Stuart Comstock-Gay

GrantTalk Ep 48: Grants That Strengthen Operations | The Nonprofit Management Fund Strong programs need strong operations. 🎯 This GrantTalk episode breaks down how operational grants and grant writing cohorts help nonprofits build long-term capacity. ▶️ Watch the full conversation: https://lnkd.in/ewTmc_ab #grantfunding #nonprofitleadership #operationalgrants #grantstrategy #granttalk

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HealthSpark Foundation is partnering with William Penn Foundation and The Heinz Endowments to support early planning and outreach for Census 2030. Join our webinar on March 24 to learn about the RFP process and requirements! 💫🇺🇸

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To close out AEA365 Expanding the Bench Week, ETB shares “Why Investing in ETB is Investing in Equity, the Evaluation Field, and in Your Organization,” authored by Kate Szczerbacki, Director of Learning, Evaluation, and Capacity Building at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Kate reflects on how ETB’s offerings have deepened the Foundation’s CREE practice through experiences like hosting LEEAD Scholars, engaging in Coffee Breaks, and participating in recent community forums for evaluators and funders. Her piece highlights the power of building relationships, expanding networks, and investing in an evaluation ecosystem rooted in care, abundance, and equity. Read the full blog: https://lnkd.in/ed_TcmH8

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Fundraising in 2026 will favor organizations that treat donors and boards as partners, not audiences. Transparency builds shared responsibility — and shared responsibility builds momentum. 👉 Follow for insight on collaborative fundraising leadership. 👉 Click Here: https://lnkd.in/efaUmwnm and get FREE access to my Newsletter for unfiltered takes on philanthropy, leadership, and building real social change. #BoardLeadership #FundraisingStrategy #NonprofitBoards #DonorPartnership #Philanthropy #Leadership

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How do Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) influence relationship-based fundraising and what can you do about it? DAF Research Collaborative just released a new report that dives into that question, drawing on interviews with 46 professional fundraisers. It introduces a DAF-specific fundraising cycle and outlines practical strategies for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding DAF donors. The research also highlights the unique challenges and opportunities DAFs present and how fundraisers can more effectively support donors using them. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gFQb-U5A

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Reinventing the Cycle: Adapting Relationship Fundraising for Donors Who Use DAFs examines how donor advised funds impact relationship-based fundraising. Drawing on interviews with 46 professional fundraisers, the report offers practical strategies for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding DAF donors by introducing a DAF-specific fundraising cycle, highlighting challenges and opportunities for each part of the cycle. The report also explores the roles that fundraisers play in the DAF giving process and provides actionable insights and recommendations for professional fundraisers working with donors who use DAFs. Access the full report: https://lnkd.in/gFQb-U5A #DonorAdvisedFunds #DAFResearch #DAFInsights #Fundraising #DAFFundraising

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Mid-level donors deliver meaningful revenue and long-term stability. Fundraisers who invest in clear strategy and intentional stewardship strengthen relationships and build sustainable fundraising results. https://lnkd.in/gVSUWpeM

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Independent Sector: What the New Final Rule on Public Service Loan Forgiveness Means for Nonprofits https://lnkd.in/eJM7pzxU On August 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing revisions to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. The NPRM was issued in response to a March 2025 Executive Order instructing ED to revise eligibility criteria to exclude organizations with a “substantially illegal purpose” from qualifying as eligible employers under the program. Independent Sector submitted formal comments opposing the proposed rule on the grounds that the statute establishing PSLF clearly defines all 501c3 nonprofit organizations as qualifying employers, and that ED lacks statutory authority to narrow that definition. The final rule grants ED new authority to exclude certain nonprofit employers it deems to have a “substantial illegal purpose,” raising significant questions about the scope of ED’s discretion, the rule’s legality, and its potential impact on nonprofit employees who rely on PSLF. The language is vague and relies on a patchwork of inconsistent legal standards which opens the door to targeting organizations whose activities are lawful in the states in which they operate (for example, immigrant-services groups or providers of gender-affirming care) but who hold positions the current administration – or any future administration – disagrees with. The final rule does not go into effect until July 1, 2026, so ED cannot disqualify an employer under the new rule before that date. Critically, the new regulation does not change the law around what activities are illegal; instead, it creates new legal consequences for engaging in activity that is already illegal under federal or state law. The concern is that the vague regulation may be used to disqualify employers for conduct that is legal. Litigation began immediately. As of November 12, multiple lawsuits have been filed, with plaintiffs including: a coalition of unions, cities, and nonprofits, led by the National Council of Nonprofits; a coalition of attorneys general of 21 states and D.C., led by New York Attorney General Letitia James; and a coalition of 501(c)(3) nonprofits led by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. Plaintiffs in these cases are asking the courts to vacate the rule, in part on the grounds that the final rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act. Outcomes will determine whether the rule takes effect as written, is delayed, or is struck down.

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