Rural Nonprofit Leader Summit
For rural nonprofit leaders who are doing meaningful work without the funding and resources you deserve.
October 20–23, 2026
A free 4-day virtual event for rural nonprofit leaders who are ready to fund the work, stop carrying it alone, and keep their teams (and themselves) from burning out.
Watch the video below to see how this free event will help you build a stronger, more sustainable future for your organization without sacrificing yourself in the process.
The work you do matters.
But caring deeply isn't enough to keep your nonprofit going.
Let me guess:
You didn't step into nonprofit leadership because you wanted to spend your eveningschasing grant deadlines, wondering how you'll make payroll, or carrying the weight of every difficult decision by yourself.
You did it because you believe your community deserves better.
Every day, you're solving problems that don't have easy answers.
You're filling staffing gaps, supporting your board, serving your community
And you’re somehow trying to plan for the future while putting out today's fires.
You're stretching limited funding farther than anyone thought possible.
You're filling staffing gaps, supporting your board, serving your community
And you’re somehow trying to plan for the future while putting out today's fires.
While it looks like you're holding everything together from the outside…
…on the inside, you might be wondering how much longer you can keep going.
Because leading a rural nonprofit comes with challenges that many people simply don't understand.
Resources are harder to find.
Your professional network is smaller.
Funding opportunities often weren't designed with rural communities in mind.
And when you're one of only a handful of nonprofit leaders in your area, it can feel incredibly lonely.
Sound familiar? Maybe right now you...
Feel like you're constantly reacting to the next grant deadline instead of building a sustainable funding strategy.
Carry every difficult decision because there's no one around who truly gets it.
Wonder if burnout is just part of the job.
Feel isolated as a leader, even surrounded by people who depend on you.
Struggle to know which opportunity deserves your limited time.
You love your mission, but worry that you can't keep working at this pace.
Thankfully, there’s a more sustainable reality ready for you to make your own.
What if leading your nonprofit didn't have to feel so lonely?
How would it feel to...
Talk with people who understand your work without needing you to explain your whole situation first.
Build a funding strategy that feels intentional instead of reactive.
Learn practical ways to protect yourself and your team from burnout.
Stop carrying every hard decision alone.
Reconnect with why you chose this work in the first place.
Leave feeling hopeful, supported, and energized for what's next.
That's exactly what you'll experience at the Rural Nonprofit Leader Conference.
Imagine having people in your corner who immediately understand the reality of rural nonprofit leadership.
Imagine replacing constant firefighting with thoughtful decisions.
Imagine walking away with practical tools you can use this week instead of another notebook full of ideas you'll never have time to implement.
During the Rural Nonprofit Leader Conference, you'll learn how to fund your work, build real connections, and lead in a way you can sustain.
We’ll get you past survival mode and move towards an organization—and a leadership experience—that can thrive.
Join me, and 20+ rural nonprofit experts who've lived this work, for four days built around the reality of leading in a small community.
Whether you're leading a small staff, serving as an executive director, managing programs, or supporting your organization as a volunteer board chair, you'll leave with practical ideas you can put into practice immediately.
Day 1
Funding Without the Fire Drill
Every nonprofit in your county is fishing from the same small pond.
You've probably built your whole funding strategy alone, because there was no one nearby to ask. Today gives you that room: real strategy, and people who've actually solved this problem. Funding decisions made on purpose, not reactions to whatever's on fire.
Day 2
Stop Carrying It Alone
Rural leadership doesn't have to be isolating.
Today's about everything you've been doing solo that was never supposed to be solo: real peer relationships, board partnerships instead of just board meetings, outside eyes on your strategy, and telling your story without guessing alone whether you got it right.
Day 3
The mythical slow season isn't coming.
Instead of waiting for life to calm down, you'll learn real ways to care for yourself and your team while still showing up for your community.
Because your organization needs healthy leadership just as much as it needs funding.
Choose Yourself Before Burnout Chooses for You
Day 4
Let’s Bring it To Life
Inspiration can fade fast. The right people stick around.
Watching actionable presentations is great, but to see real change happen, you'll have to take action. And doing so alongside others with similar goals is powerful.
That's why we'll have live, interactive events on Day 4! These sessions include:
Rural Roots Network Q&A Panel – Ask real questions to the first members of the Rural Roots Leadership Network about what it's actually like to have a room full of people in your corner.
Hot Seat Coaching – Submit your toughest current challenge for a chance to be coached live, in front of people who've got the same one.
Masterclass: The 3 Reasons Rural Nonprofit Leaders Are Burning Out (And What Can Change It)
These sessions are designed to take what you've learned all week and get you taking real action toward leading well without doing it alone.
It's four days built specifically for rural nonprofit leaders like you who deserve practical tools, real connection, and a reminder that you don't have to do this work alone.
What past attendees have had to say:
“ Thank you for fostering this time and space.”
“Thanks so much for creating this space. I can't wait till next week!”
“I want you to know that I was blown away by the people I met and the almost immediate sense of safety that existed in both of the breakout sessions in which I participated.”
“I had a moment of wondering if it was worth joining with only 15 minutes left. I'm glad I did...it's great to experience the caring and sharing of the group you have pulled together.”
“I really appreciate what you have created. I have no idea how the first email from you ended up in my inbox but I’m so glad it did.”
“This literally changed my life!”
Meet Your Host
Hi, I'm Abbey Harlow!
For more than 20 years, I've worked alongside nonprofit leaders as a staff member, then strategic planning consultant, meeting designer, and coach. Through Harlow Nonprofit Consulting and my Rural Roots Leadership Network, I work with nonprofit leaders from my small town in Vermont, helping organizations navigate leadership, strategy, and the very real challenges of doing meaningful work with limited resources.
I designed this event to bring rural nonprofit leaders together with people who understand your reality and have practical ideas you can actually use. My hope is that you leave with new tools, new relationships, and the confidence that you don't have to carry this alone.
I can't wait to welcome you.
What to Expect at the Rural Nonprofit Leader Conference
When and Where
The Rural Nonprofit Leader Conference runs October 20–23, 2026, with a live kickoff call on October 19 to help you connect with fellow attendees and get excited for the week ahead.
The conference is completely virtual, so you can join from wherever you are. Whether you're tuning in from your office, your kitchen table, or between meetings, you'll be able to participate without the time and expense of traveling.
Expert Sessions
Throughout the conference, you'll learn from more than 20 nonprofit professionals, practitioners, and rural leaders who understand the challenges you face every day.
Sessions will cover practical strategies for building sustainable funding, strengthening leadership, preventing burnout, creating meaningful connections, and turning ideas into action.
Your free ticket includes 24-hour access to each day's presentations, so you can watch whenever it actually works for your schedule.
Your Circle Community
As soon as you register, you'll be invited into our private Circle community.
The moment you register, you're in. I didn't want this to be just a place for announcements. It's where conversations keep going between sessions, where you'll meet other rural nonprofit leaders who understand your work, and where you can connect directly with speakers and other attendees all week.
A lot of nonprofit leaders spend their days feeling like they're the only one facing this. I want you to see that's simply not true.
Bingo
We're playing Conference Bingo all week, with prizes along the way. Watch for your Bingo card inside the Circle community, and jump into the conversation for your shot at winning.
Upgrade to Rural Roots Toolkit
If you know your schedule will be tight, or you just want more time to let everything sink in, you can upgrade to the All-Access Pass after you register. It includes extended access to every presentation, bonus resources, and extra material to help you keep putting what you learn into practice long after the conference ends.
You'll get all the details, plus a special offer, right after you claim your free ticket.
Contest!
I'm dedicated to helping you lead well without doing it alone, and making that as easy as possible. To help, you'll hear about my membership, the Rural Roots Roundtable, here and there throughout the conference.
On the final day, one lucky (and engaged) attendee will be selected to win a full scholarship, with instant access to peer support pods, office hours, and the template library, to make leading well without doing it alone EASY.
Stay tuned for details and your chance to apply!
You'll get all the details, plus a special offer, right after you claim your free ticket.
You're Ready to Lead with More Support, More Confidence, and More Sustainability
It's time to stop…
Believing you have to figure everything out on your own.Reacting to every urgent funding opportunity
Carrying every hard decision by yourself
Waiting for the perfect moment to make things feel more manageable.
Have Questions? We've Got Answers.
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If you're a rural nonprofit leader who wants practical strategies, meaningful connection, and sustainable ways to lead your organization, this was built for you.
Whether you’re an executive director, department director, staff of one, or board chair, you'll find sessions built around the reality of leading in a rural community: funding, leadership, burnout, and the relationships that make this work sustainable.
If you've ever thought, “I love this work, but I wish I had more people in my corner,” you'll feel right at home here.
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October 20–23, 2026, with a live kickoff call on October 19 to help you connect with other attendees before the conference begins. As soon as you register, you'll also get access to our private Circle community, so you can start meeting fellow nonprofit leaders before the first session even starts.
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I know nonprofit leadership doesn't stop just because a conference is happening. That's why most sessions are pre-recorded and released on a daily schedule, while a few community gatherings and special events happen live throughout the week.
Your free ticket includes 24-hour access to each day's presentations, so you can watch around your schedule. If you know you'll need more time, you can upgrade to the All-Access Pass for extended access after the conference ends.
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24 hours per presentation, starting when it's released. Want to revisit sessions, go at your own pace, or come back to your favorites later in the year? Upgrade to the All-Access Pass after registering for extended access, plus extra resources and bonuses.
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It’s a mix! Most presentations are pre-recorded so you can enjoy high-quality sessions without worrying about technology issues. Throughout the week, we'll also gather for live events, community conversations, and opportunities to connect with speakers and fellow attendees inside our Circle community.
You'll get the best of both worlds: thoughtfully prepared educational content and meaningful real-time connection.
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No. When you register, you'll be added to my email list, so I can send you daily session links, updates, and anything important about the event. You'll keep hearing from me after the conference too, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Some speakers may offer free resources during the conference. If you want one, you can share your email directly with that speaker. Otherwise, I won't share your information with anyone.
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Yes. Every session has closed captions. I want this event to be accessible to everyone who needs to be here. If there's anything else you need to fully participate, tell me. I'd love to make it work.
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Go ahead and register. Most questions get answered during the conference itself, and inside the Circle community, where you can connect with me and other attendees right away.
If you need to reach me before you register, email me at abbey.drake.harlow@gmail.com. Happy to help.
“I needed this type of connection with like-minded nonprofit leaders. It was so, so lovely."
“Thank you for your innovative design and your kind way of building community.”
You Don't Have to Lead Alone.
Every day, rural nonprofit leaders make impossible decisions with remarkable courage.
You stretch budgets.
You solve problems.
You care deeply for your communities.
And too often, you do it without the support, funding, and connection you deserve.
The Rural Nonprofit Leader Conference was created to change that.
Join me for four days of practical ideas, honest conversations, and a community of people who understand exactly what this work asks of you.
Leave with fundraising strategies you can use, tools to protect yourself and your team from burnout, and relationships that remind you you're not carrying this alone anymore.
Most importantly, leave believing that your organization, and you, can thrive.
Grab your free ticket today and join us for the Rural Nonprofit Leader Conference
This is your opportunity to move forward with practical strategies, meaningful relationships, and renewed energy for the work you care about most.
Join me for four days of learning, encouragement, and connection with people who understand what you're doing.