2025 Collaborative Conference

Meeting the Moment — Rooted Together

September 25-26, 2025 | State College, PA
Location: The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center

About The Conference

At a time when nonprofits are stretched thin, communities are under pressure, and policy landscapes are shifting fast, the 2025 Collaborative Conference calls us to meet this moment — together.

“Meeting the Moment – Rooted Together” is both a rallying cry and a grounding principle. It calls us to build deep roots in shared purpose and collective action — so we can carry each other forward and grow what’s next.

This year’s conference is designed to:

Underneath it all is the truth that our resilience runs deeper than any one organization. The roots we tend together are what sustain us through change.

The Aspen Tree Metaphor

This year, we’re drawing inspiration from the Aspen tree, a symbol of quiet strength and powerful connection. Aspens don’t grow alone. Their roots intertwine beneath the surface, forming one of the largest living systems on Earth.

Like the Aspen grove, our strength lies in our connections, even when we can’t see them. Read more about the Aspen metaphor here: Aspen – So Much More Than a Tree.

Request for Session Proposals – Now Closed!

Thanks to all who have participated in this year’s request for proposal (RFP) process – we can’t wait to learn with and from many of you this fall.

The RFP Form is now closed – if you were working on a proposal and did not get a chance to submit your final idea, please contact Anne Gingerich at anne@pano.org to discuss options for completing the process on Thursday, July 3.

All submissions will be reviewed by our RFP committee and selection decisions will be shared by Friday, July 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM ET.

Interested in Sponsoring the 2025 Conference?

This year’s theme, Meeting the Moment – Rooted Together, calls Pennsylvania nonprofits and those that support them (YOU!)  to meet this complex and high-stakes moment through shared strength, supportive connection, and statewide solidarity.

We invite you to participate as:

Scroll down to see a brief description of the Stand-Out Benefit associated with each level, and click here for a detailed look at what each sponsorship level includes.  Or contact Anne Gingerich (anne@pano.org) to discuss your role as a sponsor.

Below is a brief description of the Stand-Out Benefit associated with each level. 

Ready to invest in this event now?  

Make an online payment now.

Location & Accommodations

The conference will take place at The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center, 215 Innovation Blvd., State College, PA 16803.

Reserve Your Room

Thank You To Our Partners

Our conference is hosted by PANO and conference partners the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership (GPNP) and the Department of Public Administration at Villanova University.