Nonprofit News: October 2025 | |
Now Accepting: Applications for Capacity Building Grants
The deadline to apply is Oct. 30.
We recently launched a new Capacity Building grant cycle. What are Capacity Building grants? They are designed to help organizations build internal capacity, resilience, and long-term sustainability, and in a Giving Challenge year, this round of Capacity Building grants have a specific focus on aligning efforts for a successful 2026 Giving Challenge campaign.
Applications are due Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.
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Coming Soon: Animal Welfare Grants
The application period begins in November.
Our next Animal Welfare grant application period will open on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. Funding priorities are emergency veterinary treatments for urgent cases or extraordinary medical needs that require large-scale or specialized clinical and surgical equipment.
Look for more details about Animal Welfare grants in next month's Nonprofit News.
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Questions About a Grant? Join Us for Office Hours!
In order to more quickly answer common questions about grant applications, our Community Impact department holds regular weekly Zoom sessions that anyone can drop in on. Sessions take place from 11 a.m. to noon every Friday. This is an excellent opportunity to get direct, immediate feedback from Community Foundation staff about grants and applications. There's no need to pre-register. Just click the link below to join.
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Update Your Giving Partner Profile Early to Be Eligible for a $500 Giving Challenge Prize
The Get It Current! Keep It Current! contest concludes at the end of the month.
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A key requirement to participate in the 2026 Giving Challenge is for nonprofits to have a complete, accurate, and updated profile in The Giving Partner. To encourage nonprofits to update their Giving Partner profiles early, the foundation will be awarding $500 prizes to 25 nonprofits that complete any needed updates to their Giving Partner profile by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025.
To be eligible for the Get It Current! Keep It Current! contest, nonprofits must meet one of the below criteria:
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The organization's profile in The Giving Partner is updated as of 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025
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The organization has fully completed all key requirements and updates to their profile in The Giving Partner AND has clicked on "Submit for Review" or "Submit for Re-Verification" as of 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025
To be eligible to win, you must also complete your Giving Challenge registration. (More on that below.) The 25 winners will be selected through a random drawing and awarded prior to the Giving Challenge.
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New to the Giving Challenge? You Must Complete Your Giving Partner Profile Before the End of October
Don't miss out on the 2026 Giving Challenge!
If your nonprofit does not have a Giving Partner profile, you must create one by noon on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, in order to be eligible to participate in the 2026 Giving Challenge. Visit The Giving Partner website for information on what you need to create a profile and get started today—you will not be allowed to participate in the Giving Challenge without a Giving Partner profile.
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Don't Forget to Register for the Giving Challenge
Once your Giving Partner profile is set, it's time to sign up for the 2026 Giving Challenge.
So you've created or updated your nonprofit's Giving Partner profile. What's next? Don't forget: In addition to updating your Giving Partner profile, you must also officially register with the Giving Challenge at GivingChallenge.org. The deadline to register is noon on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
Note: This deadline is significantly earlier than for past Giving Challenges. If your registration is not complete by the deadline, you will not be eligible to participate in the 2026 Giving Challenge.
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Missed Our Giving Challenge Kick-off?
Don't fret: You can watch a recording of the webinar online.
Last month, we hosted an informational webinar packed with useful tips on how to participate in the 2026 Giving Challenge. If you weren't able to make it, we strongly suggest you watch the recording of the Zoom call and review the linked Powerpoint presentation. You will find answers to many common Giving Challenge questions.
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Upcoming Giving Challenge Training: How to Set Your Organization up for Success
Our next online training opportunity takes place on Oct. 28.
Jump start your 2026 Giving Challenge campaign with a strategic planning session that starts at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. Using a six-month timeline as a guide, participants will explore how to set a realistic fundraising goal for their organization, determine the central focus of their campaign, identify the right prize opportunities, recruit a strong support team, and align Giving Challenge activities with their broader fundraising efforts. You’ll walk away with a roadmap that positions your organization for success when April arrives.
This training will be led by Josephine Eisenberg and Sara Leonard, MBA, CFRE, two consultants with The Patterson Foundation as part of its Fueling Dynamic Fundraising initiative.
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New Prize Alert! We're Looking for Great Giving Challenge Videos
The Best Video Commerical contest is now open.
We are now accepting entries for the 2026 Giving Challenge Best Video Commercial contest. We're looking for short videos (think 30 seconds) that tell a compelling story about a nonprofit's work, while also incorporating the Giving Challenge "Be The One" concept.
Winning videos can be produced in-house or professionally and they must meet certain technical specifications and be posted on either YouTube or Vimeo. Dig into all the details here. The deadline to submit is 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. The 10 nonprofits with the best videos will each win $1,500.
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Join a New Civic Path Book Circle
With the release of The New Civic Path: Restoring Our Belief in One Another and Our Nation by Rich Harwood, The Patterson Foundation is launching a series of book circles across Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. Through thoughtful, facilitated conversations led by a consultant from The Patterson Foundation, participants will be guided to reflect on what it means to strengthen relationships and envision a more inclusive and responsive community. These book circles are intentionally diverse, welcoming participants from all walks of life, so that every voice has the opportunity to be heard, valued, and reflected.
The New Civic Path explores how we can unite within our local communities to forge a new way forward—one grounded in trust, hope, and collaboration. Register for a book circle here.
Interested in hosting a book circle for your group, nonprofit, or business? The Patterson Foundation will supply books, a trained facilitator, and thoughtfully guided conversations—all designed to support your group’s growth and connection. Complete the form here to get started.
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Nonprofit Job Bank
Whether you're seeking a new nonprofit position or you want to post an open position at your organization, your local resource is the Association of Fundraising Professionals Southwest Florida Chapter's Job Bank, supported by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.
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