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.
Kate Barr
Kate Barr is the former President & CEO of Propel Nonprofits and an advisor to nonprofits locally and nationally on strategy, finance, and governance. She currently serves as Senior Advisor for the Minnesota CDFI (Community Development Finance Institution) Coalition. During her 20+ year tenure at Propel, she worked with the board and staff to develop and implement innovative financing and programming to support nonprofit growth and stability across Minnesota and nationally. Kate oversaw the formation of Propel in 2017 through the merger of a CDFI and statewide capacity-building nonprofit as a strategy to accelerate and deepen impact and reach. She joined Propel after serving as a bank executive and began her career as the business manager of a performing arts nonprofit. She serves on multiple boards in the nonprofit, foundation, and business sectors.
Kate holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Her teaching and research focus is nonprofit board governance and nonprofit and public finance. Kate is an influential writer and speaker on topics related to nonprofit finance, capitalization of nonprofits, board governance, and leadership. She is an alumnus of the Humphrey Policy Fellows and the Harvard Kennedy School Art and Practice of Leadership Development program.
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.
Peter Farstad
Peter Farstad is a nonprofit finance expert with over 30 years of experience, including senior leadership roles as CFO, CAO, and interim CEO at LifeSource, where he managed complex financial operations in support of a mission-driven organization.
In addition to his executive experience, Peter has advised a wide range of nonprofits through his service on boards and finance committees, bringing practical insight into the financial challenges and opportunities organizations face.
Peter is also a highly regarded educator, having spent 14 years teaching nonprofit financial management at the graduate level. Known for his clear, practical, and engaging style, he specializes in breaking down complex financial concepts into tools nonprofit leaders can confidently use in their day-to-day decision-making.
Ruth McCambridge
Ruth McCambridge is a founder and the Director of Content at the Nonprofit Financial Commons and the former longtime editor-in-chief of the premier national civil society publication, The Nonprofit Quarterly. In that role, she published extensively on a wide range of management topics, including nonprofit financial management and strategy, capital and revenue structures, nonprofit markets, and business models.
Ruth began developing her own financial acumen as an “accidental” financial leader at a grassroots organization in Boston, MA focused on reducing the use of incarceration and institutionalization in the United States. She understands the demands of that role—and the learning and support it requires—firsthand.
With over 50 years of experience, Ruth’s work has centered on social change nonprofits, community organizing, and organizational development, with a consistent focus on racial, economic, and gender justice. Her approach has always emphasized building strong nonprofit organizations that are directly guided by their constituents and members. Her career reflects the full spectrum of nonprofit leadership, including organizing, management, fundraising, advocacy, public speaking, and publishing.