Celebrating National Nonprofit Day – August 17
What does National Nonprofit Day mean to YouthBridge Community Foundation of Greater St. Louis? It could be called our birthday—and the birthday of every U.S. nonprofit organization! On August 17, 1894, the Tariff Act of 1894 was signed into law. This law provided exclusions from federal income tax for charitable organizations, enabling and encouraging more organizations to assist those in need. As YouthBridge Community Foundation celebrates National Nonprofit Day, let us also take a moment to explain the value that YouthBridge adds to the nonprofit landscape.
First, we are a nonprofit that helps other nonprofits. Our mission is to “partner with donors to help charities in the St Louis region…through leadership, grants and donor services.” As our name implies, we are a bridge connecting fundholders with charitable organizations that align with their individual interests or goals.
Second, we are a nonprofit that provides our own grants. Our discretionary grants are fueled by the administrative fees collected from our fundholders, and by our own YouthBridge endowment fund. We work alongside grantees to guide, educate, and provide technical assistance or referrals to ensure their success throughout the funding process.
Third, YouthBridge centers “trust-based philanthropy” in its grantmaking and relationships with fellow nonprofit agencies. Many nonprofit organizations seeking typical grants find that funding may be limited to specific usages, or that the expense of meeting strenuous reporting requirements may significantly decrease the value of some grants. Trust-based philanthropy seeks to minimize the burden that some funders’ processes impose on agencies. Trust-based grantmaking has always been a core value of YouthBridge. Partnering with nonprofits around shared goals and promoting a culture of mutual respect, support, and understanding have been fundamental to our mission.
The following YouthBridge grant programs illustrate how we apply these principles:
Heritage – Designed to foster the sustainability of a nonprofit organization, this grant allows unrestricted usage of funds. It provides $75,000, paid over three years, without the need to reapply each year. Unlike many grants, beneficiaries are free to use Heritage funds for administrative costs such as staff development or payroll. YouthBridge lends guidance and expertise in decision making and asks for an annual progress report to determine where we can help. We sponsor a director’s roundtable for past and present directors of nonprofits who have received the grant. The meeting allows directors to speak freely about issues and struggles they face as only their peers can truly understand.
Think Big for Kids – Encouraging innovation is the key to this grant. YouthBridge seeks creative ideas that will impact large segments of children and youth in the community. Often a multi-year award and generally in a range exceeding $25,000, funding can be used as needed. Occasionally a grant project is not entirely successful, which is not surprising for new concepts. Grantees can trust that the YouthBridge team will work alongside them to understand how projects can be improved as opposed to fearing a request for reimbursement.
Partnership or Merger – There is strength in numbers; this is especially true in the world of small nonprofits. Combining resources of organizations with shared visions and goals by partnering or merging can be advantageous, particularly from the administrative side. Upfront costs can be tremendous, providing a unique opportunity for YouthBridge to collaborate and provide financial support, even during initial discussion stages. Partnership or Merger Grant funds can be used for consulting services, administrative support, or any other needs related to the proposed unification of multiple nonprofit agencies.
Capacity Building – YouthBridge is eager to provide this grant to deepen the impact of nonprofit organizations located in neighborhoods where our investment partners are located. This “invitation-only” grant can be used in ways that strengthen and sustain the recipient organization. Examples include funding for strategic planning, a financial audit, and costs associated with accreditation processes.
YEP STL! –The YEP STL! (Youth Engaged in Philanthropy) grant is slightly different from our other grant programs because it is sponsored by First Bank. It is also different because decisions are made by a group of high school students who have applied to be a part of the grant-making process. Working with minimal guidance from YouthBridge, the team determines which local organizations should receive funds and the award amounts. The benefit of the program is two-fold – local nonprofits are awarded discretionary grants, and the youth serving on the committee receive a real-world look at the value of philanthropy. YouthBridge and First Bank are invested in ensuring that the joy of philanthropy is passed on to the next generation.
These grant offerings are only some of the ways that YouthBridge serves the nonprofit community in the greater St. Louis area. The common denominator in all we do is bringing community members together to support services for children and youth. Without The Tariff Act of 1894 our job would be much more difficult. We celebrate National Nonprofit Day with gratitude: to our region’s many nonprofit agencies doing amazing work, to the lawmakers who recognized the importance of encouraging philanthropy, and to the author and respected speaker, Sherita J. Herring, who launched National Nonprofit Day over 30 years ago. Celebrate with us by donating to your favorite charity or volunteering some of your time to agencies in need. Contact us at YouthBridge for help to get started.