STRATEGY THAT MOVES NEWSLETTER
October 15, 2025: "Connection, Voice & Trust: Why Half-Measures Don't Work in 2025"
October 1, 2025: “One year ago, my journey shifted in a way I hadn’t planned.”
September 23, 2025: "Hispanic Heritage month"
INSIGHTS & TRENDS
Awareness Calendar
Awareness days offer natural, zero-cost touchpoints to align your story with what's happening culturally. The key is authenticity; don't force a tie-in, but if your mission or work overlaps, it's an opportunity to connect with audiences and drive member engagement.
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November All Month - Native American Heritage Month: A full month to respectfully amplify the stories and histories of Indigenous communities. Action: If your organization serves tribal communities, highlight local Indigenous leaders or share how your programs support Native-led initiatives. Partner with Indigenous organizations rather than speaking for them, and ensure any cultural references are reviewed by community members first.
November All Month - National Homeless Awareness Month: Critical for organizations focused on housing, social services, or community support. Action: Share how your programs address housing insecurity, highlight partnerships with shelter organizations, or create content about the complex factors that contribute to homelessness in your community.
Thursday, Nov 20, 2025 - Transgender Day of Remembrance: An opportunity to demonstrate organizational commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion across all racial and ethnic communities. Action: Share your organization's inclusive policies, highlight transgender staff or volunteers (with permission), or partner with local LGBTQ+ organizations to amplify their work, especially those serving communities of color.
Monday, Nov 25, 2025 - International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women: Perfect timing for organizations focused on safety, justice, or community well-being across all communities. Action: Share your workplace safety policies, highlight your organization's commitment to creating harassment-free environments, or spotlight local domestic violence prevention programs that serve diverse populations.
Thursday, Nov 27, 2025 - Thanksgiving: Major U.S. holiday celebrated across many communities, though with complex history regarding Indigenous peoples. Action: Share gratitude for your diverse community supporters, acknowledge the complex history of this holiday while focusing on genuine appreciation, or highlight how your organization supports food security and family stability year-round.
Friday, Nov 28, 2025 - Buy Nothing Day: Alternative to Black Friday focusing on anti-consumerism. Action: Perfect for environmental or social justice organizations to share content about sustainable living, community sharing programs, or how your work addresses overconsumerism and waste.
Saturday, Nov 29, 2025 - Small Business Saturday: Natural opportunity for economic development organizations serving diverse entrepreneurs. Action: Highlight how your programs support minority-owned businesses, immigrant entrepreneurs, women-owned enterprises, or create content about building inclusive economic opportunities in your community.
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Sunday, Dec 1, 2025 - World AIDS Day: Strong connection for health organizations serving diverse communities disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Action: Share your organization's health equity work, highlight culturally competent HIV prevention programs, or create content about reducing health stigma in Black, Latino, and LGBTQ+ communities.
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Giving Tuesday: The ultimate engagement opportunity for all nonprofits to connect with diverse donor communities. Action: Create campaigns that speak to different cultural values around giving and community support, share impact stories that reflect your diverse constituencies, or highlight how different communities contribute to your mission.
Tuesday, Dec 3, 2025 - International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Excellent fit for organizations serving people with disabilities across all racial and ethnic communities. Action: Highlight disability advocates of color, share how your programs accommodate diverse abilities while being culturally responsive, or create content about intersectional identities and accessibility.
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2025 - Human Rights Day: Perfect for organizations advancing justice across all communities. Action: Connect your mission to universal human rights principles, highlight how your programs address systemic inequities affecting different racial and ethnic groups, or feature diverse community advocates working for justice.
Sunday, Dec 14 - Monday, Dec 22, 2025 - Hanukkah (8 Days): Opportunity to acknowledge Jewish communities, including Jews of color and diverse Jewish experiences. Action: Share how your organization creates space for diverse religious traditions, highlight Jewish community members across racial lines, or create content about religious freedom and cultural celebration.
Saturday, Dec 21, 2025 - Winter Solstice: Recognized across many cultural traditions worldwide. Action: Acknowledge how different cultures mark seasonal transitions, share how your organization supports community wellbeing for all residents during winter months, or highlight diverse spiritual and cultural practices around renewal.
Wednesday, Dec 25, 2025 - Christmas Day: Celebrated across many racial and ethnic communities globally. Action: Share messages of hope that resonate across diverse Christian communities, highlight how your organization supports families of all backgrounds during holidays, or create content about universal values of compassion and giving.
Thursday, Dec 26, 2025 - Boxing Day: Important holiday in Caribbean, British, Canadian, and other Commonwealth communities. Action: Acknowledge this day of giving and community service, highlight how Caribbean and Commonwealth communities contribute to your organization's work, or share stories about the tradition of boxing (giving to those in need) that aligns with your mission.
Friday, Dec 26, 2025 - Thursday, Jan 1, 2026 - Kwanzaa (7 Days): Important celebration for African American communities and the broader African diaspora. Action: Share how your organization embodies Kwanzaa principles in serving diverse communities, highlight Black leaders and their contributions to your mission, or create content about African cultural heritage and community building.
Tuesday, Dec 31, 2025 - New Year's Eve: Universal opportunity celebrated across all cultures with unique traditions. Action: Share your organization's impact across diverse communities from the past year, acknowledge how different cultures celebrate new beginnings, or highlight how multicultural perspectives strengthen your work going into the new year.
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January All Month - National Mentoring Month: Perfect for highlighting mentorship across racial, ethnic, and cultural lines. Action: Share success stories of cross-cultural mentoring relationships, highlight how your programs connect diverse mentors with young people, or create content about the importance of representation in leadership development.
January All Month - National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month: Critical for organizations focused on justice, human rights, or community safety. Action: Share how your organization addresses modern slavery and trafficking, highlight partnerships with anti-trafficking organizations, or create educational content about recognizing signs of exploitation in your community.
Wednesday, Jan 1, 2026 - New Year's Day: Universal opportunity celebrated across all cultures with unique traditions. Action: Share your organization's goals for creating positive community impact in the new year, acknowledge how different cultures celebrate new beginnings, or highlight fresh opportunities for community members to get involved.
Sunday, Jan 4, 2026 - World Braille Day: Important for organizations serving people with disabilities, especially those focused on accessibility and inclusion. Action: Audit your materials for accessibility, share how your organization accommodates diverse abilities, or highlight blind and visually impaired community leaders and their contributions.
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2026 - Orthodox Christmas: Celebrated by Orthodox Christian communities including Ethiopian, Russian, Serbian, and other traditions. Action: Acknowledge diverse Christian traditions in your community, share how your organization serves families celebrating on different calendars, or highlight Orthodox community members and their cultural contributions.
Friday, Jan 17, 2026 - International Day of Human Fraternity: Perfect for organizations focused on interfaith dialogue, community building, or peace-making. Action: Share how your programs bring diverse communities together, highlight interfaith partnerships that strengthen your work, or create content about building bridges across cultural and religious differences.
Monday, Jan 20, 2026 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Essential for organizations advancing racial justice and serving diverse communities. Action: Go beyond quotes—share how your organization embodies Dr. King's vision through programs serving all marginalized communities, highlight multiracial coalition building, or feature diverse civil rights leaders continuing his legacy.
Monday, Jan 27, 2026 - International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Important for organizations fighting all forms of discrimination and genocide. Action: Connect Holocaust remembrance to contemporary anti-racism work, highlight how your organization combats prejudice against all communities, or partner with diverse faith and ethnic organizations to promote understanding and prevent hatred.
Research That Dives Insight
Upcoming Conferences and Events
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Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC)
March 10–13, 2026
Detroit, MI & Virtual
Focus: Technology, Digital Strategy, and IT.
This conference is the premier event for nonprofit professionals who want to leverage technology effectively, strategically, and equitably for social good.
Key Topics: Cybersecurity, AI/data use, digital fundraising tools, IT leadership, website optimization, and communications technology.
Best For: IT Directors, Communications Managers, Digital Strategists, Database Administrators, and Executive Directors interested in tech implementation.
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AFP ICON
April 26–28, 2026
San Diego, CA
Focus: Comprehensive Fundraising and Philanthropy. As the world's largest gathering of professional fundraisers, it covers the entire spectrum of donor development and ethical practice.
Key Topics: Major gifts, capital campaigns, planned giving, donor retention, annual fund strategies, leadership, and diversity/equity in philanthropy.
Best For: Fundraising Directors, Development Officers (at all levels), Grant Writers, and Nonprofit CEOs focused on revenue growth.
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Engage for Good Conference
April 21–24, 2026
Palm Springs, CA
Focus: Corporate-Nonprofit Partnerships (Cause Marketing and CSR). This is the essential meeting place for professionals who build partnerships that benefit both a nonprofit's mission and a company's bottom line.
Key Topics: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), cause-related marketing campaigns, employee engagement, and scaling social impact collaborations.
Best For: Corporate Relations Managers, Cause Marketing Specialists, Nonprofit Business Development Leads, and CSR/Social Impact professionals from the corporate sector.
GRANTS & FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Stranahan Foundation Early Childhood Education (ECE)
Innovation in professional development, leadership retention, and scalable coaching models.
Preliminary LOI Due: Dec 3, 2025
The Wawa FoundationHealth, Hunger, and Everyday Heroes (Veterans/First Responders).
Q1 Grant Submission Window: January 2026
The Rockefeller Foundation (Bellagio Center)Convening Program:
For global leaders and changemakers working on solutions to major global challenges.
Application status determined quarterly
Walmart Spark Good Local Grants Local Community Needs (Grants from $250–$5,000 for local stores/clubs)
December 31, 2025
Global Partnership for Education Implementation Grants (Global Education projects below US$10M)
December 31, 2025
CenterPoint Energy Foundation - Cycle 1 Education (Literacy, STEM, Workforce Development) within their corporate footprint.
February 13, 2026