A message to our nonprofit partners: Supporting the sector in this challenging time

Dear friends,

As you are keenly aware, nonprofit organizations are under extreme pressure, facing impossible budget cuts, uncertainties related to shifting federal policies and directives, and difficult decisions about how to manage services and staff. Despite all of this, we know that you and your staff and boards are doing the very best you can to keep meeting your missions and making lives better for the people of New Hampshire.

We have been working to understand how federal actions, state legislation and budget proposals may affect nonprofits across the state, and how the Charitable Foundation can help. We are committed to supporting the sector — through grantmaking, partnerships, investment and advocacy — in this incredibly challenging time.

To help meet urgent needs, we are allocating an additional $3 million, primarily from operating reserves, for grants to nonprofits this year — both in rapid-response funding and through our Community Grants program.

Here are some details of what the Charitable Foundation is doing and will continue to do:

Sticking to our purpose and values. Our purpose is to help make New Hampshire a community where everyone can thrive. We remain focused on that. As outlined in “Together We Thrive” and in Dick Ober’s January letter, we will continue to focus on advancing equity, racial justice and economic security across all areas of our work to achieve that purpose.

Making grants now to support vulnerable communities. Given the urgency of the moment, we have provided $2 million in emergency support to nonprofits whose work promotes health, wellness, safety and belonging for vulnerable people and families. Our goal has been to move money quickly to existing grantee partners, without requiring additional applications.

Expanding the Community Grants program. We will be devoting an additional $1 million to our Community Grants program in 2025 and increasing the maximum grant size from $30,000 to $40,000. Nonprofits may apply for up to $20,000 for one year, or for a two-year, $40,000 grant. Applications will open on July 7, 2025 and the final deadline for submitting an application is August 21, 2025. Our website will be updated with information about the Community Grants program by Monday, May 5.

Retaining our commitment to flexible funding and good grantmaking practices. We will remain focused on making grants for general operating support where appropriate, for two or more years when possible, and streamlining reporting requirements to help nonprofits focus precious time on their core work. As always, if you have questions or concerns around an existing Foundation grant or report, please reach out to tenagncc@aups.bet.

Advocating for the sector. In addition to funding, key Foundation staff have met with legislative leaders and policymakers to remind them of the critical importance of the nonprofit sector and the essential services nonprofits provide — and New Hampshire’s longstanding reliance on and tradition of successful public-private partnerships.

We will continue to speak out in support of the work you do — including about the impact of proposed state budget cuts — and to work closely with the NH Center for Nonprofits and other trusted voices for the sector. We are in touch with the Center regularly, aiming to understand what tools and information might be helpful more broadly. Among the suggestions that have emerged is to stand up support for nonprofit staff who are navigating a high-stress environment. We are in the process of exploring whether a pooled employee assistance program would be possible.

We are also tracking some of these challenges through national networks.

Listening. As you take stock of the changing landscape, please let us know what you’re seeing, and what support would be most helpful. Please reach out to your staff contact if you have an existing grant with the Foundation. Otherwise, please email us at tenagncc@aups.bet or call (603) 225-6641, ext. 5.

Engaging donors. We are in continual contact with Foundation donors and fundholders, providing them with updates on how they can help most effectively in this moment and encouraging them to give generously right now.
We see you, and we are committed to supporting and advocating for you, your work and the people you serve.

In partnership and gratitude for all you do,

Simon Delekta
Vice President of Community Engagement and Impact