCon focuses on streamlining processes and operations for nonprofits in New York. How do we make things easier and more pleasant for executive leadership, operations, IT, risk, finance, HR and more? There are new industry standards to consider, and new guidelines around applying for public funds to learn. Bring your organization into the 21st century and abandon old practices that are depleting your valuable resources! It’s a new day in the nonprofit industry;join us as we explore these insights and strategies.

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact Kelly Murphy at kmurphy@cityandstateny.com.

If you are interested in speaking opportunities, please contact Lissa Blake at lblake@cityandstateny.com.

8:30 AM	Welcome and Opening Remarks by Emcee Marcella McKoy, Director of Team Experience & Engagement, Graham Windham
8:35 AM	Streamlining Processes, Operations, Finances & Investments through Strategy Successful organizations use many different strategies when developing their mission in both administrative and strategic ways. The key to this process is developing a focused, purposeful strategy that includes systems, resource allocation, data management, finances, and more. This panel will explain how well thought out operations and processes will enhance your nonprofit’s administrative efficiency, streamline monetary functions, and create operational stability so you can focus more of your energy on your mission. Victoria Coker, Executive Director, Bottom Line (moderator) Emerald Garner, Founder & Executive Director, We Can't Breathe Inc. Eleanor Coufos, President, Bronx Science Foundation Kirthi Mani, Managing Principal, NYC Office, CLA
9:20 AM	Special Presentation by The Parkside Group
10:05 AM	Refreshment Break
10:20 AM	Optimizing and Developing a Sustainable Board of Directors One of the central challenges that far too many boards struggle with is understanding board member roles and responsibilities and how to fulfill them. While boards are doing well with the more basic board responsibilities, understanding the organization’s purpose and mission and providing financial oversight, they struggle most with the more implied, vague responsibilities, including fundraising, advocacy, and community-building and outreach.What is most important is for board members to have a strong understanding of all of their roles and responsibilities. Dr. Darlene Williams, President & CEO, Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow (moderator) Ebony Young, Deputy Queens Borough President Ted Hopper, Board Chair, LSA Family Health Service
11:05 AM	Special Presentation: by Incline Pension
11:30 AM	Navigating Real Estate and Workspace as a Nonprofit As a nonprofit organization, you have a unique set of criteria for carefully choosing workplaces that support the important work and mission while balancing the operational and budgetary challenges faced by organizations. The panel will address topics such as understanding rental leases, exploring the hybrid work model, maximizing space in terms of efficiency and finances, alleviating cost increased from the landlords as well as creating safe, resilient, and inclusive workspaces. What does the future of work look like and how does that impact your space? Kristine Borok ,COO, Hot Bread Kitchen (moderator) Ann Marie Macdonald ,Chief Operating Officer, Part of the Solution Yasmin Dwedar, Supervising Attorney, Crime Victims Treatment Center Radical Synergy Jodi Warren, Partner, Capell Barnett Matalon & Schoenfeld LLP Christopher D. Turner, Managing Director of Transactions Services, Denham Wolf Real Estate Services
12:15 PM	Lunch
1:35 PM	Best Practices for Hiring at Your Nonprofit Hiring is always a challenge, but nonprofit organizations face additional hurdles when searching for great employees. The most important priority is to find people with the right skills and a commitment to your organization’s mission. Once you have people in place organizations need to create policies and procedures, so everyone is treated fairly. Equally essential is to create a work environment where everyone can thrive and support all kinds and types of workers in a multi-faceted way. With the right approach, it is easy to overcome the challenges and find the right person for your organization. Damaris Herron-Watkins, Director of Finance and Administration, A Better Chance (moderator) Nancy D. Miller, Executive Director/CEO, VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired Eman Rimawi-Doster, Executive Director, Harlem Independent Living Center Sonya Llewellyn, Director of Human Resources, 501© Services
2:20 PM	What Nonprofits Need to Know about Accounting and Finance Maintaining the financial security of any nonprofit is a challenge before you factor in the specific aspects of your organization. Keeping up with regulatory changes, managing all sources of funding, tracking organizational costs, and more is demanding, especially for nonprofits that are already stretched too thin. Our panelists will feature strategies and resources to help you increase your financial fluency and create systems for efficient financial management. Pam Loscher, Chief Financial Officer, ArtsWestchester (moderator) Matthew Savago, CFO, Center for Justice Innovation Rachel DeMatteo, Senior Manager, YPTC John Eusanio, Partner, Not-for-Profit Practice Leader, Citrin Cooperman Alexander K. Buchholz, Partner, PKF O'Connor Davies Genevieve Sapp, Outsourcing Chief Financial Officer, CLA
3:05 PM	Refreshment Break
3:20 PM	Innovation & Technology Moving Your Nonprofit Forward Because of budgets and funding, it appears that all nonprofits need automated systems, strong financial practices, smart real estate strategies and multiple grant tracking capabilities. This session will bring together top-level executives from nonprofits across New York to discuss how to improve and upgrade your operational processes, how to set up automated campaigns for renewal, appeal, sustainer, and acquisition campaigns, and how to make smart choices that affect the day to day and year to year of nonprofit institutions. Christopher Mainor, Director of IT, Urban Pathways (moderator) Garri Rivkin, Executive Director, The City Tutors Danny Rojas, Executive Director, All Star Code Jacqueline Tiso, CEO, JMT Consulting Group Inc.
4:05 PM	Nonprofit Efficiency: Managing Risk, Overhead and Failure Risk management is a tool that helps nonprofits deal with uncertainty. Executives at nonprofits must identify and manage risks that threaten their missions and operations, while taking advantage of the opportunities and take calculated but mission-advancing risks. They must be looking at their overhead expenses as that can be a consideration for donor contribution. It’s also important to consider the importance of customer and vendor relationships and how to balance cost with these valued relationships. Overall, the goal to run an efficient nonprofit can be faced with many challenges. Archana Jayaram, President & CEO, The Osborne Association (moderator) Kathleen Macias-Torres, Executive Director, Sparc Inc. Dan Lehman, Executive VP & CFO, Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC)
4:50 PM	Session Concludes

Inclusion is one of the core values of City & State. Our goal is to create a company climate accessible to all, and proactively plan events free of physical, communication and/or other barriers so all individuals may meaningfully participate in our activities and events.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend City & State sponsored events. If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this event, please contact Alexis Arsenault at aarsenault@cityandstateny.com or Isabelle Poulard at ipoulard@cityandstateny.com.

Please contact us for the full policy.

We require that ALL attendees be vaccinated at least 2 weeks prior to the event and submit to a temperature check upon arrival, to help ensure the safety of all attendees. Please remember to bring a copy or photo of your vaccination card or your Excelsior pass to gain entry. We will space out all attendees in a large room to maintain social distancing. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

All attendees will be required to provide government-issued photo ID upon entry. Walk-in registrants will be charged an additional fee and will be required to provide credit card payment on-site.