​ConnectionFest 2.0 - we're back!

​You asked, and we deliver....

​Back for our second edition of 2026 - Bigger, Bolder, and Uncut!

​Nonprofit ConnectionFest is hosted in an immersive multi-floor venue that’s built for exploration and high-signal networking.

​Most virtual events feel the same—
a lineup of presentations you half-pay attention to while catching up on everything else.

​This is different.

​You move around.
You see who’s there.
You join conversations when they’re interesting—and leave when they’re not.

​It feels a lot closer to being in the room than sitting behind a screen.

​​🛑 This isn’t a webinar. 🛑
New to Gatherly? 👇
🎥 Watch this demo [60 secs]

​🟣 What is ConnectionFest?

​NP ConnectionFest is a live virtual summit built for nonprofit professionals who are serious about growing their impact, sharpening their skills, and connecting with peers who get it. This isn't a webinar — it's a fully immersive, multi-floor virtual venue where you move between sessions, meet people in real time, and actually do things, not just watch.

​🔵 What's Happening

​4 tracks. 15 speakers. 3 workshops. 1 afternoon that actually moves.

​🏛️ 4 Themed Tracks — Choose your path and go deep on what matters most to your work.

​🎙️ 3 Workshops — Featured main-stage sessions on tools that actually work right now.

​🤝 Open Networking — Dedicated time to connect across the venue.

​🔴 The Agenda

​11:00 AM — Doors Open
11:15 AM — Welcome Remarks (Gatherly + Givesuite)

​____

​🟣 11:30 AM — Creating Digital Experiences that Convert
Moderator: Lidia Varesco Racoma
Panel Speakers: Mordy Rapp, Roger Starkweather, Steven Picanza, Austin Hattox

​🟢 12:15 PM — Workshop #1
Nonprofit Branding, by Lidia Varesco Racoma

​🟣 12:45 PM — How to Be Even More Human in Your Fundraising in an AI-Driven World
Moderator: Matthew Silverman
Panel Speakers: Daryl Hatton, Kelly Hernandez

​🟢 1:30 PM — Workshop #2
Before You Add More: A Capacity Reset for Nonprofit Leaders, by Molly Terbovich-Ridenhour

​🟣 2:00 PM — Fundraising & Planned Giving: The Art of Lifetime & Legacy Giving
Moderator: Molly Terbovich-Ridenhour
Panel Speakers: Sarah Barton, Kel Haney, Chris McGown

​🟢 2:45 PM — Workshop #3
How to know if your CRM is working, and what it's costing you if it's not, by Dylan Bassett

​🟣 3:15 PM — AI for Better Impact: What's Working for Nonprofits Right Now
Moderator: Dylan Bassett 
Panel Speakers: Sam Stern, Dr. Victoria Boyd
____

​4:00 PM — Open Networking
4:15 PM — Closing Remarks

​🟡 Who This Is For

• ​Nonprofit professionals

• ​Fundraisers

• ​Communications leads

• ​Executive directors

• ​Community ready to network with the nonprofit community

​Whether you're building your CFRE credits, looking for tools and tech that actually fit your budget, or just trying to find your people — this is your event.

​🟠 What's In It For You

​✅ CFRE credits (1 per speaker session attended)
✅ Live Q&A with 16 sector experts across 4 focused tracks
✅ Real-time networking in an immersive virtual venue — not a chat box
✅ Actionable workshops
✅ VIP attendees get the full attendee networking list + session recordings

​​🟢 About the hosts

​Gatherly is what makes this feel real—it’s the environment that lets you move, explore, and interact naturally.

​GiveSuite comes at this from a different angle.

​Most nonprofit leaders I talk to aren’t asking for more tools.
They’re asking for things to feel simpler… clearer… less scattered.

​GiveSuite is built to support that—helping teams manage fundraising, relationships, and communication without juggling disconnected systems.

​This event is really an extension of that idea.

​​​⚫️ Frequently Asked Questions

​Do I need to download anything? No. Everything runs in your browser. We recommend Google Chrome with your camera and microphone enabled.

​Do I have to follow a set schedule? Not at all. There's no required path. Check out different sessions that interest you the most, network around and attend workshops. You are in control of your experience.

​Is this just another Zoom call? No. Gatherly is an immersive digital venue — you move between spaces, drop into conversations, and explore freely. It's built to feel like an in-person event.

​🙏 Thank You to Our Sponsors

​ConnectionFest wouldn't be possible without the partners who believe in this community.

​CharityHowTo is the most comprehensive nonprofit education platform out there — offering live and on-demand training across 29 nonprofit topics, taught by vetted sector experts with real in-the-trenches experience. From fundraising to grants to communications, they've delivered thousands of hours of professional development to nonprofit professionals. If you're not already in their world, you will be.

​Connection Works helps nonprofits sharpen how they communicate — and their AI-powered tools are making that easier than ever. Sam from Connection Works is bringing that expertise directly to ConnectionFest with a featured AI workshop on the main stage. If you want to see what smart, practical AI adoption looks like for mission-driven organizations, this session is not one to skip.

​By RSVPing to this event, you'll receive complimentary access to Boardy, including curated intros from Boardy.

​Boardy is an AI Superconnector connecting founders, operators, and investors across the world's most ambitious networks.