“Creating CommUNITY Out of Chaos” 501(c)onference takes place June 13 & 14
Press Release – Los Angeles, CA – In a political climate awash with uncertainty and anxiety, the Center for Nonprofit Management (CNM) announces their 501(c)onference, this year titled: “Creating CommUNITY Out of Chaos.” This annual event brings together nearly 400 nonprofit, philanthropic and civic leaders working on many issues, from overcrowded prisons and homelessness to immigration and threats to our environment. They will gather for two days to share knowledge and combine forces to better serve their community within these challenging and chaotic times.
The sixth-annual event takes place Tuesday, June 13, and Wednesday, June 14, at the Center for Nonprofit Management in Downtown Los Angeles. The only nonprofit sector conference of its kind in Southern California, the event will draw nonprofit leaders from around the region to share successes, draw strength from diverse viewpoints, unite around common goals and transform dialogue into meaningful change for people and places being left behind.
“In the midst of the noise and chaos, the day-to-day work still has to be done. People are depending on health clinics, after school opportunities and job training programs regardless of the political climate,” said CNM CEO Regina Birdsell. “Nonprofit executives and board members are straddling how to meet current needs and prepare for what might happen given the current environment. The conference offers a safe space where people leading community based organizations can talk about their concerns. It gives leaders in Southern California the chance to forge new relationships, learn new tactics and create alliances with other great organizations leaders trying to solve problems.”
Attendees will hear from experts across a range of fields such as Dowell Myers, professor at USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and director of Population Dynamics Research who will discuss key demographic shifts that are influencing communities and what these trends might signal for the future of the nonprofit sector.
They will explore innovative and emerging business models such as social enterprises and B Corporations that are part of a growing spectrum of mission-driven businesses advancing social causes.
Breakout sessions on both conference days will explore such critical nonprofit topics as unconscious bias; using data to measure impact; jumpstarting advocacy; board members as advocates; leadership transitions; tapping into corporate philanthropy and more.
Attendees will learn how their organizations can promote equity-focused strategies and policies by delving into findings from the 2017 Equity Profile of the Los Angeles Region, a report developed by PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity at USC.
Birdsell, who through CNM works closely year-round with nonprofits to improve their effectiveness and impact, said she remembers the fear that engulfed organizations during the 2008 recession. “People were stressed then but not personally distressed as they are now. As leaders, how do you plan when you don’t know where we are headed?”
And yet, Birdsell is excited that in the political uncertainty there’s an opportunity to talk about challenges that may not have otherwise emerged.
“Operating in South California we have a diversity of perspectives. It’s instructive to bring people around the table to welcome these perspective, to say this is what makes this community rich, that’s why we are such a strong economy and lead many efforts around the nation that make others look to California to see what we are doing here. We certainly see that at the conference, how we can learn from each other to have an even greater impact if we are more connected.”
This year’s almost 40 presenters include: Alex Cohen, public radio host; Sebastien Gendry, CEO, The Laughter Consultants; Shane Murphy Goldsmith, president & CEO, Liberty Hill and Commissioner, Los Angeles Police Commission; Alex M. Johnson, managing director, Californians for Safety and Justice Group; Laurie Lipper, co-founder/senior advisor, Children’s Partnership; Nona Randois, Southern California director, Bolder Advocacy Program, Alliance for Justice; Karla Salazar, senior director, sustainability, California Community Foundation; Hector Villagra, executive director, ACLU Southern California
What: “Creating CommUNITY Out of Chaos” 501 (c)onference, presented by Center for Nonprofit Management
When: Tuesday, June 13, and Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Where: Center for Nonprofit Management, 1000 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Center for Nonprofit Management
For nearly 40 years, the Center for Nonprofit Management has stood as the premier resource for the Southern California nonprofit community. By providing assistance in a variety of areas, the Center has supported thousands of organizations as they meet the needs of their communities.
More information: https://cnmsocal.org/501conference
