Join us as we bring together members and key collaborators around our Housing Solutions initiative. Meet with your peers in a trusted and safe environment to explore pipeline readiness for the predevelopment loan fund, partnership assessment and opportunities, and strategies for engaging with congregations on new affordable housing development. A highlight of our meeting will be a social gathering and dinner on Wednesday evening, in partnership with the Housing Leadership Circle.
The convening will bring together members to work on solutions and implementation strategies and provide an opportunity for a deep dive that is difficult to achieve in our bi-monthly Zoom meetings. Agenda topics will include:
- Predevelopment Loan Fund: Getting the fund off the ground, including a deep dive into “Readiness Factors” with an eye towards prioritizing 3–4 areas we can tackle first to increase LSA members’ ability to kick-off the predevelopment phase of a project
- Picking the Right Partners in Your Journey: From developers to Churches to other community service organizations
- Peer to Peer Networking: How we are utilizing the Community Hub to increase your access to other members and information across the network
- Shared Services: 2–3 members present ideas on how they do something really well and would love to see it expand across the network
Registration is free and you can register today to secure your place! As part of your registration, join us for a networking reception and dinner, in partnership with the Housing Leadership Circle. Mingle with fellow LSA members, corporate partners, and the LSA team at Founding Farmers on Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m.
Join this session of Capitol Conversations to hear what our members are seeing at the state level as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is implemented. Find out what you need to know and what to look out for.
Our speakers include:
- Hemi Tewarson, Executive Director of the National Academy for State Health Policy
- Members of our network who will share their on-the-ground perspective.
- The Lutheran Services in America advocacy team who will provide updates related to federal policies we are tracking.
Strong community partnerships are essential for senior living organizations looking to enhance resident well-being, strengthen their reputation, and stay competitive. This webinar spotlights how collaborations with universities create unique opportunities for intergenerational connection, learning, and innovation that benefit both residents and students.
Industry leaders Brett Anderson of Ebenezer Senior Living, Dr. Luanne Fisher of Liberty Lutheran, and Andrew Carle of University Retirement Communities will share real-world strategies and outcomes you can adapt to your own community. Join us to explore actionable ways to build powerful local partnerships that enrich lives and position your organization for long-term success.
The well-being of children and families depends on strong, connected communities working together. Yet many families continue to face barriers, such as limited access to child care, mental health services, food, and parenting supports, that make stability difficult to achieve.
Since 2021, the Lutheran Services in America Family Stabilization Initiative (FSI) has partnered with communities across four states to break down these barriers through evidence-based, wraparound programs that put family well-being first.
In this webinar, participants will explore a practical framework developed by Lutheran Services in America and Chapin Hall for community building and mobilization rooted in five principles: people-driven collaboration, asset-based partnerships, capacity building, shared leadership, and collaborative evaluation.
Practitioners and nonprofit leaders will gain actionable strategies through real-life examples for authentically engaging families, strengthening support networks, and fostering long-term community resilience.
Join us to learn how communities are turning vision into practice—and how you can apply these strategies to help families thrive.
Speakers
Join us on September 25 for our next Capitol Conversations webinar where we’ll explore the shifting Medicaid landscape, including state-level impacts, as the budget reconciliation bill (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) moves towards implementation. We will also explore changes in housing policy related to budget reconciliation, including changes to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and what it means for our network.
Speakers
- Cory Caldwell from the National Association of Medicaid Directors who will share insights on what is on the mind of state Medicaid directors, along with guidance on how to strengthen relationships with state Medicaid offices.
- Althea Arnold from the Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF), a collaborative of 13 nonprofits advancing the creation and preservation of affordable homes, who will offer insights on housing-related policy shifts.
- Linda Timmons from Mosaic who will discuss what implementation of the reconciliation bill looks like on the ground.
Our advocacy team will also provide updates on the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and what to expect in the months ahead from Capitol Hill, including a potential second budget reconciliation bill and the status of the appropriations process for fiscal year 2026.
Resources
In this Capitol Conversations session, our partners at 4media Group will share takeaways from our public opinion survey conducted as part of our Here We Stand campaign to understand what was learned and to inform future positioning for our network.
Our partners at George Washington University Milken Institute School for Public Health will also present findings from our latest Strengthening Families Initiative issue brief about aligning social services with Medicaid Managed Care Organizations, with a focus on opportunities to influence policy through CMS waivers and managed care contracts at the state level.
We’ll also provide updates on Congressional action, as well as new resources as part of the Strengthening Families Initiative. Connect the dots between messaging, system alignment, and stronger outcomes for families.
Join us to discover how GenAI tools like ChatGPT can streamline your workflows and eliminate waste—freeing your team for higher-value work. From budgeting to board reports, see how AI fits perfectly under Lean principles to elevate your mission. Explore real nonprofit examples in AP, AR, document summaries, and strategic planning. Whether you’re tech-savvy or just curious, this session will equip you to lead smarter and serve better.
About Our Presenter:
Jim Lindell is President of Thorsten Consulting, a strategic and financial consulting firm that offers professional speaking, training, and executive coaching. Over the past two decades, Jim has delivered over 5,000 hours of C-suite executive coaching. His professional experience includes Chief Financial Officer, VP-Finance, Corporate Controller, and Corporate Assistant Controller. Jim is a CPA and has received the Certified Speaking Professional designation, the highest earned designation from the National Speakers Association.
What Is LFMA?
The LFMA mission is to support the continuing improvement of fiscal management services in Lutheran Services in America member organizations by providing a forum where people in the industry can join together for sharing and educational experiences. Plan to join us for our 2026 conference next spring – stay tuned for more information! To learn more, please contact Kim Roque.
Learn more about how to engage in effective advocacy with members of Congress, while being better equipped to improve outreach to the media through improved communication strategies, including:
- Building and strengthening relationships with lawmakers and their staff
- Engaging effectively with the media and on social media
- Using our new “Here We Stand” Medicaid messaging tools
Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your voice and help shape the future of Medicaid.
Resources
Join us for our July session of Capitol Conversations, our policy and advocacy webinar series where we delve into key issues and practical insights on issues of importance to Lutheran Services in America members! We will focus on two primary topics:
- Congressional action on budget reconciliation related to potential impacts to Medicaid, and
- Nonprofit charitable tax related issues, as well as emerging federal funding opportunities.
We will be joined by:
- Ellen Riddleberger, Senior Vice President at McAllister and Quinn, who will share strategies for securing federal funding through grants and appropriations
- Lutheran Services in America staff and policy expert(s) with insights on the latest specific to the Congressional budget reconciliation process, with a focus on Medicaid.
Resources
In this session, we continue our discussion on the future of Medicaid. Hear from fellow network members with an update on what we learned in recent meetings with lawmakers, as well as Silvia Manrique of 4media Group with an overview of our newly developed Medicaid messaging and media toolkit.
The Capitol Conversations series is designed to strengthen our collective capacity to advocate for policies that strengthen our work and the people we support. Don’t miss this opportunity to better understand what’s ahead.
