Main Event

The KeyCon Main Event is packed full with keynote addresses, breakout sessions, networking opportunities, exhibitors worth connecting with, great food, and much more.

Wednesday, October 30 | 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM

Pre-Conference Event

The KeyCon Pre-Conference Event is for those looking to dive deeper into a topic. Choose from one of three intensive sessions and connect with a smaller group size.

Tuesday, October 29 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Ready, Set, Connect!

Trina Walker, TLW Strategy | Garden Atrium
Conferences offer learning opportunities, but extroverts may get distracted, and introverts may miss connections. Convene for 30 minutes to meet two people and get a tip sheet for meaningful networking. Bring your breakfast!

Reimagining the Nonprofit Landscape

Vu Le, NonprofitAF.com | Crystal Ballroom
The nonprofit sector is crucial yet faces barriers like public ignorance, unrealistic funder expectations, and internal competition. It's time to reclaim our power and potential to effect change.

Breakout Option 1: Introduction to Creative Advocacy for Sparking Action [30 remaining]

Tim Hindes, TrailBlaze Creative | Mirage Meeting Room

Creative Advocacy uses art and design to shift mindsets and mobilize resources for change. This session covers principles, collaboration with creatives, and partnerships to enhance citizen engagement. Open to all.

Breakout Option 2: This is How We Rise: Strategies for a Changed World [23 remaining]

Rebecca Weaver, HRuprise | Desert Meeting Room

This talk explores post-pandemic work shifts, offering a new leadership paradigm. Rebecca shares her cancer journey during the pandemic, highlighting resilient leadership. Open to all experience levels.

Breakout Option 3: Compassionate Journeys: Designing Generosity Experiences with Heart [83 remaining]

Tim Sarrantonio, Neon One | Garden Atrium

Discover why donors give in this workshop that guides nonprofits to design meaningful generosity experiences. Learn donor motivations, personalized engagement, and affinity-based strategies. Open to all.

Breakout Option 4: Clear Eyes + Full Hearts for Impactful Collaborations [30 remaining]

Morgen Cheshire, Cheshire Law / PAnonprofitlaw.com | Courtyard Lobby Conference Room

Nonprofit collaboration fosters growth but requires documentation to avoid costly errors. This workshop covers legal aspects and strategies, with visual aids. Learn structures, processes, and key considerations. Open to all.

Breakout Option 5: AI-Driven Grant Success: Comedy, Chaos, and Cash in Equal Measure [62 remaining]

Teresa Pelham, The Grants Boutique Consulting Firm | Hemingway

This session explores AI's transformative role in grant writing, offering insights into its benefits, challenges, and practical strategies. Gain a clear understanding of AI’s impact on efficiency and creativity in proposals.

Breakout Option 1: Fireside Chat with Vu Le; Navigating the Nonprofit Sector’s Challenges and Opportunities [91 remaining]

Vu Le, NonprofitAF.com | Garden Atrium

Join Vu Le, author of NonprofitAF.com, for an interactive fireside chat exploring social justice, racial equity, and pressing nonprofit sector issues. Engage directly and ask challenging questions.

Breakout Option 2: Policy Power-Up; Dynamic Strategies for Community-Engaged Advocacy [20 remaining]

Andrea Lowe, Social Impact Studio Consulting LLC | Desert Meeting Room

This workshop equips nonprofit leaders to create and implement policy and advocacy strategies, engage communities, and advance legislative goals. Open to all experience levels and budget sizes.

Breakout Option 3: Elevate Your Fundraising Game; Advanced Strategies for Seasoned Pros [62 remaining]

Abigayle M. Tobia | Hemingway

Unlock advanced fundraising strategies in this workshop designed for seasoned nonprofit leaders. Master DAF tactics, donor retention, impactful KPIs, and growth strategies for sustainable success, adaptable to all budget sizes.

Breakout Option 4: Unleashing Your Nonprofit’s Unique Impact: How Your Brand Can Deliver Trust & Drive Change [25 remaining]

Erin Miller, Brand Strategies Group | Mirage Meeting Room

Transform your nonprofit’s branding to captivate and resonate with supporters. Our workshop, "Unleashing Your Nonprofit's Unique Impact," guides you from logo refinement to storytelling mastery, enhancing your brand's effectiveness.

Breakout Option 5: Online Donation Investigation | Erie Edition [30 remaining]

James Goalder, Bloomerang | Courtyard Lobby Conference Room

Imagine boosting your fundraising by retaining just 10% more recurring givers. Bloomerang's study of 50 nonprofits reveals tips to enhance donation experiences, thank you processes, and online tools. Key takeaways include insights on donation experiences, optimization tips, and storytelling techniques. Open to all.

AI for Good

Josh Hirsch, Soukup Strategic Solutions | Crystal Ballroom
This keynote will explore how AI, especially sentiment analysis, can transform donor stewardship and engagement, offering actionable strategies for nonprofits to enhance fundraising and marketing efforts and build stronger donor relationships.

Breakout Option 1: Migrating from Charity to Philanthropy to Bolster Major Giving [60 remaining]

Steve Higgins, Carter | Hemingway

Explore major giving best practices and avoid common pitfalls with a fundraising expert. Learn essentials for success, gain insights on today’s philanthropy, and enhance your major gifts program. Open to all.

Breakout Option 2: Keeping Your Nonprofit on the Road; The Five-Point Organizational Checkup [34 remaining]

Trent Dougherty, Hubay Dougherty | Courtyard Lobby Conference Room

Imagine your nonprofit as a vehicle heading toward its goals. This presentation will address crucial operational and compliance areas—Governing Documents, Tax Policies, Board Governance, HR, and Risk Management—to ensure smooth and compliant operations.

Breakout Option 3: Strategic Voyage; Navigating with Stakeholders Towards Success [26 remaining]

Dr. Nicholas Neupauer, Butler County Community College
Zach Carlino, Alliance for Nonprofit Resources
Desert Meeting Room
Personnel from ANR and BC3 will explore strategies for involving diverse stakeholders in nonprofit strategic planning, introducing tools like SWOT, Theory of Change, and Outcome Mapping to ensure inclusivity and ownership.

Breakout Option 4: The Power of the Inbox; Transforming Nonprofit Email Communications [84 remaining]

Kristy McCarley, Pure Firefly | Garden Atrium

In this dynamic workshop, explore email marketing strategies to enhance nonprofit outreach. Learn to craft impactful messages, build donor relationships, and optimize campaigns with practical skills for all experience levels.

Breakout Option 5: The Art & Science of Motivating Employees [28 remaining]

Marissa Badgley, Reloveution | Mirage Meeting Room

Leading and managing people can be challenging. Learn to create motivating conditions, counteract demotivation, and assess motivation during hiring. Gain insights into human motivation and boost productivity and engagement.

Option 1: The Nonprofit Marketer's Toolkit! [3 remaining]

Kiersten Hill, Director of Nonprofit Solutions with Firespring | Nittany Meeting Room

Join us to explore strategies for elevating branding, messaging, and marketing, honing storytelling, building effective content pillars, and optimizing your website for lasting engagement and impact.

Option 2: The Winning Grants Formula [2 remaining]

Teresa Pelham, Grant Professional with The Grants Boutique Consulting Firm | Courtyard Penthouse

Join our 2.5-hour workshop to elevate your grant writing. Learn persuasion, storytelling, and tactical strategies to craft compelling proposals that secure funding. Gain practical skills and insights.

Breakout Option 1: Building Community through Inclusive Communications [28 remaining]

Valerie Johnson, Pathways to Housing PA
Monique Curry-Mims, Civic Capital Consulting
Courtyard Lobby Conference Room

Learn to build community through inclusive communications with Beyond Philanthropy podcast hosts Monique Curry-Mims and Valerie Johnson. Gain insights on ethical storytelling, community-centric fundraising, and effective focus groups.

Breakout Option 2: AI for Good - A Tactical Session [83 remaining]

Josh Hirsch, Soukup Strategic Solutions | Garden Atrium

Join a tactical session to learn strategies to enhance AI performance. Discover how to design clear prompts aligned with your goals. Key takeaways include prompt engineering and hands-on exercises. Open to all.

Breakout Option 3: Demystifying Nonprofit Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide [22 remaining]

Jessica Minkus, Bookminders | Desert Meeting Room

Through a blend of lecture and discussion, join this session on nonprofit financial management, covering basics, financial statements, and analysis. Attendees will gain essential skills for interpreting financial data and enhancing organizational success.

Breakout Option 4: Charting Change: Crafting a Dynamic Board of Directors [25 remaining]

Jaime Simmons, Covestro Center for Community Engagement at Robert Morris University's Rockwell School of Business
Carrie Richards, Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at Robert Morris University's Rockwell School of Business
Mirage Meeting Room

Learn strategies to build a high-performing board through discussions and practical examples. Discover recruitment, engagement, and retention methods, best practices for roles and expectations, and effective orientation and assessment tools.

Intensive Option 1: Donor Retention Master Class - From Required to Extraordinary [24 remaining]

Chad Barger, ACFRE, ACNP – Chief Trainer & Coach / Owner with Productive Fundraising

Join a master class on donor retention to learn actionable steps and map donor touchpoints. Engage in exercises to create a roadmap, share stewardship ideas, and leave with a plan to enhance donor relations. For current fundraising professionals.

Intensive Option 2: Messaging with Intention Design [22 remaining]

Tim Hindes, Principal with TrailBlaze Creative

Join a workshop to revolutionize nonprofit messaging strategies. Learn to align messaging with audiences for maximum impact, set KPIs, and craft strategic messages. Ideal for nonprofit executives, marketers, and fundraisers.

Intensive Option 3: Culturally Conscious Conversations [26 remaining]

Brandon Wiley, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, OpenedEyes | Community Engagement and Partnership Coordinator, Suicide Prevention, Erie VA Medical Center

This intensive is a 4-hour session that equips participants with tools for empathetic, inclusive interactions by integrating mindfulness, mental wellness, and implicit bias awareness to foster organizational wellness.