“As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.”

—Mary Anne Radmacher

National Nonprofit Day celebrates the hard work that nonprofit organizations undertake to lift the hardships of their communities, whether locally or across the globe. Founded by Sherita J. Herring, a respected author and speaker, it also acknowledges the signing of the Tariff Act on August 17, 1894. The Act provides exclusions from the federal income tax levied on corporations for charitable organizations and charities.¹ Since then, National Nonprofit Day is commemorated every August 17th. 

The National Council of Nonprofits reveals how over 1.3 million U.S. charitable nonprofit organizations “feed, heal, shelter, educate, inspire, enlighten, and nurture people of every age, gender, race, and socioeconomic status, [...] foster civic engagement and leadership, drive economic growth, and strengthen the fabric of our communities.”² Furthermore, charitable nonprofit entities are meant to “ensure [that] governments are held responsible if they transgress human rights themselves.”³

In celebration of National Nonprofit Day, USFCR will direct nonprofit organizations towards opportunities that can be used to further uplift their communities:

1. Capital support;
2. General operating support;
3. Program support;
4. Performance/productions;
5. Exhibitions; and
6. Event sponsorships.

Ineligible for Funding Requests

1. Individuals;
2. Labor or fraternal groups;
3. Requests to support travel;
4. Sports team sponsorships;
5. “Pass through” organizations or private foundations;
6. Establishment or support of endowments, annual appeal, debt retirement or operational deficits;
7. Contributions to or memberships in chambers of commerce, service clubs, taxpayer associations and other similar bodies;
8. Organizations that influence, promote or attempt to initiate legislation or support political candidates or political philosophies;
9. Organizations that further their efforts through illegal, disruptive or violent methods;
10. Organizations whose mission and values support and/or endorse politically charged or divisive social issues that may conflict with The Standard’s values; or
11. Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law or regulation.

When applying for funding, requests for event sponsorship, exhibitions, or performances/productions must submit through the online portal after completing the Sponsorship form. All requests for capital, program, or general operating support must submit through the online portal using the Donation form.

Applications are accepted year-round and decisions will be communicated back to aspirants within four weeks time via email. Also be aware that all requests for funding must be submitted through The Standard’s online portal.

1. U.S. nonprofit organizations (excluding territories) with 501(c)3 status must have received no more than $500,000 in annual cash donations per year in 2022 and 2023.
2. Organizations with large operating budgets not exceeding $3 million may be considered for funding as long as they meet eligibility requirements.

Applications are open now through September 30, 2024. For more information, please review the grant program’s official terms and conditions.

3. 2024 EQUALS in Tech Awards by EQUALS Global Partnership
EQUALS Global Partnership awards U.S. and international individuals and organizations that promote gender equality in technology. To qualify, projects should:

1. Be innovative;
2. Reach girls and women in an impactful way;
3. Work in collaboration with partners; and
4. Have the potential to scale or be replicated once reconfigured/adapted to other concepts.

1.  Access: Initiatives related to improving women and girl’s digital technology access, connectivity and security.
2. Leadership in Tech: Initiatives focused on promoting women in decision-making roles within the ICT field.
3. Leadership in SME: Initiatives promoted by tech sector companies to bridge the digital gender divide.
4. Research: Initiatives prioritizing research on gender digital divides and producing reliable evidence to tackle diversity issues within STEM and computing fields.
5. Skills: Initiatives that support the development of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills of women and girls.

• Note: Be sure to apply accordingly if you believe to be eligible for more than one category. If uncertain, please contact EQUALS@itu.int for further assistance.

Applicants must complete a form and submit their nomination by September 1, 2024 at 23:59pm Central European Time (5:59pm Eastern Time). Furthermore, the nomination form is available in Arabic, English, French, Russian, Spanish, and Mandarin.

Winners of the EQUALS in Tech Awards will be able to expand their networks with organizations sharing similar goals and engage with like-minded researchers, investors, entrepreneurs, activists, and leaders from the private sector, academia, and intergovernmental agencies. Finally, they will be invited to choose future award winners by joining an Advisory Panel.

The Spencer Foundation is offering up to $50,000 to support field-initiated research projects that contribute to the improvement of the education sector. This program aims to endorse technically sound, intellectually sound, and rigorous research that may have a lasting impact on educational discourse. The Foundation encourages applications utilizing an array or research methods and incorporating data from various sources. 

The Small Research Grants on Education is due September 11, 2024 at 12:00pm Central Time. Proposed projects may not run for more than five years. All proposals must be submitted in English and budgets must be proposed in U.S. dollars.

• Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-PIs affiliated with a nonprofit organization or public/governmental institution:
  • Nonprofit or public institutions of higher education (i.e. colleges and universities);
  • Nonprofit or public school districts;
  • Nonprofit or public research facilities; or
  • 501(c)3 nonprofits (or equivalent nonprofit status if located outside of the U.S.).

• The Foundation does not award grants directly to individuals.
• Proposals focusing on areas other than education are ineligible.
• Activities unrelated to research (i.e. professional development, program evaluation, software development, capital projects, scholarships, curriculum development) are ineligible.
• Budgets cannot be greater than $50,000 and may not include indirect cost charges.
• Projects cannot be longer than 5 years in duration.
• PIs/Co-PIs may not submit more than one research proposal to the Foundation at a time.

Alternative Ways to Celebrate National Nonprofit Day

For individuals or other businesses interested in celebrating National Nonprofit Day, here are other ways that you can participate:

1. Spread the Word with Social Media.
   Social media is a great medium to share information about nonprofits. They can use various platforms to showcase their recent activities and achievements, as well as display their goals and objectives. Posts, videos, or stories to raise awareness encourage others to get involved in the local community and inform about upcoming events that nonprofits will participate in.
2. Volunteer or Participate in a Local Community Service Project.
   Try finding a local nonprofit to donate your time to and align with your interests. Examples include offering help to shelters, summer camps, soup kitchens, churches, et cetera. Other activities can be offering specialized skills such as providing IT support or teaching workshops, or helping with administrative tasks.⁴
   You can also partner with a nonprofit in joining or organizing a service project to improve the local community. Examples include park clean up projects, food donations/drives, planting trees, community gardens, clothing donations, Habitat for Humanity, charity runs, et cetera.
3. Ask Those Around You About Their Favorite Nonprofits.
   If you are unsure of what nonprofit organizations may be in your local area, do not hesitate to ask those around you: friends, family, coworkers, employees, classmates, et cetera. Not only can you discover that they are part of nonprofits themselves, but can learn more about what causes they believe to be the most important.
4. Write Letters of Appreciation.
   With all the work that nonprofit organizations put into helping their communities, a heartfelt letter of support and gratitude by residents will have volunteers, staff members, and beneficiaries believing that their efforts are valued.
   Sending letters of appreciation back to donors is also significant. Nonprofits returning the favor showcases how nonprofits value its contributors and may further encourage donors to participate in future activities.
   
5. Provide a Financial Donation.
   If you are unable to actively participate in activities with or for nonprofit organizations, simply making a monetary donation to a nonprofit of your choice also goes a long way. No matter the size of a contribution, it will provide a significant impact. Many nonprofits also have online donation portals to ensure that the process is simple and secure.

Looking for Grants?

If you have any questions regarding finding grant opportunities or other services, please contact USFCR’s Grant Writing Team at (877) 252-2700 and complete the grant assessment below for further assistance. We look forward to working with you!

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SOURCES

 1. “National Nonprofit Day–August 17, 2024.” National Today. n.d. https://nationaltoday.com/national-nonprofit-day/#:~:text=National%20Nonprofit%20Day%20is%20commemorated,significance%20of%20these%20charitable%20organizations. 

 2. “Nonprofit Impact in Communities.” National Council of Nonprofits. 2024. https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/about-americas-nonprofits/nonprofit-impact-communities 

 3. “The Importance of Charity–Why We Should Be Charitable” (blog). Habitat for Humanity of Broward. 2024. https://habitatbroward.org/blog/the-importance-of-charity-why-we-should-be-charitable/ 

4. Hikind, Lianne. “National Nonprofit Day: Give Thanks and Find a Grant for a Local Nonprofit.” Grantwatch/GrantNews. August 17, 2023. https://www.grantwatch.com/grantnews/its-national-nonprofit-day/