2026 NONPROFIT ACCOUNTING & FINANCE SUMMIT

SUMMIT AGENDA

12:30pm ET

Welcome remarks

12:35pm ET

Ask Better, Lead Better:  Illuminating Financial Insights

Presenter: Eric Wilson, CPA

Every nonprofit leader makes financial decisions but not every leader feels confident knowing what to ask, how to interpret the answers, or how to turn financial information into action. In this session, we’ll explore how better questions can become a practical communication tool for strengthening financial conversations, surfacing key insights, and building trust between finance and non-finance leaders. Participants will learn how to ask more intentional financial questions, recognize what strong answers should include, and communicate financial insights in ways that lead to more informed decisions, stronger collaboration, and greater alignment between resources, strategy, and mission

  Cash & Risk Management

1:20pm ET

The Trillion-Dollar Market Failure -- Why 97% of Nonprofits Cannot Access Credit & Financing and How to Fix It

Presenter: Dominic Kalms

This session will explore the structural reasons why nearly 97% of nonprofits lack access to traditional credit and financing, despite representing one of the largest and most economically significant sectors in the United States. Attendees will gain insight into how outdated credit models, regulatory constraints, and misaligned bank incentives have created a trillion-dollar market failure in nonprofit lending. We will focus on how nonprofit organizations can successfully access credit and financing in this market that has historically underserved them. The session will also explore common financing structures available to nonprofits, such as working capital loans and lines of credit, and when each is most appropriate. In addition, we will highlight practical strategies to improve credit readiness, strengthen lender relationships, and navigate the financing process with confidence.

2:00pm ET

Beyond the Checklist: Closing Nonprofit Finance's Risk Blind Spots

Presenter: Elena Yearly

Most nonprofit finance teams have a risk management checklist, and most checklists miss the risks that cause damage. This session moves past standard controls and audits to look at the blind spots that trip up even well-run organizations: overreliance on a single funding source, informal approval workarounds that outlive their original justification, and risk owned by no one because it sits between departments. Drawing on real nonprofit finance scenarios, we'll build a practical framework for spotting these gaps before they become headlines, and for making risk conversations a normal part of the finance function rather than a once-a-year fire drill.

  Financial Ecosystems

2:45pm ET

Designing Nonprofit Accounting Functions for Modern Times: A Framework for Tech-Enabled Operations

Presenter: Melanie Kirton

This session presents a systematic approach to designing accounting functions from the ground up for nonprofits ready to move beyond legacy systems. Using real-world case studies, we'll walk through the onboarding and modernization process: assessing current state, designing scalable workflows, selecting and sequencing tools, and restructuring the chart of accounts to support growth.

3:30pm ET

Closing the Books-to-990 Gap: A Scalable Accounting Architecture for Small and Mid-Sized Nonprofits

Presenter: Jeffrey Ryan

This session presents a practical, multidimensional accounting model for QuickBooks Online that keeps the chart of accounts focused on natural accounts, uses Classes for functional reporting, and uses Customers and Projects to track material grant funders and individual grant awards. Attendees will see how these dimensions work together to support ASC 958 reporting, Form 990 preparation, clearer management reports, and a sustainable month-end close without overcomplicating routine transaction entry.

  Artificial Intelligence

4:15pm ET

AI in Excel for Nonprofit Finance Teams: A Practical Starting Point

Presenter: Jim Norton, CPA

Excel is where most nonprofit finance work happens, from budgets to board packages to grant reports to reconciliations. A growing number of AI tools now work directly inside Excel, and many of them offer similar core capabilities. This session covers what these tools do, how to use them safely with donor and financial data, and what to watch for around data privacy. It includes a live demonstration of real workflows using Claude in Excel as one example, along with practical options for organizations working with a limited or no dedicated AI budget.