Message from the Executive Director
December always feels a bit strange to me. It’s very busy because of all the year-end activities for work (year-end appeals?) and holidays, yet it is weirdly quiet because many people are taking time off. I hope you are able to enjoy time off this season to relax and rejuvenate. Speaking of self-care, check out our 2025 calendar, which is full of wellness-related tips for each month. In this issue, you’ll also find an update on 41 Community Place, budget town hall dates, our monthly spotlight, and announcements. Don’t forget to respond to the poll and mark your calendar for March 7th! Happy holidays to you, and we’ll see you in the new year!
-- Jennifer
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Update on 41 Community Place | |
The last renovation update was in August 2024, so it’s definitely time for another one. Every Friday, we meet with the contractor and County’s facilities management team to see the progress at 41 Community Place. The electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and security have been upgraded. The building is now ADA compliant and offers additional disabled parking. The bathrooms, kitchen, flooring and landscaping are being updated over the next month. Furniture and AV are on order. Check out a few before and “in progress” photos below. Although it has been quite a transformation, we’re still several months away from a soft open.
Stay tuned for a description of workspaces, meeting rooms, amenities, monthly rates, and the application timeline. It’s all coming soon!
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Above: Before and during. Future meeting and event space for up 90 people. The space can also be separated into two smaller rooms. | |
Above: Before, during, and after: The bathroom spaces are newly renovated and work is almost complete! | |
Why is Anne Arundel County Offering Shared Space for Nonprofits? | |
Nonprofit shared spaces offer affordable rental rates, allowing organizations to allocate more resources to their core missions. These spaces foster collaboration and innovation by bringing like-minded groups together, encouraging networking and partnerships. Additionally, they promote community connectivity and equity by providing accessible meeting rooms, event spaces, and services, ensuring that marginalized groups and local nonprofits have a safe, welcoming environment to operate and serve their communities.
We hope that you will consider joining other Anne Arundel County 501(c)3 organizations in our shared space facility at 41 Community Place. Additional details coming in the new year!
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County Budget Process is Underway: Share Your Priorities
County Executive Pittman hosts eight budget town halls each year to hear firsthand what is important to county residents. Attending a town hall is one of the best ways to advocate for the priorities important to you and your community. Whether it’s public safety, education, bike lanes, or pickleball, he listens. The administration rarely hears from advocates for health and human services, yet those services impact directly so many of the people you work with. Feel free to speak up and advocate for what your organization needs, too.
For instance, nonprofits can pull together and advocate for additional community support grant funding. If your organization has benefited from services provided by the Nonprofit Center, share that information so we can keep the momentum going.
If you are interested in learning more about the County’s budget process, EngageArundel is hosting a webinar later today. Clearly, it is late notice but the session will be recorded and we’ll post the link on Facebook when it's available.
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A Gift for the New Year: Observances Calendar
As we enter a season with multiple celebrations that span a variety of traditions and communities, we would like to share a little gift with you. The Nonprofit Center has created an observances calendar which focuses on health and wellness and is full of designated holidays, both serious and fun. You'll see that we have added wellness tips specifically for nonprofit leaders, your teams, and the communities you serve! It is our hope that you'll use this calendar in the new year, and that it will both inspire you and renew your focus on health and wellness in the nonprofit space.
Access the calendar by clicking on the image below:
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In The Spotlight:
Anne Arundel - Annapolis Community Emergency Response Team
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AAACERT provides classroom and hands-on training so community members can assist their families, neighbors, and colleagues when disaster strikes and professional responders are not immediately available to help.
The organization offers specialty training programs as well, including “Emergency Operations Call Center Taker” and “Traffic Management” for its established volunteers.
AAACERT’s contribution to increased public safety extends beyond promoting safe, responsible, and effective responses to emergencies: volunteers can learn to support their communities during events, participating as parade safety marshals; traffic support at food distribution locations, and volunteers supporting our nonprofit partners.
In addition, they offer certified CPR, First Aid, Stop the Bleed, and Overdose Awareness training; and Fire Extinguisher Use and Safety training. If you, your community, or your organization are interested in these training opportunities, contact safelives@aaacert.org
Learn more about AAACERT on their website.
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The Nonprofit Center's Second Annual Conference Will Be Held March 7, 2025
Our goal with this conference is to provide very practical learnings that can be turned into actionable items.
From business best practices to building relationships that lead to collaborations, the goal of this conference is to increase your nonprofit's impact.
Keep an eye on NPC’s Facebook page where we will share additional details and links to register.
See you there!
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What's your biggest win from 2024? | | | | |
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." - Anne Frank
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Announcements for Nonprofits | ☆ Last month, the House narrowly passed the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act (H.R. 9495). The National Council of Nonprofits has released a statement articulating their position. Read more here: National Council of Nonprofits Position on H.R. 9495. | |
Free Professional Development Resources | |
☆ Navigating the County Budget: How to Effectively Advocate for Community Needs
Discover how the County's budget is built, where funding comes from, and how it's allocated. Hear directly from the Budget Office about the budget process, revenue sources, and spending priorities. Plus, gain expert tips on submitting impactful testimonies, utilizing the Budget Toolkit, and staying informed. Don't miss this chance to engage and make your voice heard!
Zoom Webinar: Wednesday, December 18, 2024 at 12:00 pm ET
Register here.
☆ Post-Election Webinar: Impact of the Elections on Charitable Nonprofits.
The National Council of Nonprofits held a webinar last week to share the Impact of Elections on Charitable Organizations. The webinar recording and slides are now available online.
☆ Free Webinar Series: What Nonprofits Need to Know Before the Tax Debate Begins
Tax policy was guaranteed to be a top agenda item for Congress in 2025 even before the election results were counted. Trillions of dollars in tax breaks expire at the end of the year. The charitable sector can benefit from potential reforms. This two-part webinar series is dedicated to explaining what charitable nonprofits need to know before the 2025 tax debate begins.
Register for Session One: Thursday, January 9, 2025, 4:00 - 5:00 pm Eastern
Register for Session Two: Thursday, January 16, 2025m 4:00 - 5:00 pm Eastern
☆ Nonprofit HR’s podcast: The Switch
Gain expert insights from Nonprofit HR and industry leaders in the social impact sector. A new season of The Switch features a series of interviews with our Founder & CEO, Lisa Brown Alexander, who is sitting down with CEOs, CHROs and other social sector leaders to discuss all things organizational culture.
☆ Compass Pro Bono
This nonprofit helps pair business experts with nonprofits who need pro bono consulting. Compass Pro Bono can help you find the right board members, create a scope of work for upcoming projects, and a variety of other services. Learn more here.
☆ Free Training through Candid at Anne Arundel County Public Libraries
Sign up for a FREE 1:1 consultation on grant research with trained library staff at select branches.
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☆ The Cynipid Fund
A local funder has shared information with the Nonprofit Center about The Cynipid Fund. Is your nonprofit looking for $500-$5,000 to bridge the gap of an upcoming event, unique need, or something to boost a program? This fund is managed by Raymond James Charitable, and provides modest levels of support to a variety of 501(c)(3) organizations, often as a match to leverage additional support from others. Learn more on their website.
Application Deadline: open ended.
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☆ Poetry X Hunger Fund
The Poetry X Hunger offers support and grants to organizations that use poetry to fight hunger. This fund is managed by Chesapeake Charities, and provides modest levels of support to a variety of 501(c)(3) organizations. Learn how to apply, and read about past grant recipients on their website.
Application Deadline: open ended.
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☆ Grants Available for Climate Crisis Solutions
HCLTech will award grants totaling $1 million to three non-governmental organizations in support of scalable, replicable, and sustainable solutions to fight the climate crisis the world is facing today. Learn more here.
Application Deadline: December 20, 2024
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☆ Laurel Race Course Impact Grants
Grants for nonprofits and community organizations to provide services and facilities that benefit communities within three miles of the Laurel Race Course. Grant awards range from $10,000 - $50,000. All applications must be submitted through Arundel Community Development Service’s grant portal. Learn more here.
Application Deadline: January 8, 2025
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☆ Anne Arundel Women Giving Together
Beginning January 2, 2025, local nonprofits are encouraged to submit a grant application for operating and program grants that support the mission to “improve the quality of life for women and families in Anne Arundel County.” Informational workshops for applicants will be held January 7th. Register for 9:30 am here, or for 1:30 pm here. Download the application, in English or Spanish, here.
Application Deadline: January 31, 2025
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☆ Community Support Grants
Grants for nonprofit organizations to increase their impact and operate more efficiently and efficiently to improve and enrich the lives of Anne Arundel County residents and communities. Grant awards range from $10,000 to $50,000. All applications should be completed online through Arundel Community Development Services’ (ACDS) Neighborly Portal. Learn more here.
Application Deadline: February 21, 2025
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Did you know we post new events, grant opportunities, and other resources specifically for local nonprofits on our Facebook page? Follow us HERE! | |
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The Nonprofit Center is a program of Anne Arundel County government. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Each NPC-sponsored event includes information about how to request an ADA Accommodation. | |
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