Help nonprofits secure grant awards through Gannett Foundation's crowdfunding program
The 2022 Gannett Foundation's A Community Thrives crowdfunding and grant program participants are now raising funds until Aug. 12.
Organizations looking to better their communities are fundraising until Aug. 12 as part of the Gannett Foundation’s A Community Thrives crowdfunding and grant program. More than 700 organizations applied for the $2 million initiative in hopes of implementing community-building ideas.
The nonprofit organizations have one month to raise money through the online platform Mightycause to reach a minimum of $3,000 or $6,000, depending on the group’s operating budget, to qualify as a grant recipient.
Through the site, users can donate to an organization of their choice by filtering the cause type, location and category. Donors have the opportunity to help organizations advance safe spaces for teens with cancer, expand no-kill animal sanctuaries, improve musical training programs and more.
“A Community Thrives has been an excellent way for Gannett to leverage its platforms to raise attention and funds for participating nonprofit organizations," said Sue Madden, director of the Gannett Foundation. "Over the past five years, the program has contributed more than $17 million to community building projects and local operating expenses of service organizations across the country.”
The organizations will get to keep the money they raise, and top projects will qualify for additional grants to support their ideas for change. Top fundraisers will receive a total of $200,000 in grants, and all eligible organizations will qualify for consideration for National Project and Local Operating grants.
One of last year’s $50,000 grant recipients, Ciudad Nueva Community Outreach, was one of 16 organizations to receive a National Project Grant. The group was able to expand its program by 10%, according to A Community Thrives website.
The organization seeks to advance "the renewal and development of central El Paso’s Rio Grande neighborhood through the empowerment and transformation of its residents,” according to the organization’s website.
With the help of A Community Thrives, nonprofits bring community improvement ideas to life.
In addition to funding, A Community Thrives raises the visibility of participating organizations with national and local media coverage and exposes the organizations’ missions to potential donors.
“This is a national program with equal opportunity for small and nascent organizations and well-established organizations alike. Building community through connections and helping communities thrive are key program drivers,” Madden said.
2021 grant recipients: New Jersey urban farm project, refugee organization in Ohio among 2021 recipients in Gannett Foundation's A Community Thrives
The South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families guides six organizations based in the state that deal with social issues surrounding fatherhood.
“Because of our work, fathers and children have been reconnected and family bonds strengthened so these children will no longer suffer the detrimental effects of father absence, including generational poverty and low education, and a higher likelihood of teen pregnancy, substance abuse, and early incarceration,” the organization says on its site.
By receiving a grant, the center was able to boost "the marketing and public education for their Reality Check program that educates young men on the impact of fatherhood," A Community Thrives says on its site.
To learn about A Community Thrives participating organizations and to make donations, visit acommunitythrives.mightycause.com.