Written by: Gloria Kosir

The Larned A. Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center (LAWINRC) partnered with the Iowa Nonprofit Alliance and the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service to produce the 2026 Iowa Nonprofit Summit. The summit was hosted Sept. 14-15, 2026, at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny, Iowa and brought together over 150 nonprofit professionals to learn, connect, and strengthen Iowa’s nonprofit sector.

LAWINRC Director Paul Thelen, who also serves as president of the Iowa Nonprofit Alliance, delivered opening remarks, co-moderated a roundtable for nonprofit CEOs, and participated in a panel exploring collaboration between higher education and the nonprofit sector.

“One of the most valuable aspects of the Iowa Nonprofit Summit is the opportunity to bring people together from across the state,” Thelen said. “Ultimately, this is about strengthening individuals, organizations, and networks—and the collective capacity of the people and organizations working every day to make Iowa’s communities amazing places to live.”

Dave Bright, associate director of LAWINRC, and Brenda Steinmetz, administrative services specialist, also connected with attendees at the LAWINRC’s exhibitor booth. They shared resources and conversed with nonprofit leaders and professionals from across Iowa.

The Summit also created an important experiential learning opportunity for students in the College of Law’s new Nonprofit Structure and Strategy Clinic. Clinic Director June Tai attended alongside Bright, who helps lead the clinic, and six clinic students participated in Summit sessions. Following the conference, all eight clinic students—including two participating virtually—had an opportunity to engage directly with nonprofit leaders and professionals serving the sector, including Iowa Law alum Bill Boyd (84JD).

“What stood out to me most about the Iowa Nonprofit Summit was seeing leaders from organizations—who could easily view one another as competitors—come together to share challenges, exchange ideas, and find solutions,” 3L Sydnee Flowers said. “There was a real sense of collaboration: they were open about what was working for their organizations and genuinely invested in seeing one another succeed.”