When the COVID-19 pandemic took hold here in Minnesota, it may have seemed as though everything came to a halt.

 

Yes, we sheltered in place, but our nonprofit community got right to work, communicating with supporters, members, and clients about their immediate needs, and then shifting everything to meet them. A couple of months later, Minnesota became the epicenter of a national reckoning around police brutality and public safety after the murder of George Floyd.

We’re all still finding our bearings, and just as Minnesota nonprofits tended to their communities through these crises, they’ve started to tend to their own nonprofits’ needs while also continuing to reckon with a global pandemic, economic and civic turmoil, and racial injustices. Minnesota’s nonprofit sector stands at a precipice in this new year. What comes next will shape our collective future for decades to come.

That’s why Pollen, GiveMN, Propel Nonprofits, and HandsOn Twin Cities teamed up to present Navigating Through Change on February 10, 2021. This no-cost virtual gathering for Minnesota nonprofits was designed to provide collaborative and comprehensive support for every aspect of a nonprofit’s organizational programming including fundraising, finance, communications, and community engagement.

 

Sessions & Speakers

Top, left to right: Dan Moore, Jerome Rankine, Mónica Nadal, Kandace Montgomery, Wayne Ducheneaux, Ruby Oluoch, Mario Hernandez, Amanda Ziebell Mawanda, Sarah Jackson Bottom, left to right: Jake Blumberg, Courtney Backen, Julie Cohen, Leah Olm, Meg Vanwagner, Shanell McCoy, David McGee, Tracy Nielsen, Minn Wang, Chris Kondo

If you missed the event, or are looking for inspiration and ideas to fuel your own work, be sure to check out the video links below.

Reimagining Our Collective Future

A moving poetry reading by Saymoukda Vongsay followed by a real conversation with Kandace Montgomery of Black Visions, Wayne Ducheneaux of the Native Governance Center, and Pollen Studio Manager Ruby Oluoch. 

The Stories We Tell

Pollen’s Editorial Director Jerome Rankine and Art + Talent Director Mónica Nadal talk about the importance of a narrative vision for the future and how to bring your supporters along. 

Connection & Engagement in a Virtual World

Pollen’s Engagement & Advancement Director Julie Cohen shares tips for keeping your supporters connected and engaged with virtual events. 

What People Had to Say

“I felt valued as an attendee and that the day was planned so carefully to provide connection and interaction for everyone.”

 

 

“I appreciated the thoughtful approach to this content and the variety of perspectives I heard.”

 

 

“[The] Plenary was amazing. It just felt so real and of-the-moment. It held a blend of affirmation/love and growth/challenge that was really helpful for where I’m at in ‘these times.’”

 

 

#RealTalkNTC