2026 Friends & Allies Fall Summit
Skill-Building Circles
These 90-minute workshops are focused on sharing and skill-building in a core area of practice identified by attendees at previous summits, aimed at expanding your organization’s capacity and impact. Facilitators are local leaders with grounded experience and will work to provide you with tools that you can take directly into your work and advocacy.
Attendees will select one Skill-Building Circle to attend during registration.
Beyond the Numbers:
Communicating Financial Risk
to Build Trust and Drive Decisions
Facilitators: Erin Zollenkopf, CEO, Susan Matlack Jones & Associates
Nonprofit leaders are being asked to do more with less, in a funding environment that keeps shifting. This practical, hands-on session will give you the tools to communicate financial risk clearly, align your budget with real development goals, and lead confident conversations about money.
We'll start by unpacking what financial risk actually looks like for nonprofits today: reserve levels, funding risks, revenue diversification, and the early warning signs that often get missed. From there, we'll work through how to translate that risk into language your board and team can actually use. Next, we'll turn to goal setting and budgeting and discuss aligning strategic direction with financial data. We'll talk through common misalignments between fundraising targets and budget assumptions, and how to catch them early. Finally, we'll cover simple, effective ways to present financial information. You'll leave with talking points you can adopt immediately, along with a clearer sense of how to make financial conversations a driver of good decisions rather than a source of dread.
You'll walk away with:
A framework for identifying and naming financial risk in your organization
Language and talking points for board and staff conversations about money
A method for aligning development goals with budget realities
Simple tools for presenting financials that build trust and support decision-making
Erin Zollenkopf is the CEO of Susan Matlack Jones & Associates (SMJ), a bookkeeping firm specializing in not-for-profit accounting that works with over 120 Oregon and Washington nonprofits. Erin is a Trustee of the Oregon Historical Society where she currently serves as Vice President. She regularly speaks and leads workshops and board trainings in an effort to demystify nonprofit financials. Her workshops include topics such as Understanding Nonprofit Financials, Engaging Stakeholders with Financial Statements, and Internal Controls for Nonprofits. Besides accounting, Erin enjoys spending time with her family, playing piano, and adventuring outdoors.
Confronting Conflict by Building Community
Facilitator: Teressa Raiford & Taishona Carpenter, Don’t Shoot Portland
Navigating racism, discrimination and public safety is something many have difficulty talking about, yet it occurs within our daily lives, causing trauma that deeply impacts our social well-being even when we are a witness rather than a target. Incidents of hate have escalated and ignoring the violence is not an option. Learn how to go from being a bystander to an upstander, respond safely, and show that violence has no place in our communities.
Teressa Raiford is the founder and executive director of Don’t Shoot Portland, a nationally recognized art and education nonprofit in Portland, Oregon, that promotes social change in the spaces of civil rights and racial justice. Teressa has been featured in dozens of documentaries and keynotes ranging from issues on human rights, the school-to-prison pipeline, mass incarceration and race in America. She is also director and curator of The BLACK Gallery in Portland’s’ Pearl District. Prior to the forming of Don’t Shoot Portland in 2016, Teressa has long held a strong presence in the city through her community organizing and direct advocacy with families affected by discrimination, police brutality and gun violence.
Taishona Carpenter (she/her) is a contemporary artist, archivist and community organizer with a passion for social impact in the realms of art and civil rights. She is the founder of Compose Yourself Magazine, an independent online publication spotlighting music, culture and social justice. Tai is currently the Board President of Don’t Shoot Portland, a community-based advocacy nonprofit and director of The BLACK Gallery.
The Power of a One-Pager:
A Small Format with Big Impact
Facilitator: Anna Beth Rucker, Founder, Tree Frog Solutions
A one-pager isn’t just a quick overview; it’s a high-impact communication tool that helps nonprofits distill complex programs, services, or initiatives into clear, compelling messages. Whether you’re pitching a project, rallying community support, preparing board materials, or streamlining internal planning, a well-crafted one-pager can save time, strengthen buy-in, and motivate people to act.
This interactive session introduces a practical, step-by-step approach to building powerful one-pagers, based on a proven seven-part framework developed specifically for mission-driven organizations. We’ll cover real examples of how one-pagers can be used across departments—from fundraising to program delivery to board development—and explore storytelling and design principles that help your message land.
You’ll walk away with a better understanding of what makes a one-pager effective, how to adapt it to different audiences, and how to avoid common pitfalls that weaken your impact. You’ll also leave with access to free templates, examples, and a detailed planning worksheet to jumpstart your own. Whether you’re brand new to one-pagers or looking to refine your strategy, this session will help you use them to align your message, inspire your stakeholders, and advance your mission.
Learning Outcomes:
Understand what a one-pager is (and isn’t) and how to use it effectively in nonprofit contexts
Identify common mistakes and missed opportunities in one-pager design and messaging
Learn a seven-step process for creating a one-pager that drives action and communicates clearly
Gain practical tips and tools to immediately apply what you’ve learned to your organization’s materials
More info on Anna Beth Rucker coming soon!