Grab your badge, fuel up with breakfast, and get ready for the day. Come early to network, check the schedule, and head into the morning feeling set.

Welcome and keynote from GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan.

Technology is accelerating. Regulations are evolving. Expectations are rising. Nonprofit leaders continue to face unprecedented challenges. In this session, executives reflect on the pivotal decisions, missteps, and breakthroughs that defined their journey, and explore what it will take to lead in the future.

We won’t grow total giving by asking more from the same shrinking base. We must invite more people in, earlier, more often, and in more ways. In this session, we’ll explore how community fundraising can become a growth engine. You’ll learn how to lower barriers to first action, expand supporter-led fundraising beyond traditional campaigns, and engage younger donors with experiences that reflect how they connect and give today.

Discover what motivates the next generation of philanthropic supporters, and hear directly from younger donors about the moments, messages, and movements that inspire them to take action. 

In this session, we’ll explore new research from GoFundMe and GivingTuesday examining how younger audiences discover causes, what drives their first gift, and what determines whether they stay engaged. Through data-backed insights and real stories of engagement, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of what the next generation expects from nonprofits today, and how to build authentic, lasting relationships with them.

Enjoy a midday break with a hosted lunch.

GoFundMe Pro users are invited to grab lunch and connect with fellow Pro members about best practices, helpful tips, and effective fundraising strategies.

When emergency strikes, or your organization must mobilize and react immediately, speed and trust are everything. This panel explores how nonprofits design and activate fundraising systems that engage donors quickly, communicate with clarity, and deploy funds where they’re needed most. Hear practical insights on infrastructure, partnerships, storytelling, and data strategies that power fast, effective, and accountable response.

Nonprofits have more data than ever, yet confidence in performance has never felt more fragile. As reporting grows increasingly complex, leaders need performance metrics that demonstrate real outcomes—not just activity. This session explores how your organization can cut through fragmentation, align cross-channel performance, and turn reporting into confident, decisive action.

As technology accelerates and attention fragments, the future of generosity depends on nonprofits’ ability to build trust at scale—something only possible by cultivating genuine human connection in a noisy digital world.

Join Nathan Chappell, a global expert on AI and generosity, as he explores Radical Connection: a framework for moving beyond transactional fundraising toward long-term, trust-based engagement. Nathan will offer practical insights on leveraging technology, rethinking organizational priorities, and building a community that donors are proud to support.

Walk away with practical insights on building communities of support that grow generosity for the entire sector.

Join Double the Donation for an interactive session on how workplace giving can strengthen donor connections and drive additional revenue. Learn how to educate supporters about employer-sponsored programs like matching gifts and integrate these opportunities into your donor journey to maximize impact and grow support for your mission.

Recurring donors are one of the most powerful drivers of long-term sustainability, yet building a thriving sustainer program rarely happens without experimentation, risk, and a few hard lessons along the way. In this session, you’ll hear from nonprofits that tested bold ideas, faced setbacks, and refined their approach based on what the data, and their donors, taught them.

In a crowded and constantly shifting landscape, strong nonprofit brands aren’t just recognizable, they’re resonant.

This session explores how to sharpen your mission through intentional storytelling, align your brand with the communities you serve, and stay culturally and digitally relevant without losing your core identity. Walk away with practical frameworks to clarify your narrative, unify internal teams around a cohesive voice, and tell a story that inspires action and drives measurable impact.

Closing keynote by Elatia Abate, futurist, entrepreneur, and future of work and strategy expert.

End Day 1 on a high note with light bites, drinks, music, and great conversation.

Pick up your breakfast and ease into the day with casual networking.

Kick off the day with one of Chicago’s most iconic “did we really just do that?” moments at The Ledge. After you capture the views and the memories, we’ll keep the momentum going with a curated museum experience designed to spark conversation and connection. It’s a memorable way to bring your team together and spend time with GoFundMe’s leadership in a setting that is both inspiring and fun.

Please note: This experience is only available for teams of 3 or more. Pre-registration is required.

Attendees are invited to grab breakfast and connect with professionals in direct services and crisis response to discuss real-time challenges, best practices, and responsive fundraising strategies.

Who should attend? Organizations focused on emergency response, basic needs, safety, and rapid service delivery.

Attendees are invited to grab breakfast and connect with peers in education and community development to exchange ideas, best practices, and community-driven fundraising strategies.

Who should attend? Organizations working to improve educational outcomes, youth development, civic engagement, and community conditions.

Attendees are invited to grab breakfast and connect with peers in healthcare and medical research to exchange best practices and innovative fundraising strategies.

Who should attend? Organizations focused on physical and mental health, medical access, disease-specific work, and healthcare systems.

Attendees are invited to grab breakfast and connect with peers in hunger relief and food access to share insights, best practices, and effective fundraising strategies.

Who should attend? Organizations whose primary mission is to ensure individuals and families have reliable access to nutritious food.

Opening keynote by Hamza Khan, future of work and people-first leadership expert and bestselling author. 

Many nonprofit leaders are exhausted. The challenges are compounding. The wins feel smaller. The pressure feels constant. It’s not that leaders don’t care, it’s that they’re tired of being told to “just stay hopeful.” This session acknowledges the paralysis that can set in when everything feels uphill. It explores what it looks like to push forward without false optimism, to act without guarantees, and to build momentum even when the broader environment feels stuck. Because in this moment, hope isn’t a feeling. It’s a decision to act.

Innovation in the nonprofit sector doesn’t always require big budgets. Often, it means rethinking programs, fundraising, partnerships, or operations in creative ways. In this story-driven session, nonprofit leaders will share real examples of bold ideas they’ve tested, what worked (and what didn’t), and the impact they’ve seen. Attendees will leave with practical, replicable strategies to spark innovation within their own organizations.

Artificial intelligence is no longer just for tech companies, it’s a practical tool nonprofits can use today to save time, strengthen fundraising, and increase impact. In this session, we’ll explore real-world examples of how organizations are using AI for grant writing, donor engagement, communications, data analysis, and administrative efficiency, all on nonprofit budgets.

Take a midday break to recharge and connect. Enjoy lunch with fellow attendees and keep conversations going between sessions.

Reaching new audiences doesn’t happen by accident. In this session, nonprofits and the creators they partnered with reveal how they turned collaboration into high-impact fundraising campaigns that reached new audiences and drove real results. From identifying the right partners to aligning on messaging and mobilizing communities, you’ll walk away with a blueprint for cultivating creator collaborations that convert.

In an era of economic uncertainty, nonprofits are being called to plan with greater flexibility and foresight. 

Today’s K-shaped economy is driving divergent financial realities across households, with wealth growing for some while many middle-income households face increasing financial pressures. This shifts donor behavior, organizational stability, and community need. In this session, we’ll explore the macroeconomic forces behind this divide, from inflation and interest rates to changes in philanthropy and government spending. Through timely data and real-world examples, we’ll explore what this means for your revenue strategy, financial planning, and long-term resilience.

Search is no longer just about rankings. It’s about visibility wherever answers are delivered. As AI-powered engines reshape how people discover information, organizations must rethink traditional SEO. This session explores how SEO and AEO are converging, what that means for your digital strategy, and how to strengthen brand authority, protect acquisition channels, and drive sustainable growth in the AI era.

Donor-advised funds are reshaping modern philanthropy, but nonprofits still have questions around payout timing, transparency, and engagement. 

This candid discussion brings together nonprofit leaders, policy voices, and DAF experts to unpack how the system works today, what challenges are structural, and where real opportunities for influence exist. Walk away with a clearer understanding of the evolving DAF landscape and a practical playbook for turning complexity into strategy.