150 Attend First U.P. Nonprofit Conference

The first ever U.P. Nonprofit Conference was a rousing success!

Held October 7, 2005 at the Ramada Inn in Marquette, about 150 people, representing nearly 100 organizations attended. Participants took advantage of opportunities to network with others from throughout the Upper Peninsula while they attended workshops, listened to keynote speakers and share the day together.

Opening speaker Sam Singh, president and CEO of Michigan Nonprofit Association, inspired the crowd with his overview of why the nonprofit sector is so critical to our way of life, the U.P.’s extraordinary commitment to volunteerism and news from the federal and state levels of government and how it could affect U.P. nonprofit staff, volunteers, board members and customers.

Dr. Tim Seiler, director of the School of Fund Raising at Indiana University, closed the conference with an overview of how fundraising trends are formulated and what was on the fundraising horizon in light of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and on terrorism, as well as rising energy costs and the economy.

“Fabulous!” said Barb Meyer, director of operations at Marquette County United Way of the conference. “I felt like I was at a big conference downstate. The workshops were topical and extremely appropriate and timely for the audience.”

Here are some pictures from the U.P. Nonprofit Conference:

Look for us in 2006!