Nonprofit Digest by Nonprofit Community Resources

Your Guide to Grants, Tools, and Growth Strategies

Nonprofit Digest
September 15, 2024

September 15, 2024

Welcome to your first edition of Nonprofit Digest—your new secret weapon for building a thriving nonprofit! 🎉

We know how tough it is to find the right resources, get funding, and scale your impact, which is why we’ve packed this issue with handpicked micro-grants, free tools, and nonprofit success stories to inspire you.

Ready to level up? Let’s dive in.👇

Handpicked Micro-Grants for September 💸
Two excellent micro-grants tailored for small and new nonprofits. Apply soon to fuel your upcoming programs!

The Awesome Foundation Grant
Focus: Open to projects in any area, but particularly focused on ideas that advance the arts, culture, and community engagement.

Amount: $1,000

Deadline: Rolling (Applications accepted monthly)

Pro Tip: Keep your application simple and creative! The Awesome
Foundation loves bold ideas that can make a big impact with a small budget.

Apply here: The Awesome Foundation Grant

The Emeril Lagasse Foundation Community Grants
Focus: Nonprofits focused on culinary, nutrition education, and life skills development, particularly those serving underserved children and youth.

Amount: Up to $10,000

Deadline: October 13, 2024

Pro Tip: Emphasize how your project will improve the lives of youth through food education and skills development—real-world results go a long way here.

Apply here: Emeril Lagasse Foundation Grant

Game-Changing Tools for Nonprofits 🚀

If you’re not optimizing your tech stack, are you even a nonprofit in 2024? Check out these tools designed to make your life easier and make an impact.

TechSoup – Big Discounts on Big Tech

What is it?: Think of TechSoup as the Costco for nonprofits, offering huge discounts on essential software, hardware, and tech services. From Microsoft Office to Adobe Creative Cloud, it’s all here—without the premium price tag.

Why you should care: TechSoup lets you run your nonprofit like a Fortune 500 company without the budget of one.

Pro Tip: Prioritize cloud-based tools that will help your team collaborate and work smarter, not harder.

DreamHost – Discounted Web Hosting for Nonprofits

What is it?: DreamHost offers affordable, reliable web hosting and even free hosting for 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Whether you’re setting up your first website or upgrading your current one, DreamHost provides unlimited bandwidth and email, plus an easy-to-use site builder.

Why you should care: Your website is your digital front door—make sure it’s working for you, not against you. DreamHost makes it easy to build a professional-looking site without the hefty price tag.

Pro Tip: Use the built-in analytics tools to track visitor engagement and fine-tune your site’s performance.

Check out DreamHost for nonprofits

News You Can’t Miss: New Rules, Tools, and What’s Next for Nonprofits 📰

Running a new nonprofit comes with enough challenges—staying on top of compliance and fundraising trends shouldn’t be one of them.

According to the AI Readiness Report 2024 by GivingTuesday, artificial intelligence is quickly transforming how nonprofits operate, engage donors, and optimize fundraising efforts. The report highlights how AI tools can help even the smallest organizations streamline their workflows, personalize donor engagement, and make data-driven decisions to boost their impact.

What does this mean for small nonprofits?
You don’t need to be a tech whiz to start using AI tools. From automating email responses to analyzing donor data, AI can save you time and help you focus on what really matters—your mission. The report also emphasizes that AI isn’t just for the big players—smaller nonprofits can take advantage of affordable, accessible tools to stay competitive.

Key takeaway: Now’s the time to explore AI tools like ChatGPT or DonorSearch AI to see how they can help improve your donor outreach, fundraising strategy, and overall efficiency.

Read the full AI Readiness Report 2024: AI and Nonprofits

Nonprofit to Distribute Digital Equity Grants in California
The California Emerging Technology Fund, a nonprofit organization, has announced that it will distribute grant funding to 36 local governments to support digital equity initiatives. This development is particularly significant for nonprofits working in the technology and education sectors, as these grants aim to bridge the digital divide in underserved communities.

Why this matters: If your nonprofit is involved in digital inclusion, this could be a great opportunity to apply for funding or get involved.

Its a wrap for this issue of the Nonprofit Digest. We hope these grants, tools, and updates help your nonprofit hit the ground running. Ready to connect with 60,000+ nonprofit leaders? Join our Nonprofit Community Resources Facebook Group to swap ideas, tips, and stories with like-minded changemakers.

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