Lead Instructor: Steve Zimmerman
Steve Zimmerman is the Principal of Spectrum Nonprofit Services, where he provides training and consulting in the areas of finance and strategy for community-based organizations, foundations, and government agencies throughout the country. He is the co-author of two books on nonprofit sustainability published by Jossey-Bass: The Sustainability Mindset: Using the Matrix Map to Make Strategic Decisions and the best-selling book Nonprofit Sustainability: Making Strategic Decisions for Financial Viability. The books highlight Spectrum’s integrated approach to nonprofit business models, which balances mission impact and financial viability. Steve was also the contributing author on strategic planning for Nonprofit Management 101, published in 2019, and financial leadership for The Jossey-Bass Handbook on Nonprofit Leadership and Management, edited by David Renz and published in 2023. His writing has also appeared in Harvard Business Review, The Nonprofit Quarterly, and various BoardSource publications. In addition to writing, Steve is a frequent keynote speaker and presenter at nonprofit conferences around the country.
Steve’s extensive nonprofit experience includes serving as a Chief Financial Officer, Vice President, Development Director, and Associate Director at community-based nonprofits, where he performed turnarounds resulting in increased financial sustainability and programmatic reach. Additionally, he was previously a television business reporter for ABC NewsOne and ABC affiliates in New York, Houston, Chicago, and San Francisco.
Steve serves his community on the Board of Directors of Jewish Museum Milwaukee and Black Arts MKE, as well as being a member of the Leadership Council of the Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is a Certified Public Accountant and earned a BA from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA from Yale University.
Dana Britto
Dana Britto is the Founder & Principal of Cultivar Consulting, where she partners with nonprofit organizations to strengthen financial strategy, infrastructure, and leadership capacity.
With more than 18 years of experience as a lender, consultant, and board treasurer, Dana has worked alongside nonprofit leaders to build financial clarity and support more effective, equitable decision-making. She is a longtime advocate for advancing equity in nonprofit management and philanthropy and serves as a trusted thought partner to leaders working toward systems change.
Prior to founding Cultivar in 2023, Dana spent over seven years at BDO FMA (formerly Fiscal Management Associates), most recently as Managing Director, where she led the Midwest team and oversaw consulting, coaching, and capacity-building initiatives for nonprofits. Earlier in her career, she spent six years at Nonprofit Finance Fund, providing financing, financial consulting, and leading major funding initiatives for arts and human services organizations.
Dana currently serves as Board Treasurer for Allied Media Projects and 2nd Story. She holds a BA in Political Science from Amherst College and is a graduate of the Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professionals (CNAP) program.