Kentucky Nonprofit Risk Management Summit

August 27, 2025 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM (EDT)

Description

Join nonprofit leaders from across Kentucky for a day focused on practical strategies to navigate risk with confidence. The summit opens with a dynamic keynote led by Melanie Lockwood Herman, Executive Director of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center, exploring the top risks facing nonprofits today, common barriers to addressing them, and clear steps for turning concern into proactive planning and action. Afternoon breakout sessions dive deeper into risk considerations for HR, finance, IT, and other aspects of nonprofit management. 

Bring your team (KNN members receive discounts for additional team members!) and walk away with tailored insights to help you strengthen and protect your organization in an uncertain world.

Agenda:

8:30am: Registration/Continental Networking Breakfast

9:00am: Keynote - The Top Risks Facing Charitable Nonprofits Today: What Leaders Need to Know - Melanie Lockwood Herman, Executive Director, Nonprofit Risk Management Center
The conference keynote explores the top risks facing nonprofits today, the biases and barriers that cloud our understanding of risk, and practical strategies and steps to turn worries into action plans. This fast-paced session offers lots to think about and straightforward, jargon-free ways guidance to cope with organizational risks in a world of never ending uncertainty. 

10:30am: Plenary Session - Bring a Fuzzy Future into Focus: Practical Scenario Planning - Melanie Lockwood Herman, Executive Director, Nonprofit Risk Management Center
Unless your management toolbox includes a crystal ball, you can’t imagine every possibility your agency could face. A scenario planning exercise can help you identify steps and strategies that will support your mission if your key plans are no longer feasible. This session takes a practical approach to scenario planning and shows you several ways to do it. Each approach can be adapted to suit your nonprofit, and resources, such as worksheets and narratives, are available to support each approach. Walk away from this general session with what you need to lead or support a scenario planning exercise in your agency.

12:00pm: Lunch

1:00pm: Breakout Sessions (choose one)

• Understanding the Form 990 - Bryan Pautsch, Tax Director, Dean Dorton
  • Transparency and compliance: This session aims to unlock the complexities of the 990 to walk through key sections, while highlighting red flags, and providing insights on how to best represent your organization.
• Adapting DEI Policies to New Executive Orders - Kara Legg, Associate Attorney, McBrayer
  • Recent federal Executive Orders have impacted how employers address DEI in the workplace. This session will provide you with guidance and considerations for moving forward at your organization.
• Mitigating Technology Risks and Efficiencies - Jayna Newcomer, Technology Services Senior Consultant, & Danny Googe, Technology Services Manager, Dean Dorton
  • Safeguard your nonprofit. This session explores the latest trends in data protection and technology governance, with a specific focus on the types of systems and data unique to the nonprofit sector. We’ll address risks related to donor databases, constituent management systems, and the sensitive financial information nonprofits may collect—such as credit card or banking details. Learn how to manage these risks and improve technology efficiencies in a digital landscape.

2:15pm: Breakout Sessions (choose one)

• Best Practices for Developing an Employee Handbook - Valerie Michael, Associate Attorney, McBrayer
  • An employee handbook is an essential tool to identify employee expectations.  Some employers, however, adopt policies that are illegal, or fail to adopt required policies.  This session will provide you with a checklist for required policies.
• Internal Controls and Fraud Prevention - Jodi Renn, Assurance Services Associate Director, Dean Dorton
  • Protect your nonprofit from financial risk. This session on internal controls and fraud prevention will explore best practices for establishing internal controls, identifying vulnerabilities, and helpful tips for prevention and detection.
• Charting a Compliant Course: Legal Risk Management for Nonprofits - Mike Fine, Partner; Tad Myre, Counsel; & Victoria Fuller, Senior Associate; Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs 
  • Legal experts from Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs join us to help steer Kentucky nonprofit organizations through the top compliance risks and responsibilities you should have on your radars - from governance and filings to common trouble spots that could impact your good standing.
• Crisis Management & Crisis Communications - Melanie Lockwood Herman, Executive Director, Nonprofit Risk Management Center
  • Crisis events can arise from different causes and manifest in challenging ways. This workshop will teach you how to create crisis management and crisis communications plans that will serve you well in many situations. Learn what to do now to build readiness for a crisis. You’ll find out what types of crisis events can trip up even a well-respected and well-managed nonprofit, and how to protect your mission through a difficult event or set of circumstances.

3:30pm: Breakout Sessions (choose one)

• Building Financial Resilience - Stephanie Allgeyer, Assurance Director, Dean Dorton
  • Prepare for the unforeseen. This session aims to prepare nonprofits for the unexpected and discusses potential steps you can take in order to strengthen your financial resilience and plan for uncertainties to ensure your organization’s future success
• Issues Related to Terminations, Layoffs, Furloughs, & Resignations - Kara Legg & Valerie Michael, Associate Attorneys, McBrayer
  • All employers deal with the unfortunate reality of separating or suspending employees. In some circumstances, however, employers should be aware of legal implications associated with the separation including the return of property, repayment of monies owed, protecting confidential information, enforcing restrictive covenants, and protecting against claims of harassment, discrimination and/or retaliation.  We will also discuss what policies or practices you should have in place to effectuate a smooth separation or furlough.
    
• Business Continuity & Disaster Preparedness - Matt Higdon, Senior Risk Consultant, HUB International
  • Join HUB International’s Risk Services team for a practical session on building resilient nonprofit operations. We’ll explore key strategies for business continuity planning and disaster preparedness—helping your organization anticipate disruptions, protect critical functions, and recover swiftly when the unexpected occurs. Learn actionable steps to safeguard your mission, support your stakeholders, and thrive through uncertainty.
• Cybersecurity Essentials: Outsmarting Phishing and Other Threats - Charlie Bowen, vCIO Supervisor, C-Forward
  • Join the pros at C-Forward for an overview of current cybersecurity best practices, including the latest tips for avoiding dreaded phishing scams.

4:30pm: Farewell

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Sponsors: