Upcoming Events List

New York State Policy advocacy training for members of the new york council of nonprofits (NYCON)

 

This session is led by the State Policy Advocacy Clinic at the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy at Cornell University. The training is designed to prepare nonprofit organization leaders to engage in New York State’s policy advocacy process. Topics will include the importance of state policy advocacy, the structure of New York State government, the state budget process, policy design, and strategies for effective advocacy.

Draft Agenda

1. Introductions
2. New York State Structure of Government
3. New York State Budget
4. Policy Design
5. Policy Research
6. Policy Advocacy

About the State Policy Advocacy Clinic

The State Policy Advocacy Clinic researches, designs, and advocates for a wide variety of evidence-based state policy solutions together with New York State legislators, executive branch officials, academics, community members, and nonprofit organizations. The State Policy Advocacy Clinic does not represent Cornell University. Learn more about the Clinic here: https://publicpolicy.cornell.edu/experience/state-policy-advocacy-clinic/.

Contacts

State Policy Advocacy Clinic Director, Professor Alexandra Dufresne,
alexandra.dufresne@cornell.edu

State Policy Advocacy Clinic Policy and Advocacy Fellow, Hattie Seten,
hattie.seten@cornell.edu

Eight HR Essentials for Nonprofit Organizations

This webinar explores eight essential HR practices that help nonprofit organizations comply with labor law requirements to support their mission effectively. We will discuss how to reduce legal risk, stay aligned with evolving employment statutes and regulations, and implement policies that protect both your organization and your people. Designed for leaders and HR professionals, this session provides practical guidance to help ensure compliance and minimize legal exposure across your organization.

Presented by Michael West, Esq. and Tamar Tait, Esq.

This webinar is sponsored by Council Services Plus

Engaging and Retaining Board Members

Thursday, November 19, 2026, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Is your board a hot mess? Or a great team working together like clockwork? Somewhere in between? Your board isn’t just another task on your to-do list. With the right guidance and a clear path forward, they can become one of your greatest assets—energized, aligned, and ready to lead alongside you. Join BoardStrong Director Barbara Paxton to discuss how you can make your board stronger, more engaged, and more aligned with your mission.

BoardStrong is a nonprofit organization that works nationwide to advance the nonprofit sector and the impact of the work nonprofits do by supporting the achievement of the highest standards of board leadership, governance and oversight. Barbara Paxton has more than 20 years of experience working with nonprofits and has broad experience in board leadership, board development and governance, fundraising and finance. Barbara is a widely sought-after speaker and presenter and has worked with nonprofit organizations in multiple states. Barbara earned a B.A. at Wellesley College and a Master of International Affairs at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.

NYCON Member Registration Enter your email address here to access a prefilled form and member-exclusive rates. Email Address: Having trouble? Email membership@nycon.org

General Public Registration Click Here to Register

NYCON (New York Council of Nonprofits) Membership Benefits Orientation [Webinar]

Whether your organization is a new NYCON member, you are new to your team, your organization is considering membership, or you simply want a refresher on all NYCON’s benefits this webinar is for you! Join NYCON staff for our benefits orientation to learn about our programs, costs, and what you get for FREE.

Benefits we will cover include:

• Nonprofit Training, Education, and Professional Assistance: NYCON empowers our members with best practices, policies, and procedures, as well as information on ever-changing regulations, funding, accountability, and more. We will give you information on upcoming educational webinars, trainings, and conferences like Camp Finance and Executive Director Leadership Retreats. Learn about consultations available exclusively to our members and if funding may be available for your organization.
• Cost Savings Solutions for Nonprofits: NYCON leverages the purchasing power of thousands of nonprofits to bring you economies of scale on everything from office supplies to fundraising registration services. We will give you information on all these programs, including our members-only insurance programs including Directors’ & Officers’ insurance for your Board and Dental, Life, and Flexible Spending Account programs for your staff.
• And so much more!

Find out how NYCON Membership will benefit you by attending this 45-minute session.

QuickBooks Intensive

NYCON Member Registration Enter your email address here to access a prefilled form and member-exclusive rates. Rates will increase — register early. Email Address: Having trouble? Email membership@nycon.org

General Public Registration Click Here to Register

 

Registration

Member Rate: $575.00

+ Grants Management in QuickBooks: $200.00

Non-Member Rate: $640.00

+ Grants Management in QuickBooks: $240.00

Date & Time

• December 2, 2026   1pm-4pm
• December 3, 2026   10am-1pm

Presenter:

Gregg S. Bossen, CPA created QuickBooks Made Easy for Nonprofits in 2000, and has since been teaching QuickBooks seminars around the country for various groups, conducting webinars, providing technical support to hundreds of clients, one-one-one consulting, and offering industry-specific streamable training. Gregg’s teaching style is funny and entertaining, and his energy and knowledge of Nonprofits make his classes a unique experience. Gregg has taught new users as well as other CPAs, who are themselves considered experts in the software. In total, he has taught over 4,500 seminars to more than 65,000 students. He currently teaches for over 30 Nonprofit State Associations, as well as annually at Scaling New Heights and QuickBooks Connect

 

Overview

This 6-hour course covers basic and intermediate accounting using QuickBooks Online is designed to get any fiscal team up and running building their own financial systems, managing their money well, and being able to provide high quality financial reports for Director and Board level requirements. Broken into two three-hour sessions, attendees will be able to either learn from scratch, or update their existing knowledge, on the following:

Day 1

• An Introduction to the Software:
  • Different choices of QuickBooks
  • Navigating QuickBooks
• Effectively using the Bank Connections
• Proper Setup for great reporting
  • Accounts
  • Programs
  • Grants and Funds
Basic Revenue Transactions:
• Entering donations and grants
• Creating, customizing, and sending out invoices
• Receiving payments

 

Day 2

• Basic Expense Transactions:
  • Entering bills to pay, and booking bill payments
  • Other expense booking

• Budgeting in QuickBooks
  • Basic Bugeting by Account
  • Budgeting by Program
  • Budgeting by Grant
• Financial Reporting:
  • Essential financial reports
  • Report customization

Who Should Attend

This training is ideal for small shop nonprofits, organizations currently using Excel or basic spreadsheets for financial tracking, and new or transitioning fiscal staff - including anyone who has inherited a QuickBooks file and needs to understand or rebuild it. It is also a great fit for Executive Directors, or board treasurers who support budgeting reporting.

Day 3 - Optional Add-On (additional $200 Member / $240 Non-Member)

Grants Management in QuickBooks (2.5 Hours)

• Overview of grants
  • Conditional vs. Unconditional
  • Restricted vs. Unrestricted
• Using Projects in QuickBooks to track grant activity
• Advanced budgeting for grants
• Allocation of P/R to grants
• Indirect Cost Allocation in QuickBooks
• Advanced Grant Reporting

NYCON (New York Council of Nonprofits) Membership Benefits Orientation [Webinar]

Whether your organization is a new NYCON member, you are new to your team, your organization is considering membership, or you simply want a refresher on all NYCON’s benefits this webinar is for you! Join NYCON staff for our benefits orientation to learn about our programs, costs, and what you get for FREE.

Benefits we will cover include:

• Nonprofit Training, Education, and Professional Assistance: NYCON empowers our members with best practices, policies, and procedures, as well as information on ever-changing regulations, funding, accountability, and more. We will give you information on upcoming educational webinars, trainings, and conferences like Camp Finance and Executive Director Leadership Retreats. Learn about consultations available exclusively to our members and if funding may be available for your organization.
• Cost Savings Solutions for Nonprofits: NYCON leverages the purchasing power of thousands of nonprofits to bring you economies of scale on everything from office supplies to fundraising registration services. We will give you information on all these programs, including our members-only insurance programs including Directors’ & Officers’ insurance for your Board and Dental, Life, and Flexible Spending Account programs for your staff.
• And so much more!

Find out how NYCON Membership will benefit you by attending this 45-minute session.

Grants Management in QuickBooks

NYCON Member Registration Enter your email address here to access a prefilled form and member-exclusive rates. Rates will increase — register early. Email Address: Having trouble? Email membership@nycon.org

General Public Registration Click Here to Register

 

Registration

Member Rate: $200.00

Non-Member Rate: $240.00

Registration does NOT include access to our QuickBooks Intensive to register for that event or both at once, Click Here.

Date & Time

• December 7, 2026   10am-12:30pm

Presenter:

Gregg S. Bossen, CPA created QuickBooks Made Easy for Nonprofits in 2000, and has since been teaching QuickBooks seminars around the country for various groups, conducting webinars, providing technical support to hundreds of clients, one-one-one consulting, and offering industry-specific streamable training. Gregg’s teaching style is funny and entertaining, and his energy and knowledge of Nonprofits make his classes a unique experience. Gregg has taught new users as well as other CPAs, who are themselves considered experts in the software. In total, he has taught over 4,500 seminars to more than 65,000 students. He currently teaches for over 30 Nonprofit State Associations, as well as annually at Scaling New Heights and QuickBooks Connect

 

Overview

• Overview of grants
  • Conditional vs. Unconditional
  • Restricted vs. Unrestricted
• Using Projects in QuickBooks to track grant activity
• Advanced budgeting for grants/li>
• Allocation P/R to grants
• Indirect Cost Allocation in QuickBooks
• Advanced Grant Reporting

Who Should Attend

Anyone using QuickBooks that has grants that are restricted in any way should be here.

Documenting policies and procedures

Join this session to learn the difference between board adopted policies and staff implemented procedures. Both are critical for continuity of fiscal operations when turnover occurs at both the governance and staff levels. You'll learn a framework for effectively documenting processes in each.

This webinar is part of the NYSCA Statewide Organizational Development Services program provided by NYCON via our partnership with the New York State Council on the Arts and made possible with the support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

EXPLORING NONPROFIT MERGERS AND PARTNERSHIPS

Thursday, December 17, 2026, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Joining with another nonprofit can increase financial stability, efficiency, and resources, and ultimately allow greater community impact. But any arrangement between organizations requires time and careful consideration to make sure it is the right solution for the nonprofits and their constituencies. Should your organization begin to consider a merger, affiliation or shared services? If so, what are early considerations and what do you need to explore?

Join two experts on this topic, BoardStrong Director Barbara Paxton and New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON) Senior Attorney Michael West, Esq., for this introductory session that will detail options and considerations for a variety of partnership options. This session will focus on a nonprofit board’s role in exploring such options, but information shared will be helpful for executive directors and other staff as well. The ideas and concepts shared will apply to nonprofits across the U.S.

BoardStrong is a nonprofit organization that works nationwide to advance the nonprofit sector and the impact of the work nonprofits do by supporting the achievement of the highest standards of board leadership, governance and oversight. Barbara Paxton has more than 20 years of experience working with nonprofits and has broad experience in board leadership, board development and governance, fundraising and finance.

New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON) promotes a vibrant nonprofit sector across New York State through advocacy, education and leadership. Senior Attorney Michael West, Esq. has served as a staff attorney with NYCON since 2002 and in that time has facilitated more than 100 corporate restructuring projects, including mergers and affiliations. Mike has long been devoted exclusively to addressing issues concerning nonprofit organizations, particularly those matters implicating corporate, tax, contract, real property and employment law. He is a recognized and respected advocate, not only for his own clients, but for the nonprofit community as a whole.

NYCON Member Registration Enter your email address here to access a prefilled form and member-exclusive rates. Email Address: Having trouble? Email membership@nycon.org

General Public Registration Click Here to Register