Each week we will highlight five noteworthy things happening in the world of philanthropy! Here are the top stories that are capturing our attention this week in no particular order:

1.       In honor of GivingTuesday’s 10th Anniversary, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donated $10 Million to the organization. What began as a grassroots effort with #GivingTuesday has become a global movement. This year’s Giving Tuesday will take place on November 29th. That’s right, only six weeks away! Is your nonprofit ready for the upcoming year-end giving season? Read more about the gift in the Press Herald article here.  

2.     In Loveland, Colorado, the nonprofit KidsPak is fighting hunger one meal at a time, and they recently celebrated a HUGE milestone, their 1,000,000 meal! The organization began packing meals for students in 2009 and has grown from serving 35 students a week to providing more than 600 bags to 40 local school sites weekly. The organization invited donors, community leaders and volunteers to help prepare the meals and celebrate the 1,000,000 KidsPak! We are so proud of the community of Loveland for caring for their youngest citizens by fighting hunger one KidsPak at a time! The Reporter Herald covered this incredible milestone and celebration, and you can read about it here.

3.      Halloween decorations are popping up across the country supporting St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. This creative fundraising campaign called “Skeletons for St. Jude” inspires gifts from local communities during this spooky season. Not only are the displays raising money for the mission, but they are also helping to raise awareness by generating coverage across local news and social media platforms. Visit Skeletonsofhope.com to learn more about the campaign, find a participating display near you, and check out some of the fun displays here and here.

4.       MacKenzie Scott made headlines again this week when she gave nearly $85 Million to the Girl Scouts. This gift brings MacKenzie Scott's total giving since 2019 to approximately $12 Billion. We are toasting MacKenzie’s latest charitable gesture with a glass of cold milk and a box of frozen thin mints! Read more about this transformational donation on NPR.

5.       Billionaire Rob Hale and his family are giving away approximately $1 Million each week for an entire year. Most of the million-dollar gifts are going to small grassroots organizations to create a sustainable financial future through endowments. Check out this FORBES article to learn how these big gifts are transforming small nonprofits.

Businesses that Give Back:

This week, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month we want to give a huge shoutout to ANAONO.  Not only are their products beautiful, but their mission is truly inspiring. We especially love that they donate to support organizations helping individuals navigate a breast cancer diagnosis.

Don’t miss the latest tips from The Grant Designer. This week on the Fundraising Tips & Trends Blog: How to Create a Project Budget for a Grant Proposal