Samwise Nonprofits and Charities Newsletter
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
NFTE Awards 2026 World Series of Innovation Impact League, Recognizing 1,800 Youth from 47 Countries
The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship announced winners of its 2025–2026 World Series of Innovation Impact League on April 21, celebrating the competition’s 15th year. More than 1,800 young people ages 13 to 24 from 47 countries submitted innovations aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Winning projects included a fungi-based filtration system for wastewater management, bilingual AI-powered applications making government policies easier to understand, and community-powered shipping solutions to reduce costs for small artisans. NFTE called the challenge the most internationally diverse in its history. The competition develops entrepreneurial and design-thinking skills among young people while addressing real-world social and environmental problems.
Sources: GlobeNewswire
Candid Research Finds Major Donors Shifting to Strategic Investment Model, Demanding Clearer Impact Data
New research published by Candid on April 21 examines how major donors are reshaping their giving strategies in 2026. The findings show donors increasingly treating philanthropy as strategic investment rather than charitable giving, expecting measurable impact data, outcome reports, and clear descriptions of how gifts advance organizational missions. Engagement preferences have also shifted, with major donors seeking closer collaboration with program staff and more frequent touchpoints. Fundraisers are adapting cultivation and stewardship approaches in response, involving donors earlier in program design. The shift comes as organizations face reduced government support and heightened competition for private philanthropic dollars.
Sources: Candid
Grantmakers in Health Names Mark Constantine and Gladys Vega as 2026 Health Philanthropy Award Recipients
Grantmakers in Health has announced its 2026 award recipients: Mark Constantine, Senior Vice President of Community Investment at the Dogwood Health Trust, and Gladys Vega, President and CEO of La Colaborativa. GIH President and CEO Cara V. James stated the two honorees “center community in their work” — the defining criterion for the annual recognition. Constantine and Vega will receive their awards at the 2026 GIH Annual Conference on Health Philanthropy in Baltimore, Maryland. The Terrance Keenan Leadership Award, established in 1993, honors grantmakers distinguished by leadership, innovation, achievement, and creativity. The awards highlight the sector’s emphasis on community-centered approaches to health philanthropy.
Sources: Grantmakers in Health
Trump Administration Cancels $11 Million Catholic Charities Contract for Migrant Children Shelters in Miami
The Trump administration has canceled an $11 million federal contract with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, ending a 60-year funding relationship. The Office of Refugee Resettlement notified the organization in February 2026, citing a decline in unaccompanied minors in federal care — from a peak of 22,000 under the prior administration to approximately 1,900 today. Church officials warned the loss of funding could force closure of migrant children shelter operations within three months. Archbishop Thomas Wenski said the cancellation reason remains unclear. The Archdiocese has formally requested the administration restore the contract as part of a broader effort to support vulnerable children.
Sources: CBS Miami
Candid 2026 Seals of Transparency Launch With Study Confirming 62% Donation Increase for Certified Nonprofits
Candid has introduced its 2026 Seals of Transparency program, making it faster for nonprofits to demonstrate credibility to donors. Research confirms that nonprofits holding a Candid Seal receive on average 62% more in donations compared to uncertified organizations. The program offers four tiers — Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum — requiring progressively detailed information from basic mission data to full impact measurement and financial reporting. Seal holders gain access to Apple Pay donations, and organizations with revenues under $1 million receive a free year of Candid Premium upon earning a Gold Seal. The program responds to growing donor expectations around transparency and accountability.
Sources: Candid
Cummings Foundation Invites Letters of Inquiry for 2026 Cycle of $30 Million Grant Program
Cummings Foundation has opened the 2026 cycle of its annual $30 million grant program, inviting eastern Massachusetts nonprofits to submit letters of inquiry. The program will award multi-year grants — three-year or ten-year terms — to 150 organizations, with annual installments ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. Letters of inquiry are due by 5:00 p.m. on September 17, 2026, with recipientp[Ý[ÙY[X^H Y\H][ K\ÝYÙH ]Y]ÈHÛÛ[][] H Û [Y\Ë [ÜÝ[[Z[ÜÈÜ[ XÚ\Y[ È\H]]ÛX]XØ[ HÛÛÚY\YÜ L ^YX\ []Ø[]Ø\ ËHÝ[][Û\È]Ø\Y[ÜH [ Z[[Û ÈÜÝÛX\XHÛ Ù] È Ú[ÙH] ÈÝ[[Ë Ü Û\ÜÏHÛÝ\Ù\ÈÛÝ\Ù\ÎH YH ÎËÝÝÝËX\ÜÛÛ Ù] ÜËÛ]ÜËØÝ[[Z[ÜËZ[]\Ë\ ÜÜØ[ ËYÜLÌ [Z[[ÛZ[YÜ[ ËØ\XÛWÌÙYÍËYXKMLN XLMÍ MÌMLLÌ ÍÌ [ \Ù]HØ[È [HÛÜ[\X\ÜÈÛ Ù]] ÛÜÏ ØO Ü Û\ÜÏHÛÛ[Y[ Ë[[ÈH YHÜ\ÜÛÛÛ[Y[ È Ü[Û\ÜÏHÛÛ[Y[ XÛÝ[ O ÜÜ[ ØO Ü Ù]]Û\ÜÏHÝÜKXØ\]Û\ÜÏHYÜÈ Ü[Û\ÜÏHYÈ ÛXÞHÓPÖO ÜÜ[ Ù] YH][Û[ XÛÝ[Ú[ [Û Ù] ËYY\[ XÝ] È][Û[ÛÝ[Ú[ÙÛ Ù] ÎY\[[[ÈÝ] ÈØ]\Ú[ÈÙ\XÙH\Ü\ [ÛÈXÜÜÜÈÛKU\ÙÙXÝÜ Ú Û\ÜÏHÝÜK]^ H][Û[ÛÝ[Ú[ÙÛ Ù] È\È\ÜÝYYHÜX[ Ý][Y[ØÝ[Y[[È H[XYÙHØ]\ÙYHY\[[[ÈÝ] È ÈÚ\]XHÜØ[^][ÛÈ][ÛÚYKÛK]\ÙÛ Ù] È [ Z[ÈÛÛÝ\Y[ÛÛ XÝ È \ÜY[[È\Ü\ [ÛÈ[X\ H K[ÛÛ][ÛÈ]H ÛÜÙ[Y[ \È H [\YZ[\Ý ][Û\ÈØ[Ù[YÜÞ[[\Ý[X]Y H[[Û[Y\[[ ÈXÜÜÜÈX[ Ø\K\ ËY XØ][Û[ ÛØÚX[ Ù\XÙ\ËÛ Ù]XY\È \Ü ]][YYÜ[[\\ [ÛÈÜÙH[[YYX]H ÝY Y XÝ[ÛË Ù\XÙHÝ] Ë[ ÙÜ[HÛÜÝ\\Ë[X[Ü Ù\XÙ\È\È Ú[][ [[Ý\Û H[ÜX\ÙY ÚY[[È HØ\] ÙY[ÛÛ[][] HYY[ÜØ[^][Û[Ø\XÚ] KHÛÝ[Ú[\ÈØ[[ÈÛÛÛÜ\ÜÈ È ÝXÝ^\Ý[ÈÛ Ù]ÛÛ XÝ ÈÛHYZ[\Ý ]]HØ[Ù[][Û Ü Û\ÜÏHÛÝ\Ù\ÈÛÝ\Ù\ÎH YH ÎËÝÝÝËÛÝ[Ú[ÙÛ Ù] ËÜËÜ \ÜÜ[X\Ù\ËÛÛ Ù] [XY\ËYY\[ Y[[ËXÝ] ËX\KY ][Ë\Ù\XÙKY\Ü\ [ÛËX[ Z\Z[È \Ù]HØ[È [HÛÜ[\][Û[ÛÝ[Ú[ÙÛ Ù] Ï ØO Ü Û\ÜÏHÛÛ[Y[ Ë[[ÈH YHÜ\ÜÛÛÛ[Y[ È Ü[Û\ÜÏHÛÛ[Y[ XÛÝ[ O ÜÜ[ ØO Ü Ù]]Û\ÜÏHÝÜKXØ\]Û\ÜÏHYÜÈ Ü[Û\ÜÏHYÈ[ Z\Ú[ÈSRTÒSÏ ÜÜ[ Ü[Û\ÜÏHYÈ[ \Ý HSTÕO ÜÜ[ Ù] YHØÜËY[ Z\Ú[Ë\[[ Ü K\ [ ÙKL ÐÔÈ[ Z\Ú[ÎX\ H ÛËU\ ÈÙÛ Ù] È\ÜY][YHÜÝÝ[\ØØ[ H\Ü]H[Ý[[È \ÜÝ\\Ï Ú Û\ÜÏHÝÜK]^ H [[ Ü H [ ÙH \ÜÛHÐÔÈ[ Z\Ú[È[ È ]X\ H ÛË]\ ÈÙÛ Ù]ÜØ[^][ÛÈ \ÜY ][YHÜÝÝ[\ØØ[ YX\ K[[ÛÝ ][È ÙXÝÜ]ÚYH \Ú[Y[ÙH\Ü]HÛÛ\Ý[[È \ÜÝ\\ËH Ý\^HÙ[ Z\Ú[È[[[ÙHXY\ÈÝ[ÜØ[^][ÛÈ Ý\ÝZ[[È[ÛY[ [H Ú[HX[YÚ[È ÛXÞH [Ù\Z[ K \Ú[ÈÛÜÝ Ë[ ÝY[ÈÚ[[Ù\Ë[][YÜ [ÛÙ]H[[ ]XÜÈ[\YXÚX[[[YÙ[ÙH ÛÛ È\ÈÜX][ÈH \ÜX[ÙHØ\] ÙY[ÜØ[^][ÛÈ[\Ý[È[ XÚÛÙÞH[ ÜÙHYÙÚ[ÈZ[ H[[ÜÈY[YHXZÜÛÜÝ[ ]][ÛYÚ][[ Z\Ú[Ë[]KY ][[ØYÙ[Y[\È H YHÛÜH [Ü]Y\ÈÜ\ØØ[ ÝX[] H[ ]]ÜÈØ]][Û ]ÛÛ[YYÜÝÝ\ÈÝÝX\[YY\ÈÛÝ\Y[ Ý\ ÜXÛ[\Ë Ü Û\ÜÏHÛÝ\Ù\ÈÛÝ\Ù\ÎH YH ÎËÝÝÝËÛ Ù] ËÛÛKØ\XÛKÛÛ Ù] \][YKYÜÝÝ \[XZ[Ë\Ý ÛËX\ËY[[Ë\ \ÜÝ\\Ë[[Ý[ È \Ù]HØ[È [HÛÜ[\Û Ù]Ï ØO Ü Û\ÜÏHÛÛ[Y[ Ë[[ÈH YHÜ\ÜÛÛÛ[Y[ È Ü[Û\ÜÏHÛÛ[Y[ XÛÝ[ O ÜÜ[ ØO Ü Ù] Ù]]Û\ÜÏH]ÜÛ] \YÛÝ\ Ý [OHXÚÙÜÝ[Ì ÐPØÛÛÜÙÜY[ÎK\[H [NÝ^ X[YÛÙ[\ÙÛ Y[Z[ NÓUXYÈØ[ÉË X\ K\Þ\Ý[K Ø[Ë\Ù\YÙÛ \Ú^N \[NØÜ\\Y]\Î L L È Ý [OHÛÛÜÙZ[\Ü[ÛX\Ú[ÈÝ\]YH ÜÉZYÝÉÜÈH YH ÎËÜØ[]Ú\ÙKYÙ[ÞH Ý [OHÛÛÜÙÝ^ YXÛÜ][ÛÛNÈØ[]Ú\ÙKYÙ[ÞO ØO Ü Ù] Ù]KKH ÝÜ [ KO
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