Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE)

Join Rock Valley College for their free summer conference focused on "Belonging in Action: From Intent to Impact" on June 11 and June 12!

Activities will include a keynote speaker, engaging breakout sessions, giveaways, performances, and the inaugural Dignity of Belonging Awards.

More than 100 individuals including nonprofit organizations, students, and community members will gather to examine challenges and best practices related to achieving Cultural Excellence and Belonging, creating healthy, inclusive, and accessible work and learning environments. All are welcome!

• Location: Rock Valley College Main Campus - Physical Education Center (PEC) Gym
• Dates: Thursday, June 11, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday, June 12, 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Cost: The conference is FREE for attendees and supported by a $20,000 grant from Healing Illinois and in-kind donations from Rock Valley College.

To register, please visit https://bit.ly/4e2z5yD

For more information or to request reasonable accommodations, please contact: RVC Office of Cultural Excellence & Belonging at [email protected].

Pamela Clark Reidenbach. NICNE CEO, has been selected to join the inaugural class of 40 Over 40 honorees by the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce!

Please help us to congratulate Pam on this well-deserved honor. Honorees will be recognized at the 40 Over 40 reception on Thursday, June 25.

I am humbled to be among these extraordinary leaders. Thank you Rockford Area Chamber of Commerce for this honor.

GRCC Announces Class of 40 Over Honorees The Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce the inaugural class of 40 Over 40 honorees.

Yesterday, we marked the end of our May course on Financial Management, led by the very talented Beth Howard, with a celebration! We are grateful for her leadership in this class, one of five in our Certificate in Nonprofit Management series.

We were thrilled to recognize four individuals who earned their Certificate in Nonprofit Management; Branda LaBuy with RAMP, Peter Smith with YWCA Northwestern Illinois, Kelci Raney of Northern Illinois Northwestern IL Area Agency on Aging, and NICNE's very own Deanna Mershon!

Thank you for attending our May events!

What an amazing month for Rockford Area Case Management Initiative (RACMI)! We were so grateful to see so many dedicated case managers, supervisors, and community partners show up and engage.

From our Case Management Training to our Summer Kickoff + Resource Deep Dive - your energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to empowering others made both events truly special.

We hope you left with new tools, fresh ideas, and meaningful connections. That's what RACMI is all about!

We are also deeply grateful to the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board ( ) for making this training possible through their continued support. This program is funded by through the ½ cent sales tax voted on by county residents.

Stay tuned for more upcoming events and opportunities.

What an incredible event! NICNE was proud to attend the NAMI Northern Illinois Building Bridges event at Embassy Suites, representing RACMI (Rockford Area Case Management Initiative), one of our funded programs. Amazing resources, inspiring speakers, and meaningful connections that remind us why this work matters so much.

A heartfelt thank you to the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board for funding this important event for our community.

Please join us at these upcoming RACMI events!

May 19 | Spring Case Management Training: An Empowerment Approach to Case Management
A few seats still available - don't miss out!
https://RACMICaseManagementTraining2026.eventbrite.com

May 27 | RACMI Community of Practice: Summer Kickoff + Resource Deep Dive
Kick off summer the right way! Join us for a refreshing event built for anyone who works to support families and communities. Share resources, discover local programs and supports, and walk away with practical tools you can use all summer long.
https://RACMISummerResourceDeepDive.eventbrite.com

We'd love to see you there!

Thank you to Kelci Raney from the Northwestern IL Area Agency on Aging (NIAAA) for joining us and presenting at our recent Rockford Area Case Management Initiative (RACMI) Community of Practice.

Kelci shared valuable insights on the free supports and resources NIAAA offers to older adults, adults with disabilities, and their families and caregivers across northern Illinois. We appreciate her time, expertise, and commitment to helping individuals navigate aging and disability services, access benefits, and plan for long-term care.

Thank you, Kelci, for your partnership and for the important work you do in our community. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn from you and look forward to continued collaboration!

This program is funded through the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board (WCCMHB) with the half-cent sales tax voted on by Winnebago County residents. We are deeply grateful for this community-supported investment in prevention, learning, and innovative mental health practices.

💙 Thank you for helping make this work possible.

Are you an organization operating in Ogle County? Join the Rochelle Area Community Foundation for their quarterly nonprofit partner meetings which begin February 19.

Save the date for YWCA's Leader Luncheon XLVI: Women of Achievement Awards, which is scheduled for March 2, 2026, and submit your nominations by January 16 to recognize women of achievement who uplift, mentor, and inspire others to shape the future of the region through service, advocacy, and leadership.

This year's six award categories include Business, Community Leadership, Mentorship, Professions, Promise, and Racial Justice.

Learn more and complete the nomination form here: https://www.ywcanwil.org/women-of-achievement-awards

Save the date for Leader Luncheon XLVI on March 2, 2026.

We are honored to welcome Linsey Davis as our keynote speaker. Linsey is a two time Emmy Award winning anchor of ABC News Live Prime and ABC World News Tonight Sunday, as well as a New York Times bestselling author of children’s books. Her work inspires and empowers audiences through storytelling that connects, informs, and motivates communities across the nation.

Join us for a powerful afternoon of leadership, inspiration, and community impact. More event details will be shared soon.

We at NICNE wish you a joyous holiday season. Our offices are closed from December 20 through January 4. We look forward to seeing you in the New Year!