Capacita

So incredibly proud that aqeela sherrills, who leads our amazing clients the Community Based Public Safety Collective, was selected for TED's The Audacious Project 2024 cohort. We've talked about their programs before but it bears repeating: this is groundbreaking, critical work in the movement to end mass incarceration. We're so happy to see him and the organization recognized in such a massive way. ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

Our new blog is up, and we're here with a ??? spicy take ???: We think building a strong grants capacity is actually one of the most effective ways to boost organizations' overall strategy, impact, and effectiveness. Yep, we said what we said. For many organizations, applying for grants can feel like an annoying scramble to meet deadlines, answer endless application questions, and hope for funding that supports your mission. But we want to let you in on a secret that we here at Capacita believe on a very deep level. Effective grant seeking is not just a means to raise funds. It’s actually a powerful way to sharpen your organizational strategy and amplify your impact. We think of a solid grant-seeking capacity as a rocket ship for your organization, helping you be more effective and reach new heights. We know that excelling at grants goes hand in hand with being an effective, impactful organization—and how mastering this process positions you as an investment worth making. Check out our blog post to find out why. ?? https://lnkd.in/exXM4Pcg

We were honored to be there. Congrats to EcoMap Technologies, Inc. for a fantastic inaugural event!

We want to take a moment today to celebrate ?? ?? two weeks of back-to-back-to-back-to-back successful workshops and facilitations ????. We don't spend as much time talking about that part of our work as we do our grants and strategy engagements, so let's take a moment to celebrate: ?? A workshop at The Festival Center in Adams Morgan, DC for their fantastic fiscally sponsored organizations on fundraising strategy. ?? Another Festival Center workshop the next day that dove deep into leadership and management for nonprofit leaders. ? A strategy facilitation for the historic New Bethel Baptist Church in Shaw, DC where a truly special group of leaders got specific about future space needs for their dynamic, growing church and what it would take to make their vision a reality. ??? A panel on funding for ecosystem development at EcoMap Technologies, Inc.'s first SuperConnect event in Baltimore along with esteemed co-panelists from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the T. Rowe Price foundation, and Govtech Ventures. ?? A workshop on What Funders Want (from a former funder) at the Grant Professionals Association's North Carolina chapter Annual Conference in Charlotte. We are always happy to be out and about with our nonprofit and philanthropic friends and partners and look forward to keeping it up! See you out in the wilds....

A busy week here at Capacita as Adriana Dolgetta Cosgriff is fresh off of her successful trip to Baltimore yesterday, and heads to Charlotte tomorrow to present a workshop on What Funders Want (from a former funder) to the Annual Conference of the North Carolina chapter of the Grant Professionals Association. We are very honored to have been selected to participate.

We are excited for Adriana Dolgetta Cosgriff to participate in the panel on funding tomorrow at EcoMap Technologies, Inc.’s SuperConnect conference! With the recent announcement of Governor Moore as the special guest, it should be an even more engaging event.

Big news in the world of nonprofits... Check out what we thought was a great summary of the situation from North Carolina Center for Nonprofits latest nonprofit policy letter: "New Lawsuit Challenges Nonpartisanship Requirement for 501(c)(3) Nonprofits Last week, two Texas churches and two other 501(c)(3) nonprofits?filed a lawsuit?in federal court in Texas challenging the provision in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that prohibits charitable nonprofits from engaging in partisan political activities. The lawsuit alleges that the nonpartisanship provision violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution because it prevents churches and other charitable nonprofits from speaking out on partisan political matters, and the Fifth Amendment because it is allegedly unevenly enforced by the Internal Revenue Service (although the Center’s experience is that the law is unfortunately quite evenly?unenforced?by the IRS!). The court filing claims that churches are particularly harmed because they are automatically deemed to be 501(c)(3) nonprofits and therefore don’t have the option of engaging in partisan political activity legally. The organizations challenging the law are not asking the court to take any action prior to the 2024 election. As the?Center has explained in the past, efforts to weaken the nonpartisanship requirement for charitable nonprofits would be harmful to the nonprofit sector for a variety of reasons. The Center wholeheartedly agrees with the?National Council of Nonprofits’ statement in opposition to the lawsuit: “On behalf of charitable nonprofits everywhere, we are deeply troubled that some would attack the bedrock principle that charitable organizations must remain nonpartisan in law, fact, and purpose in order to serve their missions and communities. This law is clear, well understood, and easily followed. In addition to basic factual and legal errors, the new litigation is misguided because it contributes to the further politicization of the charitable sector and society. It will be opposed vigorously by the National Council of Nonprofits and all who are committed to serving communities rather than ideologues, self-serving politicians, and their political operatives.” "

?? New Blog Alert: Navigating Fundraising During Election Season ?? With the November elections in the U.S. fast approaching, many nonprofits are finding it challenging to secure funding as political campaigns dominate donor attention. Our latest blog post provides valuable insights and strategies to help your organization stay afloat during this critical period. Discover practical tips on how to: ?? Adapt your messaging to stand out amidst the political noise. ?? Engage donors who are still passionate about your cause. ?? Leverage this time to strengthen relationships and build long-term support. Don't let the election season derail your fundraising efforts! Read the full post now and equip your team with the tools they need to succeed.

We are excited to share that Adriana Dolgetta Cosgriff will be presenting at the 2024 North Carolina Center for Nonprofits Conference in Research Triangle Park on October 23! She'll be presenting a session called Winning Grants: Elevate Your Funding Game. Here's information about the conference for folks in North Carolina: The 2024 Conference for North Carolina’s Nonprofits is designed to offer strategies, experiences, and connections that are valuable for every nonprofit staff member, board member, volunteer, and supporter. Join the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits on October 22-23 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center in Research Triangle Park to connect with nonprofit colleagues, learn from experts and practitioners, and share insights that will recharge our work and our sector. Registration begins at $160 (Early bird and discounts available). https://lnkd.in/gKka55z

A few of our teammates are based in the southern states that will be affected by this recently announced slate of conservation grants for longleaf pine. We love to see it. ?? ?? ?? "The longleaf pine ecosystem is one of the most biodiverse in the world, and supported projects are expected to establish more than 70,000 acres of longleaf pine habitat through plantings and complete prescribed burnings on an additional 430,000 acres throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. Projects will also increase longleaf seedling capacity and assist populations of at-risk wildlife including the gopher tortoise, the red-cockaded woodpecker, and the eastern indigo snake." https://lnkd.in/ehKchmib