KILLEEN, TX (KXXV) — For Charles Wilson, the mission behind the Killeen IBCC Non-Profit Symposium is simple: empower local changemakers.
“This is a non-profit boot camp designed specifically to help small non-profits grow, scale, and really do what they’re passionate about in the community,” Wilson explained.
This isn’t the first symposium Wilson has hosted, but he hopes to make it a semi-annual event, with ongoing engagement and guidance between sessions. The event welcomed 26 different non-profits, offering professional networking opportunities alongside training sessions focused on financial management, organizational development, and logistical planning.
Wilson sees the symposium as more than just education,it’s about transformation.
“A lot of times, small non-profits don’t have the resources to really grow and be able to build their impact,” he said. “So this event helps provide the tools they need to make their vision a reality.”
One of the attendees, Lashavio Little from New Day Fellowship Church in Temple, shared how the event is shaping his own fundraising approach.
“Being here, we’re learning the strategies—from A to Z—making sure that you have a plan, making sure that you have a board,” Little explained.
Little plans to apply key fundraising tips from the symposium to his church’s upcoming summer backpack drive, ensuring they can solicit donations effectively while building long-term relationships with supporters.
“All that costs money,” Little said. “So how do we go out and solicit—but do it the right way? These nuggets of information are helping not just myself, but everybody else in here.”
One of the key sessions on Friday focused on leadership and board development, ensuring non-profits can structure themselves for long-term sustainability.
Wilson shared how deeply passion drives non-profits, recalling one attendee whose desire to create an organization stemmed from personal loss.
“She’s in the process of forming a non-profit after the death of her son at the end of last year,” Wilson shared. “She wants to take that pain and turn it into something beautiful—something the whole community can benefit from.”
With plans to continue growing the symposium, Wilson hopes that every participant leaves with a clear vision for their organization, backed by practical strategies to scale their impact.
