Breakout Presentations
Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in two breakout sessions throughout the day. Participants will have the chance to choose one presentation from Session 1 and one presentation from Session 2. Presentations are outlined below.
Session 1
Informed Practice: Collecting, compiling, and understanding data to improve programming
and motivate funders
Presenter
Rika Peterson | Maximizing Excellence
Session Overview
This session will walk participants through how to measure and understand outcomes to articulate impact, improve programming, and motivate funders to invest. Participants will learn how well-constructed outcome measures will inform programming decisions, the people and communities served, and the donors rooting for their work.
Speaker Bio
Rika Peterson, MSW, joined Maximizing Excellence, LLC in September 2013 and currently serves as Senior Consultant. A Sioux Falls native, Rika graduated from Augustana University with her B.A. degree in psychology and sociology in 2012. She went on to pursue her Master of Social Work degree at the University of South Dakota, graduating in 2014.
Rika is skilled in data collection and analysis, facilitation, and developing program outcomes. In addition to conducting feasibility studies, she has been part of over 30 strategic plans with the firm and has facilitated over 50 focus groups. She is certified in facilitation through Sioux Falls THRIVE’s Effective Team Manager Training, has completed The Science and Art of a Supremely Successful Capital Campaign training twice through the Institute for Charitable Giving, and completed a University of Minnesota course titled Qualitative Data Analysis: Strategically Eliciting the Meanings in Qualitative Data to Inform, Advocate, Intervene and Evaluate.
How to Have a Highly Effective Board
Presenter
Kara Harders | SDSU Extension
Session Overview
In this session we will explore several areas of education that are vital for both new and existing board members serving nonprofit organizations. An introduction to seven main topics that are a part of our "Building Highly Effective Boards" series will include interactive activities and current resource ideas. Roles and responsibilities of board members will be discussed, as well as recruiting and retaining board members, and making meetings work for everyone.
Speaker Bio
Kara Harders is a Community Vitality field specialist with SDSU extension. She has delivered the Building Highly Effective Boards series to multiple boards and organizations and enjoys seeing how members use the trainings to help their own board work through problems or strengthen an already great team. Kara lives and works in Watertown and has a background in Agricultural Education and Communications. She recently starting recording the podcast "Home Starts Here" for SDSU Extension.
How to Get More Donors, Volunteers
and Love From Your Community
(through the magic of Story)
Presenter
Jeff Pickett | 4Front Studios
Session Overview
Most non-profits struggle with their marketing to find donors, dollars and helpers. In this presentation, we talk about a proven process that helps you identify your audience(s), let them see themselves in your mission, and give them a compelling reason to want to be a part of your organization's goals.
Speaker Bio
Jeff Pickett grew up in central Missouri where his love for marketing began. With an affinity for Tom Hank’s character, David Basner, in the 1980’s movie, Nothing in Common, Jeff first realized that at the heart of smart marketing was to think like your audience.
After graduating from the University of Missouri, Jeff’s career includes executive level marketing in both the consumer and healthcare industries. In one six-year-stint, Jeff earned five promotions and became the national brand manager of a 1,100 unit pizza franchise where he helped guide year over year sales in excess of 10%.
Having a strong desire to start his own business after 25 years on the corporate side, Jeff first created Media By JP and later co-created 4Front Studios, a thriving video production company that focuses on authentic story telling to gain customers and sales for his clients. Within its first twelve months, 4Front Studios eclipsed multiple six-figures in revenue and attracts clients who continue to use his services year after year. Using his strategic and creative approach, Jeff is the only StoryBrand Certified Guide in South Dakota, offering a unique solution to marketing and the growing demand for online video. With his partner, Vinson Danh, 4Front Studios has made an international impact through its visual marketing strategies.
Jeff lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with his wife, Cindy. Between them they have six children, Gizmo the Border Collie, few dull moments and countless adventures. He and Cindy enjoy hiking, camping, traveling, and consuming mass amounts of YouTube videos.
Helpline Center Network of Care:
Connecting the Community and Closing the
Loop for Whole Person Care
Presenter
Shaunna Batcheller | Helpline Center
Session Overview
This presentation will discuss closed-loop referral and data-sharing networks and their benefits to both human services providers and to their clients/patients. We will feature how cross-sector providers, working together, can coordinate care to serve the whole person and support social determinants of health. We will also discuss the history, vision, and current status of the Helpline Center Network of Care (HCNC) and share HCNC system data from 2022.
Speaker Bio
Shauna Batcheller is the Program Director at the Helpline Center. Shauna has a passion for implementing innovative and effective programs that improve health and well-being for South Dakotans. Much of her time is spent building the relationships needed to integrate our systems of care. Shauna is Certified in Public Health, Nonprofit Management, and is a Certified Resource Specialist. She obtained her Masters in Social Science in Community Health from the University of Colorado Denver.
Session 2
So, we are a Nonprofit... Now what?
Presenter
Julie Johnson | Attorney at Law & Registered Lobbyist
Session Overview
Julie will provide updates on nonprofit law, bylaw and articles considerations, what boards need to know, and other important considerations.
Speaker Bio
Julie resides in Aberdeen and is the longest-standing woman lawyer lobbyist in the legislative hallways and has a wealth of experience in the nonprofit sector. She has experience with all stages of nonprofits from managing a new start-up to serving as a board member. She has worn a lobbying badge at the SD Legislature for a great many years.
The Robots are Winning: How to Ensure
Your Nonprofit Skills are AI-Proof
Presenter
Patrick Kirby | Do Good Better Consulting
Session Overview
As a nonprofit fundraiser, you know firsthand the importance of every dollar that helps achieve your organization's mission. That's why it's essential to find creative, effective ways to raise funds and engage with donors.
But what if the robots have already found the solution and are using skills to develop incredible ways to create, repurpose and utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to already do this?
At first glance, AI might seem like a threat to job security, with analysts predicting that as much as 50% of current jobs may be lost or replaced by AI by 2030. But don't despair! While AI is capable of handling certain tasks, it is not able to possess the "soft skills" or "human skills" that are necessary to building truly deep relationships with your donors. These skills, like communication, leadership, empathetic listening, and connection, are what set us apart from the machines.
Speaker Bio
Patrick Kirby is the Founder of Do Good Better Consulting, author of the Amazon best seller Fundraise Awesomer! A Practical Guide to Staying Sane While Doing Good, host of The Official Do Good Better Podcast, and a believer that we’ve always done it this way is the most dangerous phrase in the English language.
Patrick has spent nearly 2 decades working as a fundraiser in the nonprofit industry, for organizations of all shapes and sizes, most notably as the Senior Director of Development at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Minneapolis, MN and the Chief Development Officer at the Anne Carlsen Center, based in Jamestown, ND.
Developing a Digital Marketing Plan for
Your Nonprofit when Time, Money and
Staff are Limited Resources
Presenter
Mychelle Garrigan | Firelink Digital Marketing
Session Overview
Small to medium sized nonprofits often struggle with creating a comprehensive digital marketing plan because of the lack of staff and other resources. This session will review how you can create a content calendar and digital strategy that's effective and feasible for your nonprofit's unique situation. We'll review how to do an assessment of your resources, steps for strategy and planning and defining a target audience, and what vehicles you should choose to grow your audience.
Speaker Bio
Mychelle Garrigan runs Firelink Digital Marketing, which serves small to medium-size businesses and non-profits. She provides a full range of online business services include website design, search engine optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile setup and management, website audits, copywriting and strategy development for content marketing and social media marketing. She also has specialties in helping individuals develop online courses and events and web accessibility. She studied web design, internet technology and programming at UNLV and the Iron Yard Front End Engineering program.
Mychelle's professional background includes over 30 years working in administration, development, and marketing/communications positions in the non-profit world. She has a MSW with a concentration on Community Administration, Planning and Programs from UCLA. She has worked with populations such as the homeless, victims of domestic violence, and persons with brain injury. In addition to her digital marketing and web design experience, she has worked as both a professional editor and writer. She has written in a diverse array of topics from pet care to social media marketing to web design and technology. She was the Community Outreach Director and Chief Executive Officer for the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and worked in administrative/marketing roles for the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, and the United States Dog Agility Association.
HR Strategies Every Nonprofit Should Consider
Presenter
Karen DeLange | Alternative HR
Session Overview
Establishing HR strategies is not an easy thing. They should be well thought-out, well-planned and carefully executed. By having key objectives established, organizations can have an profound effect on the world. In this session, we'll discuss the key components to consider and provide basic steps to follow when establishing an HR strategy.
Speaker Bio
Karen DeLange is the Director of Operations and a Senior Human Resource Consultant with Alternative HR, LLC in Sioux Falls where she has worked for the past 12 years. Alternative HR was started in 1992 to support organizations that were too small to justify having a human resource professional on staff, but that still needed to compete for great people, to comply with scores of state and federal employment laws, and to create a workplace environment where people and organization can excel. While small employers are still the primary focus, companies of all sizes utilize Alternative HR’s human resource and training expertise.
Karen has over 25 years of experience in business management, human resource management and employee development. She and her team work with businesses, non-profit organizations and public entities throughout the Midwest, helping them with recruiting, on-boarding, performance management, compliance, compensation and benefits, and strategic HR planning.
Karen is recognized by the Society for Human Resource Management as a Senior Certified Professional, and by the Human Resources Certification Institute as a Senior Professional in Human Resources.