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Session Descriptions
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Speakers: Steve Noble & Randy Romes of LarsonAllen LLP
Keeping your organization's data confidential can be quite a challenge. Lost or stolen laptops, backup tapes, email enabled cell phones, and USB thumb drives are just the tip of the iceberg. When events occur, organizations may have legal and regulatory compliance requirements they don't even know about, not to mention a possible public relations mess. This session will explore real life examples, legal and regulatory compliance issues, security policies and best practices that can position your organization to manage and mitigate the risk posed by these situations. Attendees will leave with clear strategies to enhance their risk management posture.
Speaker: Hazen Graves of Faegre & Benson LLP
The rules affecting the investment, administration, and spending of charitable funds - the Uniform Management of Institutional Funds Act (UMIFA) - is changing. Twin Cities lawyer Hazen Graves will join us to provide an overview of the changes. Come to this session to learn about more flexible endowment spending policies, divining donor intent, and new options for modifying or closing obsolete funds, all under the new Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA).
Speaker: Paul Verrette of Charities Review Council & Kate Barr of Nonprofit Assistance Fund
Release your inner nonprofit geek. Come learn from the Charities Review Council about their experiences applying their financial activity standards. From this interactive session, you will understand how financial standards are applied in practice and expert perceptions of the standards. Then you will have the opportunity to influence updated standards by providing your feedback and knowledge of best financial practice.
Speaker: Jessica Jackson of Cirlutions LLC
This session will be conducted "in Circle" - an ancient yet new way of facilitating dialogue, enhancing learning, and resolving conflict. Together the group will explore the nature of conflict, the ways that we typically respond to it, and the opportunity that conflict presents to strengthen relationships and build effective teams. (This session is limited to the first 20 registrants but will be provided twice during the day.)
Speaker: Dan Peterson of LarsonAllen LLP
If your nonprofit organization has employees and/or volunteers; has a board of directors; owns property; owns, rents or leases vehicles; or does promotions for special events, you have the same risk management concerns as any private business. Simply "buying insurance" isn't enough to eliminate the potential for havoc. In this session you will begin the process of identifying your organization's risk with the eventual goal of eliminating, accepting or transferring them to better secure your future.
Speaker: Heidi Neff Christianson of Moore, Costello & Hart, P.L.L.P. & Karen Gries
The IRS has issued a new, redesigned Form 990, for the first time since 1979. This new form has a consistent theme of transparency and accountability to the public. In light of the information requested, organizations should be addressing internal policies and practices, along with developing new internal tracking to capture the relevant information. This session will highlight key aspects of the Form 990 and what exempt organizations should be doing now in anticipation of the filing.
Speakers: Harold Parsons & Bill LeClaire of LarsonAllen LLP
Are you ready for the new Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA)? If you have permanently restricted net assets, your financial statements just got more complicated. This session will focus on the upcoming changes in accounting standards that will result from the passage of new legislation and provide concrete guidance on implementing the new FASB Staff Interpretation.
Speakers: Larry Adams & Kelly Nueske of LarsonAllen LLP
New risk assessment standards are now in effect for audit periods beginning December 15, 2006. The standards demand high performance levels that will change the way audits are performed and increase effort for you and the audit team. Come to this session to discuss entity-level assessments, risk assessment prioritization, and internal control documentation. Leave with helpful tools and templates to document your risk assessment.
Speaker: Kristin Batson of the Office of Grants Management
The State of Minnesota established the Office of Grants Management in 2007 to standardize, streamline and improve grants management practices across state agencies and to increase public access to information on state grants. The office is currently working with over 30 state grant-making agencies to create more consistency in the grant-making process and more accountability for how over $1 billion per year in grant dollars are spent. This session will provide an overview of the office's efforts and the changes that state grantees can expect.
Speakers: Rachel Flanders & Terra Penny of LarsonAllen LLP
Does your organization expend over $500,000 a year in federal awards? If so, do you have the right controls in place to avoid a "material weakness" or "significant deficiency" finding over the management of these federal programs? In this session, you will learn what auditors report as findings. With this knowledge you can better determine whether you have the right tools in place going forward to avoid difficulties under SAS 112.
Speaker: Karen Mueller & Diane Espaldon of LarsonAllen LLP
Some leadership changes are sudden and unexpected; some are arrived at with plenty of time and forethought. How can your organization get ready for a successful transition when your founder or long-time leader moves on? What role must board leadership and senior staff play to ensure a smooth and productive change? In this session, panelists will offer perspectives from their vantage points as CFO, board chair and executive director on how to best position the organization for a successful transition before, during and after succession.
Speakers: Nancy Lee of LarsonAllen LLP & Peter Farstad of LifeSource
Often in small and mid-sized nonprofits the lead finance staff position is also responsible for facilities management, human resources, employee benefits, even the entire administrative function. The variety is highly engaging, and the opportunities for problem-solving and crisis management never end. Come to this session to hear one nonprofit practitioner talk about two successfully-managed situations: activating the organization's disaster plan following a fatal plane crash and undergoing a voluntary retirement plan correction with the IRS.
Speaker: Karen Gries of LarsonAllen LLP
Although our organizations may be tax exempt for some purposes, the state filing requirements related to sales, property, and payroll taxes may be quite confusing. Add to this equation, the charitable solicitation requirements which require organizations to register in various states before conducting solicitations within the states borders. The final result is varied rules and regulations which must be understood in order to protect ourselves. Come to this session to catch up on recent changes in these areas - changes that may affect your organization - and clarify some of the confusion.
Speaker: Doug Bertossi of LarsonAllen LLP
A momentous event occurred on July 23, 2007 with the issuance of the first comprehensive set of regulations governing 403(b) plans in 43 years. The regulations are effective January 1, 2009, so now is the time to act. Are you ready? What do you need to do to get ready? This session will walk you through the new regulations and practices you need in preparing for this historic change.
Speaker: Claire Topp of Dorsey & Whiteney & Sara Peterson of LarsonAllen LLP
Since Sarbanes-Oxley, everyone is paying more attention to nonprofit governance. The IRS, Congress, and Independent Sector have all recommended principles or practices for good governance. This session will provide an overview of the new landscape so that you can leave with your list of to dos and ideas for implementing with your boards of directors.
Speaker: Randy Romes of LarsonAllen LLP
Threats to information security are constantly evolving. As defensive measures improve attackers change tactics to evade them. In most cases a well configured firewall is very difficult compromise, so what is a hacker to do? Attack the end users! This session will focus on trends in social engineering attacks, including the latest in pre-text phone calls, email spear Phishing, and methods for bypassing physical security. We will use real life examples combined with our first hand experience in penetration testing and incident response to provide attendees with up to the minute attack trend information as well as practical advise to improve information security posture.
Speakers: Terry Fraser & Craig Popenhagen of LarsonAllen LLP
Two of our lead audit professionals will recap and discuss the hot topics affecting auditing and accounting, and your organization in 2007-2008 - some of which will have been presented in detail in other sessions. Then they will answer the questions-big and small-that keep you up at night.
Speakers: Pamela Kingfisher of LarsonAllen LLP; Miriam Mohamed of McKnight Foundation; Suzanne Koepplinger of Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center
The demographics of our community are ever changing. Some nonprofit organizations and corporations are leveraging this diversity and partnering to reap the benefits of cross cultural differences. Come to this panel discussion to hear how two community leaders have led such partnerships and take their experiences and ideas in this new and diverse Minnesota home to your own organizations.
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| | Excellent conference, really good speakers and topics.
High quality conference—excellent presenters and practical information.
Great session, like the enthusiasm!
This was very beneficial—from facilitators to the facility.
Great organization—made for an enjoyable and interesting learning opportunity.
This conference provides real service and educational opportunity for participants.
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