Spotlight Stage

Strong communities don’t just happen. They are built and strengthened by people (Weavers) with time, skill and love. David Brooks of Weave: The Social Fabric Project and the New York Times will be in conversation with Deepti Doshi of Facebook around what motivates people to become Weavers and how they learn these weaving skills.

Jitasa founder, Jeff Russell, will share his (sometimes painful) leadership and organizational lessons learned, which should be applicable for every Executive Director who has tried to do something new, groundbreaking or creative at their nonprofit. Jeff will share about their journey and all of the lessons learned over the past decade as Jitasa has become the largest B-Corp in the nation serving nonprofits with bookkeeping and accounting services. Presented by Jitasa

Our work as changemakers is important, but nurturing our own well-being is just as, if not more, important. Self-care is the active participation in maintaining good mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health. There is no right or wrong way to engage in it nor does it have to be complicated or involved. You can simply take a moment to recharge and keep moving forward in your day. This short restorative session will give you space to reconnect and check in with yourself through guided breathing and mindfulness exercises. You will feel refreshed and ready to continue your experience at Upswell Chicago because a healthier, more centered you means a healthier, more vibrant community around you.

Grassroots donors are not just a feel-good idea or an unattainable myth: They are fueling real change across all advocacy issues and making it possible for nonprofits to create inclusive, flexible, and sustainable fundraising programs! Come see data that demonstrates how small-dollar donors are building momentum for the causes they love and learn about the latest grassroots fundraising trends in this spotlight talk from ActBlue, the home of small-dollar donors. Hosted by ActBlue