Jan Fisher, executive director of Nonprofit Westchester, previews City & State's 2025 Nonprofit OpCon

Nonprofits play an important role in our state and local economies and are an essential part of the fabric of the communities they serve. But their numbers are shrinking, and they are facing issues that are threatening their existence. In New York state, there are 33,536 nonprofits according to a report released this year by the state Comptroller’s office. In some regions of the state, nonprofits supported more than 1 in 5 private sector jobs paying more than $96.8 billion in wages in 2022 (11.1% of the nationwide total). Although New York ranks among the highest for nonprofit establishments and employment, both numbers declined between 2017 and 2022.  During the pandemic, approximately 1 in every 5 nonprofit jobs lost was in New York. By 2022, employment at other private sector establishments nationally had fully recovered, but nonprofits were still struggling. New York had the lowest nonprofit job recovery, regaining just 7.4% of the jobs lost. From 2017 to 2022 nonprofit employment declined by 4.1% in comparison to a 1.5% decrease for the public sector and a 1% increase all other private sector establishments.

The nonprofit sector in New York faces challenges like staffing shortages, increased demand for services, and government funding uncertainties. Government increasingly relies on non-profit partners to serve constituents. Nonprofits rely on government funding to support their services. Contract delays and slow payments have contributed to some of the challenges they face. City & State brings together nearly four dozen non-profit leaders to discuss the issues facing their organizations and the strategies they are employing to bolster their efficacy Thursday at its 11th annual Nonprofit OpCon.

The event, to be held at the The Hebrew Union College in Manhattan’s West Village will gather professionals, advocates and government officials focusing on issues facing non profits.

This year’s event will present discussions dedicated to the needs of non-profits across the state’s diverse regions will be emceed by New York Non Profit News’ Phoenix Kim will emcee events followed by eight panels. CIty & State sat down with Jan Fisher, executive director

of Nonprofit Westchester, to discuss some of the reasons the event is a draw every year and also to tease some of the topics that will be discussed. 

Thank you so much Jan for speaking with us ahead of our annual Nonprofit OpCon forum later this week. Please introduce yourself and your organization to our readers. 

I am the executive director of Nonprofit Westchester. We are the only organization of our kind in the county that is solely dedicated to addressing the needs and interests of Westchester's nonprofit sector. Our sole mission is to strengthen the sector in Westchester, and we do that through advocacy and research, professional development, education and community education. We foster collaboration and connection among and between nonprofit organizations, businesses and government partners, and we do that as a resource to anybody who wants to learn about the sector is in need of a service or is in need of support to access services that they need for themselves or their families or their community.

What are the largest issues facing nonprofits in New York state today? 

Firstly, nonprofit contracting issues. I am working with a coalition to advance a fair and equitable system as we deliver essential gov services but aren’t paid on time. These issues and many more are something that member organizations have joined together to pass legislation around nonprofit contracting. That’s a universal issue. Secondly, is uncertainty generated at the federal level. We don’t know what is going to be the outcome of federal orders and funding cuts. We are existing in a state of cuts to our most vulnerable community members. Programs that all support the trajectory out of poverty and into success are being threatened. The federal movement is a top issue for us as well. It’s very difficult to pick top issues, but organizations are under attack, free speech and the very issues that our country was founded on are under attack. Human rights is a huge issue for our sector. How are we going to advance human rights while we are under attack? Finally, issues such as housing, food, mental health. People need health care that takes care of them so that they can go to school and work healthy. 

How have you managed to stay optimistic in a field where many people burn out after a decade in nonprofit work?  How have you continued to stay on track and not get burned out?  

Number one, the membership is so inspiring to me. They are the boots on the ground and dealing with people with such complex issues. I remain completely inspired by them, so if they can lift themselves up every day doing the direct care, I can do it from the trenches. I had such a defining moment on Sunday. I went to Westchester Pride and over 1,000 people attended. To have all the orgs out there supporting the LGBTQ community – that’s what NPW is all about. So there are moments of inspiration every day.

Are you excited about Thursday’s Nonprofit OpCon? 

I’m very excited. When we can join together and learn together and support together, always something amazing happens. (It’s) an opportunity to gather together and learn together. So I anticipate that Thursday will be even more special than last year. There will also be business partners that will be there to share knowledge on a range of topics like banking, investment, real estate, etc.

What are some of the reasons for non profit professionals to meet and discuss issues facing their organizations?  

There are always important things to learn about from a purely operational standpoint: tax laws, 501(c)(3) accounting issues, tech issues, understanding and keeping up with all the things that help nonprofits operate. My particular panel that I will be moderating is on nonprofit leadership, and I think now more than ever we are being called upon to really lead through some of the most challenging times. To have a platform to showcase and to discuss leadership during these times will be entirely supportive.

I thought the panel on Real Estate and nonprofits looked interesting?

I agree with that. I mean, real estate is the key issue for many nonprofits with hybrid environments, with people in the office some days, not in the office some days. How do we utilize space, and how do we have different ways of conducting our real estate? And how do we use physical spaces in ways that really adapt to the current way of doing business? I know they're talking about creating these community hubs for different types of organizations. But also, how do we just really talk about using all our spaces more efficiently, more economically, more creatively? I think that's going to be a really interesting panel. The moderator, Wayne Ho, who's president and CEO of the Chinese American Planning Council, I work with him on the governor's not-for-profit committee, and I really look forward to that panel as well, because he is an exceptional leader.

What are the things in your opinion that define a healthy nonprofit?  Do you put more emphasis on program effectiveness, financial health, operational efficiency or transparency?  

I’d have to say all of the above. Despite what is often said, a good nonprofit is a perfect combo of being run as an effective biz with the mission at the core. The most important thing (is) for orgs to remain sustainable with a focus on mission and issues. When you have that as your guiding principle, every action you take, every decision you make, is based on your guiding principle. It has to go back to mission, and strong nonprofits focus on that and utilize the structure to accomplish goals. When the structure is used, the board of directors, committees, and focus on issues over your own organization itself, you will see opportunities are abundant.  

Is there a person or people you admire who inspired you to do this work?

It’s interesting because I’ve always been in nonprofits since I was 21. I’ve been inspired at various points throughout my life by many people, but for me, it’s about justice. Justice has always inspired me above any one individual.  If I had to name someone, it would be a previous colleague, Maria Imperial, who used to be the CEO of YWCA of Westchester and the former commissioner of human rights under Gov. Hochul, but there are so many.  

Picture yourself 15-20 years from now looking back at your work as you plan to retire.  What do you hope you will be able to say about your accomplishments at that point?

I hope to be able to say that Westchester County and New York state is a fairer, more just place where opportunity for people to achieve their dreams and their goals is actualized, and we have far better systems to serve people, which we do not have now.  We don’t have an educational system that is fair.  We don’t have a carceral system that is fair. So I hope in 10 years from now, there is a change in the systems designed to uplift people. We need to have disruption and advocacy as part of everything we do if we expect lasting change.  

At Thursday’s event, there will be eight 45-minute panels:

• Streamlining Processes, Operations, Finances & Investments through Strategy will highlight how nonprofits are continually looking for ways to improve their operations and maximize impact. This panel, moderated by Jeff Wills, Chief Operations Officer, Academy for Teachers will also feature Karin Kunstler Goldman, Deputy Bureau Chief, New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau; Mark Rubinstein, AIF President, Incline Pension Consulting; Francesca Frederick, CEO and Cofounder, Grantyd; and David Carlos, Vice Chairman & Head of Nonprofit, Education & Government Practice, Jones Lang LaSalle.

• Nonprofit Efficiency: Managing Liability, Overhead and Failure will be moderated by Nikia Hughes-Cousins, senior vice president of operations at Community Housing Innovations, and will also feature Hannan Chaudhary, chief financial officer of New York Junior Tennis League; Naima Chisolm, partner and director of business development from BTQ Financial; and Shereen Santalesa, director of human resources at the Primary Care Development Corporation.

• The Importance of Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations will be moderated by Jan Fisher, executive director, Nonprofit Westchester, and will include Karen Erren, president & CEO, Feeding Westchester; Tiffany Hamilton, CEO, YWCA of White Plains & Central Westchester; Ilana Arbeit, vice president of benefits practice, Hilb Group; and Ilana Batnitzky, CFO consultant, Kiwi Partners.

• Future of Work Navigating Real Estate as a Nonprofit will be moderated by Wayne Ho, president & CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council, and will include Stacy Bliagos, executive director, HANAC; Christopher Turner Principal, managing director of Denham Wolf’s Transaction Services; Charles Carroll, SVP Asset Management at Urban Resource Institute; Michelle Greenberg, partner, Tannenbaum Helpern’s Real Estate practice; Stephen Powers, co-founder of OPEN Impact Real Estate; and Jodi Warren, partner, Capell Barnett Matalon & Schoenfeld LLP. 

• What Nonprofits Need to Know About Nonprofit Accounting and Finance will be moderated by Orlan Wilson, director of global finance, Access Now, and will tap experts like Rinku Bhattacharya, chief financial and operating officer, The Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle; Stephen Shiffman, manager, Your Part-Time Controller;  Thomas Kelly, partner, PKF O'Connor Davies; and Dan Liberty, regional president & head of not for profit banking, Webster Bank.

• Building an Effective Board of Directors will be moderated by Queens Deputy Borough President Ebony Young and will include panelists Neela Mukherjee Lockel, president and CEO, EAC Network; Bonnie Kornberg, chief strategy officer, Graham Windham; and Maire O'Malley, chief operating officer, Economic Hardship Reporting Project. 

• Strategies for Nonprofit Talent Acquisition and Retention will be moderated by Katrina M. Jones, Human Resources Council member, Forbes, and will also include Dawn M. Pinnock, president and CEO, Center for Urban Community Services; Jon Harper, chief operating officer, Irish Arts Center; and Mark Dunga, vice president of employee benefits, Nonprofit, USI Insurance Services.

• Proactive Risk Management and Scenario Planning, the final panel, will be moderated by Damaris Herron-Watkins, chief finance and operations office, A Better Chance, and will include speakers Kristen Elkins, chief quality, compliance, and ethics officer, YAI; Maurice Segall, director, NY and Fairfield County program, Pro Bono Partnership; and Joshua Peskay, 3CPO, RoundTable Technology

For more information on the Nonprofit OpCon forum, visit the events section on City & State’s home page.