The Association of Consultants to Nonprofits

The Association of Consultants to Nonprofits A Community of Consultants Serving the Nonprofit Sector We can help you find a consultant, submit an RFP or get personalized advice.

For 30+ years, ACN has strengthened mission-driven organizations by serving as Chicagoland’s premier society of professional nonprofit consultants. Our consultants work with local and national organizations in areas from Association Management to DEI and from Social Media to Strategic Planning. As thought leaders in this focused and ever-changing sector, our members provide nonprofit organizations with a rich resource of expertise, education and experience.

Feedback culture is one of the most powerful and underutilized performance and retention strategies available to nonprof...
09/01/2026

Feedback culture is one of the most powerful and underutilized performance and retention strategies available to nonprofit leaders. Sustained practice requires more than skill-building: it depends on the psychological foundations and organizational conditions that make it possible. Join Megan Mahoney as she introduces the essential elements of a feedback-fluent organization, from self-knowledge to structural design.

Register here: https://www.acnconsult.org/event-6815220

Before your first client meeting, what can you learn from a nonprofit's Form 990? Quite a bit. Join Cathy Yen on Septemb...
08/24/2026

Before your first client meeting, what can you learn from a nonprofit's Form 990? Quite a bit. Join Cathy Yen on September 18th as she teaches how experienced nonprofit consultants use the 990 to ask better questions, identify important patterns, and begin every engagement with a stronger understanding of the organization they're serving.

Register here: https://www.acnconsult.org/event-6765085

Note: This is a two-part series with the second one on October 2, hosted by Aiesha Williams. Separate registration is required.

In case you missed it...ACN Connect. Collaborate. Catalyze. is back for another year! Mark your calendars for Tuesday, O...
08/19/2026

In case you missed it...ACN Connect. Collaborate. Catalyze. is back for another year! Mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 27th, 1 pm at Impact House. We will be sharing more information, including ticket prices, very soon. We hope to see you there!

Our next ACN Member Spotlight features Ryan Arnold of DeSoto & State Communications!Ryan is the Principal and Owner of D...
08/11/2026

Our next ACN Member Spotlight features Ryan Arnold of DeSoto & State Communications!

Ryan is the Principal and Owner of DeSoto & State Communications, which is a Chicago-based public relations and communications firm that helps nonprofits, cultural organizations and mission-driven teams tell their stories and reach the people who need to hear them.

He says ACN's value is in the community. "It’s helpful to be around people who understand the realities and constraints of nonprofit work, and that shared perspective has been useful in shaping how I approach my practice."

Thanks for being a part of ACN, Ryan!

ACN member Allison Wyatt is presenting via Nonprofit Learning Lab on August 27! Join her for "From Passion to Performanc...
08/07/2026

ACN member Allison Wyatt is presenting via Nonprofit Learning Lab on August 27! Join her for "From Passion to Performance: Strengthening People Managers in Nonprofit Organizations", which will explore how clear expectations, structured check-ins, and shared ownership help people managers lead more effectively in complex, mission-driven environments. Register here: https://www.acnconsult.org/event-6725785

Thank you to ACN member Melissa Lagowski for the kind words about our community!
07/30/2026

Thank you to ACN member Melissa Lagowski for the kind words about our community!

Our New Consultants Circle met last week to discuss strategies for business development. Thank you to Carol White and Li...
07/28/2026

Our New Consultants Circle met last week to discuss strategies for business development. Thank you to Carol White and Lidia Varesco Racoma for joining to give their tips and advice!

ACN Circle Groups are intended to be forums for like or complementary groups of professionals to empower each other with a diversity of thinking, knowledge, shared experience, perspective, support, intentional networking, business development, and inspiration. They're member-directed and a great way to get involved! Learn more about joining or starting one here: https://www.acnconsult.org/Circle-Groups

Say hello to ACN member Krista Kurlinkus! Krista is the Founder and CEO of Krista Kurlinkus LLC. In 10 years, her busine...
07/21/2026

Say hello to ACN member Krista Kurlinkus!

Krista is the Founder and CEO of Krista Kurlinkus LLC. In 10 years, her business has grown from a one-woman consultancy into a nationally recognized partner for nonprofits and change-makers who refuse to settle for the status quo.

Over the past decade, she's helped organizations secure more than $50 million in funding across 30 states and 8 countries. Whether you’re seeking federal grants, international opportunities, or foundation support, Krista Kurlinkus LLC brings a strategic lens, tailored tools, and a commitment to justice to everything they do.

Thank you for being a member, Krista!

At the recent Annual Meeting, we recognized members who are celebrating anniversaries this year: 5 Years: Patrick Curran...
07/16/2026

At the recent Annual Meeting, we recognized members who are celebrating anniversaries this year:

5 Years:
Patrick Curran
Stephanie Fuller, PMP, CIA, CSM, SSGB
Allecia Harley
Valerie F. Leonard
Jaime Nolan, CAE
Michele Walls, CFRE, SHRM-CP

10 Years:
John E. Bauer
Gordon Mayer
Lidia Varesco Racoma

15 Years:
Jeffrey Marcella

20+ Years:
Kelly Kleiman*
Joyce Golbus Poll
Carol White
Amy Wishnick
*ACN Founding Member

Thank you for your dedication to helping ACN grow and evolve into a thriving community!

07/13/2026

Connect. Collaborate. Catalyze. is back on October 27th, 2026, and we hope to see you there!

Last year's event brought together ACN members and nonprofit professionals to discuss a variety of topics and network together. This year, you'll hear current expectations from nonprofit funders, learn proven strategies from consultants, and connect with your peers as we explore how to sustain nonprofit impact in a changing landscape. Mark your calendars now, you won't want to miss this!

Video by ACN member Allison Wong Grant of ACG Productions.

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