Workshops & Events

Celebrate the 2026 Great Fish Community Challenge with us! We'll announce our special awards and present each participating nonprofit with their check, plus announce the grand total raised during the Challenge. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free to attend and open the public.

Join Montana Nonprofit Association's Community Engagement Director Tylyn Newcomb and MNA Rural Ambassador & Leadership Coach Eddie Visnovske for a free day of nonprofit training in the Flathead Valley.

Designed for nonprofit staff, board members and volunteers, this training will tackle two important pieces of building a healthy, effective organization: recruiting and retaining the people who make your work possible and navigating conflict when it arises.

Schedule

10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. | Volunteer & Board Recruitment and Retention

12:00–12:45 p.m. | Lunch

12:45–2:30 p.m. | Navigating Conflict

This training is free for nonprofits to attend, thanks to sponsorship from Whitefish Community Foundation and Opportunity Bank. Space is limited to 40 participants, so advance registration is encouraged.

Major gifts are built on meaningful relationships. This interactive workshop is designed to increase participants’ confidence and comfort in engaging donors through authentic discovery conversations, active listening, and relationship-building strategies. Attendees will learn practical techniques for identifying donor interests, strengthening trust, navigating gift conversations naturally, and creating lasting partnerships that inspire philanthropy. Whether new to fundraising or looking to sharpen your skills, participants will leave with actionable tools you can put into practice immediately.

About Deb

Debra Gill brings more than 40 years of fundraising leadership experience across a wide range of nonprofit sectors, with deep expertise in philanthropy, campaign strategy, and organizational development. Her career includes leadership roles with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Montana State University–Bozeman, Bozeman Health Foundation, and a nationally recognized philanthropy consulting firm before founding Alliance Philanthropy in 2021. Today, Deb provides strategic counsel to nonprofit organizations nationwide. Her expertise includes executive coaching, organizational capacity building, campaign planning and counsel, board and staff development, strategic assessments, major and planned giving, and nonprofit leadership.

Registration Info Coming Soon!

Let's get together to celebrate an incredible year for our nonprofit community! Join us in the historic Conrad Mansion on Thursday, December 10 at 4:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served. More information coming soon!