Mosaic of Community Leadership Conference
For more information about how the Center for Leadership Development can help you, call 937.778.7805.
Mosaic of Community Leadership Conference
Your receipt will serve as your ticket into the conference.
Featuring KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Tom Iselin
Over the last few decades, Tom has built two software companies, as well as nine notable nonprofits that address some of the nation’s complex societal issues: hunger, teen substance abuse, the environment, people with disabilities, abused children, and wounded warriors—to name a few.
He’s a nationally recognized speaker and author of six books, serves on multiple boards, and runs his own family philanthropy. Through his podcast, video blog, and industry articles, Tom shares practical leadership strategies that drive engagement, accountability, and results.
In 1991, after a near-death experience, Tom walked away from a successful career as a Chicago options trader to become a social entrepreneur devoted to building companies and nonprofits—and helping leaders elevate performance, strengthen culture, and drive meaningful impact.
CNN, Nightline, Newsweek, and Associated Press have featured Tom for his work in the industry, some of which has helped shape national policy. And he’s been voted “One of America’s best and most popular board retreat and strategic planning facilitators.”
A crowd favorite, he speaks to thousands of leaders each year with his high-energy, interactive, and refreshingly candid “edutainment” style.
Tom lives in Sun Valley, Idaho, where he enjoys skiing, mountain biking, and just about anything that involves altitude and a little risk. He runs a consulting business that specializes in board retreats, strategic planning, fundraising, and executive coaching. To learn more about Tom and his work, visit: www.TomIselin.com.
Let’s Have Coffee! . . . The Art of Face-to-Face Fundraising
Fundraising today feels harder than ever. Donors are flooded with emails, invitations, campaigns, and appeals from every direction. Nonprofits work tirelessly to host events, write grants, and launch digital campaigns—yet many organizations still struggle to raise the money they truly need.
Why? Because the single most powerful fundraising strategy is often the one used the least: sitting down face-to-face with a donor.
In this high-energy, interactive keynote, Tom Iselin challenges the conventional fundraising playbook and reveals why the fastest path to raising more money isn’t writing more grants or hosting more fundraising events. Rather, it often begins with something remarkably simple—a personal conversation.
Tom has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for the nine nonprofits he has founded, and he knows firsthand how to raise money effectively—and without unnecessary headaches.
You’ll discover why face-to-face fundraising consistently delivers the highest return on investment, how to transform casual conversations into meaningful donor relationships, and what to say—and what not to say—when meeting with a donor.
Tom’s signature “edutainment” style blends humor, storytelling, and real-world fundraising insight. Expect practical ideas and moments where you laugh and think, “That’s exactly what happens in our organization.”
Most importantly, you’ll leave inspired—and equipped—with useful strategies you can implement immediately to strengthen relationships and dramatically increase your fundraising success.
Bonus: All attendees will receive free copies of Tom’s bestselling books on organizational development (First Things First) and fundraising (Cloudburst). ($50 value)
2026 Mosaic of Community Leadership Conference Schedule
7:45–8:20 a.m. Check-in & Breakfast
Continental breakfast and “Bookshelf Kit” distribution.
8:25–8:40 a.m. Opening: Lights, Camera, Action!
Setting the “High-Touch/High-Tech” stage.
8:40–10:40 a.m. General Session #1
Let’s Have Coffee!... The Art of Face-to-Face Fundraising–Tom Iselin
10:40–11:00 a.m. Break/Networking
11 a.m.–12 p.m. Breakout Education Session
1) Marketing Madness! Key Marketing Tactics to Raise More Money, Broaden Support, and Generate Fans–Tom Iselin
2) The Cornerstone of Nonprofits: Identifying and Building Relationships
Sandra Streitenberger | ESCC Professor of Accounting & Business, VP and Co-founder of non-profit TeKonnect and Doug Streitenberger | ESCC Adjunct Instructor of Business, President and Co-founder of non-profit TeKonnect
3) When Computers Decide: Managing Cyber Risk in a Future Where Machines Shape Human Outcomes
Joe Lamb | ESCC Chief Information Officer
4) Time Tactics: Productivity Skills for Today’s Workforce
Roger Fulk | ESCC Workforce Success Specialist
12:00–1:00 p.m. Lunch/PGDACL Graduation/A-Z Effective Board Awards
1:00–1:30 p.m. General Session #2
The Great AI Debate: AI and Nonprofits....Yes or No? An interactive, Harvard-style clash of perspectives
The Proposition: AI is an essential tool for mission-driven efficiency.
The Opposition: AI poses an existential risk to human-centered philanthropy.
The Jury: YOU. Use your smartphone to vote in real-time and crown the winner.
1:30–1:40 p.m. Break/Networking
1:40 - 2:20 p.m. Breakout Experiential Session #1
1) Speed Networking for Partnerships: In this fast-paced, high-energy session, you will engage in structured mini-dialogues with fellow leaders to identify shared resources, bridge service gaps, and turn regional “competitors” into strategic collaborators.
2) The AI Sandbox: Bring your laptop for a hands-on session where we move past the hype to build actual grant prompts, donor appeals, and time-saving workflows using free AI tools.
3) Mastermind Roundtables: Experience the power of peer-coaching in role-specific groups designed to crowdsource solutions for your most “burning” leadership challenges.
4) Grant Hunting: Foundation Directory Online Instruction/Exploration
Meme Gillum | ESCC Librarian/ Foundation Directory Instructor
5) The Unconference: Take the wheel in this participant-driven session where the agenda is created in real-time to address the specific, trending topics you care about most today.
2:20–2:30 p.m. Break/Networking
2:30–3:10 p.m. Breakout Experiential Session #2
1) The Human Spectrogram: Step onto our “living opinion line” to physically see where your organization stands compared to regional peers on the most provocative issues in philanthropy.
2) The Regional Impact Huddle: Join a rotating series of collaborative dialogues to cross-pollinate ideas and build a collective regional “mind map” for the future of our nonprofit sector.
3) Nonprofit Shark Tank: Watch (or participate!) as leaders pitch their boldest new ideas to a panel of experts for rapid-fire, constructive feedback to make any project “investor/donor ready.”
4) Grant Hunting: Foundation Directory Online Instruction / Exploration
Meme Gillum | ESCC Librarian/ Foundation Directory Instructor
5) The Unconference: Take the wheel in this participant-driven session where the agenda is created in real-time to address the specific, trending topics you care about most today.