WSPN 3rd Thursday Education Series: The Communication Gap: Why Your Mission Isn't Always Understood — And What to Do About It (Thursday, October 15, 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Nonprofits do meaningful work every day. Yet communicating that work clearly and consistently to donors, volunteers, staff and the broader community can be challenging.

The problem isn't always a lack of communication. Sometimes the challenge is a lack of clarity about what the organization wants people to understand, who needs to understand it and whether everyone is communicating from the same foundation.

This interactive session will explore why communication gaps develop, how they can affect relationships with key audiences and what organizations can do to close them. Participants will have an opportunity to examine their own communication challenges, learn a practical framework for creating greater clarity and consistency, and apply those ideas to their own organizations.

SPEAKER

William Wille, Founder, Wille Strategic Communications

William R. Wille is the founder of Wille Strategic Communications, where he helps mission-driven organizations close the gap between the work they do and how that work is understood by the people they need to reach.

A communications and editorial strategy leader, Will has worked across nonprofit, association, financial services and other mission-driven environments. His work focuses on strategic clarity, positioning, messaging and creating communications that are clear, consistent and meaningful to the audiences they serve.

Will is a member of the West Suburban Philanthropic Network and is actively involved in the nonprofit and business communities throughout the western suburbs.

This event is CFRE approved for 1.25 credits for verified full attendance.

WSPN 3rd Thursday Fall Series: Data Protection: How to Protect Yourself, Your Organization, and Your Philanthropy Team (Thursday, November 19, 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 14:30:00 GMT

This program will explore emerging data risks, including types of phishing scams and social engineering methods that are directly relevant to nonprofit fundraising professionals. Participants will learn how to protect themselves from these risks, and by extension, their respective organizations and the donor data they collect, process, and store.

The session is interactive, allowing the attendees to practice recognizing potential risks, and it will also emphasize safe digital habits. By strengthening awareness and sound decision-making, fundraising teams can better steward donor relationships, protect their organization’s reputation, and cultivate lasting connections that support long-term philanthropic success.

Key Takeaways:

Everyday activities expose personal, financial, health, and organizational data, making vigilance essential.
Provide fundraising professionals with practical examples to help them recognize phishing and related social engineering methods across various channels, such as email, text messages, QR codes, and voice calls, including increasingly convincing AI-enabled scams.
Learn how to protect yourself and implement safeguards into existing processes that utilize donor and financial data to avoid becoming a victim.
Strong security depends on everyday habits, clear technology policies, ongoing training, and promptly reporting suspicious activity.

Michael V. Borromeo is a Senior Advisor at Conlon Public Strategies. He is a cybersecurity, data privacy, and AI governance leader with over 20 years of experience helping organizations design and implement practical strategies to protect their data and manage risk.

Outside of work, Michael serves on the Board of Directors of multiple nonprofits in the housing and healthcare sector. In these roles, he brings a pragmatic governance approach that aligns strategy and regulatory expectations with organizational realities, and enables confident, informed decision-making.

WSPN upcoming events

WSPN 3rd Thursday Education Series: The Communication Gap: Why Your Mission Isn't Always Understood — And What to Do About It (Thursday, October 15, 2026)

WSPN 3rd Thursday Fall Series: Data Protection: How to Protect Yourself, Your Organization, and Your Philanthropy Team (Thursday, November 19, 2026)