DataBlend was proud to be represented at the 2025 New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON) Summit by Chris Radicone, who joined nonprofit leaders from across the state to discuss challenges, opportunities, and the sector's future. Below are a few of Chris' takeaways from the event.
Visionary Leadership Can Drive Sector-Wide Change
Keynote speaker Hildy Gottlieb (Creating the Future) energized attendees with a compelling message about Catalytic Thinking: Catalytic Thinking is a set of practices that make explicit the simple factors that create positive results so those results can be consistently replicated and scaled.
Her session focused on the challenges faced by nonprofits in 2025. Organizations need to be inclusive and collaborate with a spirit of cooperation rather than competition. We all want to help our communities, so we need to concentrate our efforts on reducing negativity and focusing more on the tasks at hand.
Advocacy Is Essential
The Summit highlighted the importance of nonprofit advocacy, particularly in response to recent federal developments. NYCON is expanding its efforts to improve state contracting processes for nonprofits and emphasizes the need for organizations to participate actively in these advocacy initiatives. By uniting voices, nonprofits can work towards more equitable and efficient contracting systems that better support their missions.
Innovation Is Happening
The Innovation session showcased creative solutions from nonprofits across New York State. For instance, the Food Bank of Central New York presented its "Pantry Classics" partnership, illustrating how innovative collaborations can effectively address community needs. Attendees were encouraged to share their innovative practices, fostering a culture of idea exchange and continuous improvement within the sector. Also represented was BRIDGES and Wellspring.
How DataBlend Helps Nonprofit Finance Leaders
Embrace The Right Technology
Modern nonprofit finance teams are embracing integrated tools like Sage Intacct and DataBlend to automate processes, reduce manual work, and free up time for mission-focused work.
Collaboration Is Key
The most successful organizations are those that break down silos—whether across departments or systems. That starts with data that flows seamlessly between platforms.
As always, it was energizing to connect with leaders who care deeply about their work. We're proud to support the nonprofit community with data integration tools that help finance teams spend less time reconciling and more time creating impact.