Most nonprofits plan around deadlines and overlook funders who review applications year-round. Rolling funders can be some of the most approachable prospects available, letting you apply on your own terms with your strongest work. Here is how to work with them well.

Most grant funding moves slowly. Rapid response funds do the opposite, getting money to organizations in days or weeks when something urgent happens. But they reward readiness, not reaction. Here is how rapid response funds work and how to be prepared before the window opens.

The funders you knew in 2024 are not the ones you will approach in 2027. New leaders, new priorities, and new giving models are reshaping where philanthropic dollars flow. Here are seven reasons to join Access Philanthropy's November 12 workshop and prepare your 2027 national fundraising strategy.

October 7, 2026 | This issue rounds up open grant opportunities for Minnesota and national nonprofits, the latest funding awards and reports from across the sector, and open jobs in philanthropy sorted by function. Highlights include the Minneapolis Foundation's $2.4 million in economic mobility grants, new deadlines from the Ann Bancroft Foundation and Central Minnesota Community Foundation, and leadership and program roles across the field.

Many nonprofits send nearly identical proposals to corporate funders and private foundations, and it quietly costs them funding. The two operate on different logic and want different things. Here is how corporate giving and foundation grants differ, and five things to remember as you build corporate funders into your strategy.

Every private foundation files a public tax return called the 990-PF, and it is one of the most valuable, underused tools in fundraising. It shows what a funder actually gave, not just what it says it funds. Here is how to read a 990 without an accounting background, and the handful of sections that tell you everything you need.

A declined grant is rarely the end of the story. Funders turn down strong proposals all the time, and how you respond in the weeks that follow often matters more than the rejection itself. Here is what to do when a grant gets rejected, and how to turn a no into next year's yes.

Too many nonprofits treat a donor-advised fund as a payment method, a slightly unusual way a check arrives. That misunderstanding costs them relationships, repeat gifts, and some of their most committed donors. Here's the reframe that changes everything: a DAF isn't a transaction, it's a relationship with a donor who has already committed money to giving.

September 13, 2026 | Registration is open for our November 12 workshop, Fundraising for What's Next. This issue also introduces our new report on funders across the state line, rounds up fresh fundraising tools, and tracks the latest people on the move across philanthropy.

Some of the best-fit funders for Minnesota nonprofits aren't in Minnesota. They're just across the line in North Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and South Dakota. Our new report identifies 28 of the strongest neighboring-state prospects, and the one rule that determines whether you'll win their support: lead with the connection.

Grant prospecting always loses to the closer deadline. Learn how to build a funder research routine that survives a busy week and keeps your funding steady.

September 1, 2026 | This issue rounds up open grant opportunities for Minnesota and national nonprofits, the latest funding awards and reports from across the sector, and a full board of open jobs in philanthropy.

Most nonprofits skim past grant announcements. That's a missed opportunity. A funder's past awards reveal what they actually fund, how much they give, and the language they respond to, often more clearly than their own guidelines. Here's how to read grant announcements as intelligence and use them to sharpen your prospecting.

More and more, funders aren't just backing causes, they're investing in places. Downtown funds, regional initiatives, and community partnerships are drawing a growing share of philanthropic dollars. Here's why place-based giving is on the rise, and how nonprofits can position themselves to be part of it.

When a major foundation names a new president, it's not just sector news, it's an actionable fundraising signal. New leadership often means new priorities and a fresh window to make your case. Our Who's New in Philanthropy report tracks the leadership changes reshaping national philanthropy, and here's how to use that intelligence in your strategy.

Nonprofits spend a lot of energy trying to crack the Gen Z code. A recent Chronicle of Philanthropy essay by a Gen Z fundraiser suggests that's the whole problem. Building on his six myths, we look at the pattern underneath them: Gen Z can spot inauthenticity instantly, and reaches the organizations willing to drop the tactics and be real.

A roundup of the news, ideas, and tools shaping philanthropy this month, from the latest annual DAF report and McKnight's $6 million rural investment to provocative perspectives on philanthropic power, what nonprofits get wrong about Gen Z donors, and a set of practical fundraising tools worth bookmarking.

If your organization serves rural Minnesota, the funding landscape looks different than it does in the Twin Cities. Here's where to look, from the regional foundations built for Greater Minnesota to community foundations, the rural priorities hidden inside larger funders, and the overlooked small sources most prospecting misses.

Somewhere in your donor database are people ready to give far more than they do now. A wealth screening helps you find them. Here's what it actually reveals about donor capacity and propensity, what it can't tell you, and how to turn a long donor list into a clear set of priorities.

You have a board full of committed people who go quiet the moment fundraising comes up. You're not alone, and your board isn't broken. Here's how to move your board from passive supporters to active partners, through clear expectations, a broader definition of "help," the right tools, and a culture that makes participation feel possible.