Fremont Youth and Community Outreach, also known as FYCO, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Fremont. They operate as a food pantry, but their mission goes beyond addressing hunger. Melissa Higbee, executive director, shared, “Our goal is to stand alongside them as friends and neighbors. We want to see people and help equip them to become successful and care for themselves.” Working with FYCO is a labor of love for Melissa and her daughter, Sarah Kirkingburg. They have been involved in the daily operations since January—though they volunteered with the pantry many years before that. FYCO offers twice-monthly food distributions for families throughout the county. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started in March, the number of families they work with has jumped from 200 to 450.
The holiday season inspires feelings of generosity in some donors, while the end of the tax year motivates others. Nonprofits can take advantage of both in their year-end fundraising. The CARES Act changed some charitable deduction rules that donors may not know about. People who don’t itemize can take a charitable deduction on up to $300 for cash contributions in 2020 to some nonprofits. Donors who itemize may benefit from changes in limits on charitable contributions. Both points are worth mentioning to donors who have a tax motivation for their year-end gift.
However, most donors give because they are passionate about your mission. Share photos and videos that demonstrate impact. Include first-hand accounts of how your nonprofit has made a difference in someone’s life. And finally, find ways to inspire joy and hope. Whether you are active online on Giving Tuesday or stick to mailed letters, this is a valuable time of year to contact donors.
2 YEARS OF NONPROFIT CAPACITY BUILDING SERIES
At a gathering in 2017 facilitated by Dr. Kelly Trusty, nonprofit leaders identified a need for local technical trainings. SCCF created our current nonprofit capacity building series as a result. The workshops are designed to help build bridges in the Steuben County nonprofit community. We invite local professionals and experts to share their experiences and advice on a variety of subjects related to nonprofit management.
This month, SCCF reached the 2-year mark of our capacity building series. As we plan for the next two years of training, we want to hear from you again! Please take a moment to fill out this survey. We will share the results in our December nonprofit newsletter, and we hope to announce spring workshops that align with your requests for training.
Training Series by the Numbers:
Number of organizations represented: 75
Total number of workshops and networking events held in 2018-2020: 18
Swap or donate items, or share information about a volunteer opportunity for your nonprofit here. Email JoAnna to add your information to our Steuben County nonprofit "marketplace." Please note that SCCF will have final discretion over content posted here.
Search for grant funding from foundations outside of Steuben County. SCCF has purchased a 2 year subscription to Foundation Directory Online, which is a great resource for nonprofits to search a national database of grant opportunities. Stop by the SCCF office between 8:30am - 4:30pm to search for grant opportunities, or call the us with questions at 260-665-6656.
