Notes:
The Northern Colorado Nonprofit Sector Partnership hosted an All-Partner Meeting on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at High Country Beverage. Among the 59 attendees, 41 nonprofit industry members were in attendance.
Recognized Kim Akeley-Charron for two years of Leadership service. Analia Weber has accepted the co-chair position for the Leadership Team.
Dennis Houston with The Water Valley Company presented, as the Meeting Sponsor, on Cascadia and how nonprofit organizations can benefit from the conference rooms and meeting spaces.
Look back at 2025 and committee work to date – (2025 Annual Report Attached)
Committee Work:
Board Development –
o To be the aggregator and promotor of best practices and resources for “all things” board governance and development
Community Awareness –
o Focus on elevating community awareness and understanding of the value and significant impact of nonprofit organizations in our community by:
o Connecting
o Collaborating
o Communicating
Improving Your Organization –
o To identify areas of capacity building, collaboration, and overall organizational effectiveness among the nonprofit sector
Sustainable Funding –
o Seeks to support the work of local nonprofit organizations in securing and maintaining sustainable funding sources including:
o Developing strategies to diversify funding streams
o Connect organizations with educational resources
o Enhance fundraising efforts
o Ensure long-term financial stability for nonprofits within the Northern Colorado region
Workforce –
o Strengthen pipeline into nonprofit sector in addition to recruitment and retention practices
Why This Partnership Exists
• To strengthen the nonprofit sector across Northern Colorado
• To reduce isolation and duplication
• To build shared capacity, trust, and voice
• To advance a healthier, more sustainable sector for our communities
Why We Chose to Hold a Retreat
After three years of growth, the leadership team felt it was time to:
• Pause and evaluate what is working
• Clarify our direction as a leadership body
• Be more intentional about how we steward these partnerships
• Ensure our structure matches the impact we want to create
What the Retreat Was (and Was Not)
The retreat was:
• A chance to reflect and listen
• A working session to surface opportunities
• A space to name what the sector needs next
The retreat was not:
• A finalized strategic plan
• Decisions made without input
• A move away from shared leadership
A Shift We’re Exploring Together
A core theme that emerged was language and mindset.
We are beginning to ask:
• How do we talk about the value of nonprofit work?
• How do we move from charity language to impact and partnership?
• How do we better reflect the economic and community value nonprofits bring?
A Shift We’re Beginning to Name
A central theme emerged around vision and language.
We began asking:
• How do we talk about our value?
• How do we describe our impact beyond charity?
• How do we show up as trusted partners in our region?
A 10-Year Vision for the Nonprofit Sector in Northern Colorado
Create a paradigm shift in the perception, culture, identity, and value of the impact sector.
Pilots as Intentional Progress
Rather than pausing momentum, the leadership team identified a few focused pilots to help us move forward with greater clarity and impact.
These pilots are designed to:
• Advance intentional, measurable impact
• Use everyone’s time more wisely
• Translate reflection into action
• Strengthen how we work together as a sector
Pilot 1: Leadership Structure (One-Year)
• Extra committee meetings will pause for one year
• Leadership team will function as one coordinated body
• Committee chairs and co-chairs remain part of leadership and voting per bylaws
• A separate working session will be held for all committee members
Why this pilot:
To improve clarity, coordination, and shared direction.
How Members Will Stay Engaged with Committee Work
• Committee leaders are part of leadership discussions
• Agendas and communications will be shared openly
• Working sessions will invite broader participation
• Feedback and advice will actively shape direction