Association of Consultants to Nonprofits upcoming events

2026 ACN AI Circle (10/01/2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

ACN AI Circle Dates

February 5, 2026

April 2, 2026

June 4, 2026

August 6, 2026

October 1, 2026

December 3, 2026

10:00 am - 11:00 am CST

ACN Members Only

This collaborative group will meet every other month on the first Thursday of the month. We use a model that provides value to new and longstanding attendees, allowing for group members to flow in and out of the group.

Whether you’re curious, skeptical, or ready to integrate AI into your practice, this workgroup provides a supportive space to learn, share, and experiment-- helping you and the nonprofits you serve thrive in the digital age.

This group is run by ACN member, Cathy Yen. Please email Cathy if you have any questions.

Spotting Financial Risks in Nonprofits - A Guide to Red Flags and Mitigation Best Practices (10/02/2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Spotting Financial Risks in Nonprofits -
A Guide to Red Flags and Mitigation Best Practices

Friday, October 2, 2026

10:00 - 11:00 am CST

Note: this is a two-part series with the first one on
September 18, separate registration is required

Are you looking for guidance on how to better understand the financial risks facing your nonprofit clients? Join Aiesha Williams the Market Leader for the Illinois region from Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC) for an informative session designed specifically for strategic planning consultants.

This session will provide practical tools and insights to help strengthen the financial discovery process at the outset of a nonprofit engagement. Participants will learn which key financial documents to request and review, the critical questions to ask leadership and finance staff, and how to identify common financial and operational indicators that may signal areas requiring deeper exploration.

In addition, we'll discuss how financial findings can be incorporated into strategic planning conversations, helping consultants develop more informed recommendations and uncover opportunities to strengthen organizational sustainability. Whether you're new to nonprofit financial analysis or looking to enhance your existing approach, this session will equip you with actionable strategies to better assess risk and add value to your client engagements.

Please send an email to execdirector@acnconsult.org with questions.

Building Organizational Capacity Through Shared Understanding (10/13/2026)

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Monday, October 13, 2026 | 10 am - 10:30 am CST

Free Webinar - Registration Required

REGISTER HERE

Every nonprofit depends on people working toward the same goals. But when knowledge is scattered across programs or only in the minds of a few people, it's challenging to make good decisions, communicate consistently, and adapt to change. This interactive workshop explores shared organizational understanding as a practical capacity-building strategy that helps organizations preserve knowledge, improve impact, and build long-term resilience.

Presenter:
Pam Georgiana
Brand Strategist and Communications Consultant

Pam Georgiana is a brand strategist, communications consultant, and writer who helps mission-driven organizations build shared organizational understanding to strengthen their capacity and impact. Drawing on eight years leading the marketing department of a regional social service nonprofit, she understands the daily realities nonprofit leaders face. Pam works with nonprofits, healthcare organizations, and service businesses to uncover institutional knowledge, align messaging with mission, and develop practical frameworks that improve communication, decision-making, and organizational resilience. She specializes in translating complex ideas into clear, human-centered strategies that help organizations work more effectively and create meaningful change. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Pam is passionate about helping organizations build the shared understanding that drives lasting impact.

ACN has partnered Nonprofit Learning Lab (NLL) to help serve the sector by providing quick, 30-minute webinars featuring ACN members. The Nonprofit Learning Lab is a national nonprofit that connects, supports and trains individuals in the nonprofit sector. NLL offers daily online nonprofit trainings. with workshops that focus on fundraising, board development, social media, marketing, volunteer management, and organizational leadership.

2026 ACN Working Parents Circle (10/13/2026)

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 18:00:00 GMT

ACN Working Parents Circle
Second Tuesday of Every Other Month
1:00 - 1:45 pm CST

2026 DATES
February 10

April 14

June 16

October 13

December 15

ACN Members Only

Parents with kids still living at home, balancing work and life, and sharing experiences and perspectives about the unique challenges from peers who are “in the season with you.” Contact Lidia Varesco-Racoma for more information.

ACN Circle Groups are intended to be forums for like or complementary groups of professionals to empower each other with a diversity of thinking, knowledge, shared experience, perspective, support, intentional networking, business development, and inspiration. The groups will be member-driven and self-directed in terms of content, frequency of meetings, duration, number of participants, and general meeting objectives. Participation in ACN Circle Groups is open to all ACN members.

Meeting links are included in your registration confirmation email. Please contact the ACN office if you need assistance - 312-940-4008

ACN Member-Only Chicago Northside Networking Event (10/15/2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

ACN Chicago Northside Networking Event

Thursday, October 15, 2025
9:00 - 10:30 am CST

Outdoor Cafe
3257 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago, IL

Members Only

This networking event is co-hosted by ACN, Lidia Varesco Racoma, Allison Wong and Kelli Moore. Rather than a sit-down breakfast, this event is designed for participants to move about freely in an area of the space that will be reserved for our group. Food and drinks will be available for individual purchase.

Questions? Please contact Jennifer Heffernan at execdirector@acnconsult.org. Look forward to seeing you there!

Connect. Collaborate. Catalyze. 2026 (10/27/2026)

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Connect. Collaborate. Catalyze. 2026
Advancing Organizational Sustainability:
Using Data to Drive Nonprofit Impact

Tuesday, October 27, 2026
1:00 - 4:30 pm CST

Impact House
200 W. Madison Street, Chicago IL

Register here now! Last year’s event sold out.

Nonprofit Staff or Board Members:
Free - RSVP requested by 10/12/26

ACN Member:
Early Bird – $35.00
Registration after 9/30/26 - $45.00

ACN Non-Member:
Early Bird - $45.00
Registration after 9/30/26 - $55.00

In today’s rapidly changing environment, nonprofits are under increased pressure to deliver impact with fewer resources and more uncertainty.

Join us at ACN’s annual symposium as we unpack how to use data for strategic decision-making, fundraising, and effective resource allocation. As we explore how to sustain nonprofit impact in a changing landscape, you will:

Hear current expectations from nonprofit funders,
Learn proven strategies from consultants, and
Connect with your peers across the nonprofit sector.

You won’t want to miss this opportunity for knowledge-sharing as we collaboratively prepare the nonprofit sector for long-term sustainability.

This event is sponsored in part by Your Part-Time Controller
with additional support provided by Forefront and Impact House.

Agenda

1:00 - 1:30 pm: Registration & Networking

1:30 - 1:45 pm: Welcome

1:45 - 2:45 pm: Panel Discussion: How Data and Decisions Intersect - The Funders’ Perspective

Our exploration of data-driven nonprofit impact begins with the funders’ perspective. How do funders use data for decision-making? Where and when does it intersect with their strategy? Hear observations, examples and guiding principles to inform your plans and processes.

Panelists:

Niharika Hanglem, Program Director - Entrepreneurs,
The Richard L. Duchossois Foundation

Niharika Hanglem has spent more than 16 years working at the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, and social impact, building stronger systems that help entrepreneurs, small businesses, and communities thrive. A systems thinker by nature, she believes that entrepreneurial success is shaped not only by the determination of individual founders, but also by the strength of the ecosystems surrounding them. Her work focuses on connecting capital, talent, networks, and institutions to create more equitable and resilient pathways for innovation and economic opportunity.

Lora York, Director of Programs, Chicago Foundation for Women

Lora York joined the Chicago Foundation for Women in October 2012 and currently serves as Director of Programs. In this capacity, she provides strategic leadership for the foundation’s program team and oversees its grantmaking initiatives, collective giving approaches, grantee capacity-building efforts, and leadership development programs. Lora leads the design of a strategic grantmaking framework informed by the priorities of community-based organizations and the needs articulated by the communities they serve. This approach supports direct services and urgent needs while advancing the long-term systems change necessary to address underlying inequities.

2:45 - 3:00 pm: Networking Break

3:00 - 4:00 pm: Breakout Discussions

The breakout discussions will focus on leveraging data for:

Fundraising
Strategic planning and/or financial sustainability
Programmatic capacity building
Improving employee morale, limiting burnout, and workplace culture
Marketing and communications

Small group discussions will be facilitated by issue area experts.

4:15 - 4:30 pm: Closing

4:30 - 5:30pm: Networking Reception

Register early! Last year’s event sold out.

Not an ACN member? Learn more about ACN membership and become a member today.

Accessibility Commitment
ACN is committed to making our programs and events accessible. We hold our in-person events in wheelchair-accessible spaces and are happy to make other reasonable accommodations upon request. Please contact us to request dietary accommodations, large print materials, sign language interpretation, captioning, or other needed accommodations. We appreciate at least two weeks advance notice if possible. Please contact execdirector@ACNConsult.org to request accommodations.

Become a Sponsor
Build Connections Across Chicago's Social Impact Community

Each October, we convene consultants, foundation leaders, philanthropic advisors, nonprofit executives and other changemakers to exchange ideas, strengthen relationships and explore solutions to the challenges facing the social sector.

Your support strengthens programming, expands opportunities for collaboration and helps advance the nonprofit sector throughout the year—positioning your organization alongside one of the region's most connected professional communities.

Your partnership extends well beyond the program itself, through event-day visibility and pre- and post- event recognition via ACN’s website, email list, and LinkedIn.

Learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

To secure your sponsorship or discuss aligning your brand with Connect. Collaborate. Catalyze. contact either:

Tweed Thornton, Partnerships Committee Chair, tweed@fourstar.live

Jennifer Heffernan, ACN Association Manager, execdirector@acnconsult.org

ACN New Member Q&A Session (10/29/2026)

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

ACN New Member Q&A Session

Thursday, October 29, 2026

11:00 - 11:30 am CST

Join us on the last Thursday of every other month for a 30-minute session designed for new ACN members, or if you've been a member for a while and have some questions. We'll start with quick introductions, then open the floor for your questions about the Association of Consultants to Nonprofits. It's a chance to connect with fellow newcomers and established members, build your network, and get oriented to ACN.

Please send an email to execdirector@acnconsult.org with questions.

ACN Chicago Western Suburban Social Event (11/04/2026)

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 22:30:00 GMT

ACN Chicago Western Suburban Social Event

Wednesday, November 4, 2025
4:30 - 6:30 pm CT

Sassetti, Inc.
2107 Swift Drive, Suite 210
Oak Brook, IL

Join the Association of Consultants to Nonprofits for an evening of connection, conversation, and community building. This casual happy hour is all about networking—come meet fellow consultants, exchange ideas, and expand your circle within the western Chicago suburbs and its vibrant nonprofit sector.

We’re excited to be hosted by Sassetti LLC, who are opening their space for an evening dedicated to building relationships and strengthening ties across our community of professionals. Whether you’re a longtime ACN member or new to the network, this is a chance to relax, share insights, and forge meaningful connections.

Light refreshments will be provided. Bring your business cards, your stories, and your curiosity, this happy hour is all about creating opportunities together.

Questions? Please email us at execdirector@acnconsult.org.

Contracting with Confidence: Best Practices for Contracting with Clients (11/16/2026)

Mon, 16 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Contracting with Confidence:
Best Practices for Contracting with Clients

Monday, November 16, 2026
10:00 - 11:00 am CT
Virtual Zoom Event

There are so many ways to approach contracting with clients. And so many questions to consider. Questions like:

Is your contract language adequately protecting you?
Should you bill by the hour or the job?
How do you handle a client’s preferred contract?
What if an engagement goes wrong? How will you untangle things and still get paid for what you’ve done?
What if the engagement goes so right that the client wants more of you, and more, and more?

Come get the answers to these and other questions from Kelly Kleiman of NFP Consulting, Kelly was once a lawyer and nonetheless has made every contractual error imaginable. Some people can only learn from painful experience, but you can skip the painful part while benefiting from Kelly’s experience. Come prepared with questions.

Kelly Kleiman

Kelly Kleiman, a lawyer educated at the University of Chicago, has spent more than 30 years in the nonprofit sector. She founded NFP Consulting in 1988 after serving as Executive Director of the Chicago Children’s Choir and Assistant Dean of IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. Earlier in her career she practiced real estate and zoning law with the firm of Rudnick & Wolfe, now DLA Piper. Through her consulting practice Kelly helps nonprofits with fundraising, strategic planning, Board development and the use of high-skills volunteers. She also frequently serves as interim Executive Director for nonprofits undergoing leadership transition. Details at NFPConsultingChicago.com/

Kelly co-founded the Association of Consultants to Nonprofits, ACNConsult.org, and served for several years as its President. She has taught professional development courses for the Axelson Center, the Association of Volunteer Administrators, the United Way of Lake County, the College of DuPage, and other educational and professional organizations. She wrote advice and commentary for nonprofits online as The Nonprofiteer from 2010 to 2014.

Please contact ACN Association Manager, Jennifer Heffernan, at execdirector@acnconsult.org if you have any questions.

2026 ACN New Consultants Circle (11/17/2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 20:00:00 GMT

ACN New Consultants Working Circle Dates

May 19, 2026

July 21, 2026

September 8, 2026 - new date

November 17, 2026

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm CST

ACN Members Only

The New Consultants Working Circle is for new consultants to nonprofits who are looking to connect with others who are in the same stage of business-building. It will be great for anyone who has less than five years of experience in consulting. The group allows for new consultants to share their wins, ask for advice, and problem solve..

This group is run by ACN member, Allison Wong Grant. Please email Allison if you have any questions.

2026 ACN AI Circle (12/03/2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 16:00:00 GMT

ACN AI Circle Dates

February 5, 2026

April 2, 2026

June 4, 2026

August 6, 2026

October 1, 2026

December 3, 2026

10:00 am - 11:00 am CST

ACN Members Only

This group is run by ACN member, Cathy Yen. Please email Cathy if you have any questions.

2026 ACN Working Parents Circle (12/15/2026)

Tue, 15 Dec 2026 19:00:00 GMT

ACN Working Parents Circle
Second Tuesday of Every Other Month
1:00 - 1:45 pm CST

2026 DATES
February 10

April 14

June 16

October 13

December 15

ACN Members Only

Meeting links are included in your registration confirmation email. Please contact the ACN office if you need assistance - 312-940-4008

Association of Consultants to Nonprofits upcoming events

2026 ACN AI Circle (10/01/2026)

Spotting Financial Risks in Nonprofits - A Guide to Red Flags and Mitigation Best Practices (10/02/2026)

Building Organizational Capacity Through Shared Understanding (10/13/2026)

2026 ACN Working Parents Circle (10/13/2026)

ACN Member-Only Chicago Northside Networking Event (10/15/2026)

Connect. Collaborate. Catalyze. 2026 (10/27/2026)

ACN New Member Q&A Session (10/29/2026)

ACN Chicago Western Suburban Social Event (11/04/2026)

Wednesday, November 4, 2025 4:30 - 6:30 pm CT

Contracting with Confidence: Best Practices for Contracting with Clients (11/16/2026)

Contracting with Confidence: Best Practices for Contracting with Clients

Monday, November 16, 2026 10:00 - 11:00 am CT Virtual Zoom Event

2026 ACN New Consultants Circle (11/17/2026)

2026 ACN AI Circle (12/03/2026)

2026 ACN Working Parents Circle (12/15/2026)

Wednesday, November 4, 2025
4:30 - 6:30 pm CT

Contracting with Confidence:
Best Practices for Contracting with Clients

Monday, November 16, 2026
10:00 - 11:00 am CT
Virtual Zoom Event