In a strategic pivot, the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation is banking on a new approach to boost fundraising for local non-profits during the annual North Texas Giving Day. Chucking the past practices of bonus grants and free concerts, the foundation has underwritten a toolkit to maximize donation impact for charities across Arlington.
Arlington's philanthropic scene is gearing down for the Sept. 19 North Texas Giving Day, which has seen local non-profits' participation and funds swell over the last decade. While kicking in nearly $800,000 in incentives over the past 10 years, the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation has witnessed growth from 65 nonprofits raising around $528,000 in 2014 to a robust 136 nonprofits pulling in over $1.2 million in 2023, according to the City of Arlington, Texas.
Swapping stage lights for spotlights on strategy, the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation's freshly minted North Texas Giving Day Toolkit, crafted by The Olympia Collective, has been accessible to all Arlington nonprofits. “We are thrilled to see our goal of ensuring our local nonprofits prosper and benefit from the country’s largest regional giving day during this time,” Executive Director Carolyn Mentesana said, per the City of Arlington, Texas. She believes this new focused and strategic training will benefit participating organizations.
While doubling down on the new toolkit, the foundation has also got its eyes peeled for the State of the Sector research survey findings, helmed by The University of Texas at Arlington. This survey, completed for and by Arlington's non-profit community, is touted to guide the board in directing funds to needy areas with precision.
