Elevate 2015 from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

For Linda Hunnicutt, attending the 2015 Elevate Conference on June 11-12 opened windows of opportunity.

As one of two directors for Meals on Wheels in Anniston, a nonprofit that delivers free meals to the elderly and disabled, the Elevate meetings came at the perfect time. Having joined Meals on Wheels 10 short months ago – after 35 years in the private sector – she’s still wrapping her mind around the challenges of serving huge public needs through a nonprofit world.

Hunnicutt was excited to be among more than 400 representatives from nonprofit groups attending Alabama Power’s annual event, held at the Sheraton Hotel in Birmingham. The conference offered breakout sessions about how to work together collaboratively; fundraising for urban and rural nonprofits; and leveraging technology in the nonprofit arena. Many attendees said the chance to network, make new contacts and share information was just as valuable as the in-class sessions.

“I’m looking forward to information that will help Meals on Wheels meet its goals,” Hunnicutt said. “We don’t have additional money for training.”

Techbridge CEO James Franklin was greeted by a roomful of attendees who were eager to learn about information technology (IT). Techbridge, a 501.(c)3 that provides IT expertise to nonprofits in all 50 states, drives community impact by bringing affordable business and technical expertise to other nonprofits.

The session for technology speaker James Franklin, CEO of TechBridge, was well attended.

“The innovation curve is increasing exponentially,” said Franklin, who urged attendees to learn everything they can about technology. He said he’s observed a real problem regarding the lack of IT know-how and the need to cull data that is pertinent to helping nonprofits’ everyday business.

“We mine data to ask questions that we don’t even know that we should ask,” Franklin said. “If we can get the data together, how do we move more people from homelessness? With data, we know how to move the food chain. It would be impossible for us to know these things if technology wasn’t available. We need to work with the right subsets of data and know how to use and protect that information.”

He said that nonprofits must capture consistent, complete data during intake, enrollment and provision of services.

Alabama Power Foundation President John Hudson welcomed the audience, noting that the Elevate grant application process opened June 12.

During the conference, Hallie Bradley, Community Initiatives manager at Alabama Power, led a panel discussion featuring Shannon Ammons, CEO, Alabama Association of Nonprofits; Jeanne Jackson, president and CEO, the Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham; and Chris Nanni, president and CEO, Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.

Jackson, Ammons and Nanni discussed how they were collaborating with other nonprofits – as well as the corporate sector – to bring positive results to their communities.

“We started the Collaboration Institute two years ago,” said Jackson, whose group’s mission is to move women with families from poverty to positions in which they can viably support themselves and their children. “We’re bringing in experts from across the country to help. This is about having willing partners who want to help in this effort.”

At another breakout session, Alabama Possible Executive Director Kristina Scott discussed fundraising for urban and rural nonprofits. Scott advised attendees to look beyond their groups’ usual modes of support to long-established clubs such as the Kiwanis and Lions in rural areas.

Learning about new ideas for fund raising and communication was an eye-opener for Lynne Hanner, director of Advancement and executive director of the Foundation of the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind (AIDB) in Talladega. Hanner enjoyed networking, and said it was valuable to her to learn about other nonprofit’s programs and how they may interact with AIDB.

“I’ve gotten a lot out of the strategic planning and social media information,” said Hanner, whose organization serves 22,500 Alabama residents of all ages. She noted that the Alabama Power Foundation in 2011 provided a lead donation for AIDB’s nurses’ health center at the Talladega campus.

Fund raising is getting more difficult, Hanner said, because “all the same agencies are competing for the same dollars.” For instance, the AIDB competes with colleges for money supplied through the Special Education Trust Fund, she said.

Valerie Shannon (center), executive director – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Alabama, talked with Research and Consumer Insight Manager Aaron Latham (left) and Gadsden Office Manager Tony Smith during the 2015 Elevate Conference.

For Darrue Sharpe, attending her second Elevate meeting was “inspirational.”

Sharpe, executive director – Family Support Center in Prattville, a United Way agency, works to help residents build better lives for themselves and their families.

Her group helps its clients obtain general equivalency diplomas and provides parenting classes. The Elevate workshops supplied beneficial training and information that Sharpe said she could use in her daily work.

“We don’t have money for conferences unless paid for by a grant,” Sharpe said.

“We’re seeing funding cut each year. I feel like I leave here with lots of good ideas and new information that really helps me be able to provide more help for our clients.”