July / August 2024 | News to help you engage, connect & accelerate your impact

This Saturday is National Nonprofit Day, and we want to recognize the impactful nonprofits that are vital to building thriving and resilient Texas communities. We see the monumental effort, resources, and care that you invest into serving our communities. Thank you for the many ways you make a difference in the lives of all Texans, and we continue to champion your work within the sector.

If you want to learn how you can support our nonprofit sector, register for our Texas Nonprofit Strong webinar State of the Texas Nonprofit Sector: Data for Action & Panel Discussion on Wednesday, August 21, at 10 AM. Join us as we dive deep on the latest data and engage a panel of diverse sector voices sharing opportunities and challenges from the front lines. Learn how you can be an advocate for Texas nonprofits and mobilize during the next legislative session and beyond!

Nicole Collier
Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy at Bush School

Veronda Durden
Any Baby Can

Dr. Kelty Garbee
Texas Rural Funders

Colton C. Strawser, Ph.D., CFRE, BCC
Colton Strawser Consulting

The 2024 RGV Nonprofit Summit, co-hosted by the UTRGV Nonprofit Resource Center and OneStar, will facilitate learning, foster networking, and encourage collaboration within the nonprofit sector in the Rio Grande Valley. Our conference theme, Threads of Transformation: Weaving Nonprofits for Impact, aims to equip attendees with capacity-building strategies and foster meaningful partnerships within the RGV nonprofit community. Keynote speakers include Sabrina Walker Hernandez of Supporting World Hope and OneStar’s own Chris Bugbee! Join more than 200 impact-makers on Wednesday, October 30, in Harlingen at this exciting one-day event designed especially for the Rio Grande Valley community. Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are available here.

Early bird registration is open now for the 2025 Texas Nonprofit Summit! Join nonprofit changemakers from across the state February 24-26 in Austin to navigate new horizons for the sector together. As we face an evolving landscape of unprecedented changes and challenges, the premier conference is a pivotal opportunity for community leaders to learn, network, and chart a unified path forward. Register by Sunday, September 29, to get your tickets at a discount rate. Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are available here.

We have a session up for consideration for the 2025 SXSW EDU conference! As part of the Youth Mental Health Corps (YMHC), a multi-sector, national initiative designed to address the youth mental health crisis and public health workforce shortage, we have proposed a panel exploring how young adults, state, and local leaders in Central Texas are using the YMHC to create sustainable solutions to meet youth mental health needs. YMHC empowers young adults as near-peer navigators in schools and communities while giving them on-ramps into the behavioral health field. Help ensure this conversation happens at next year’s SXSW EDU by up-voting the session in the PanelPicker. To vote, click the button below, create or sign in to your account, and cast your vote by selecting the up arrow. The last day to vote is Sunday, August 18.

Last month, Hurricane Beryl made landfall off the Gulf Coast with sustained winds and heavy rainfall causing major disruption to Texas communities. In the aftermath, the storm left nearly 3 million residents in the Houston region without power and wreaked billions of dollars in property damage. While immediate threats have passed, the road to recovery is far from finished. You can show support for long-term recovery by donating locally to the Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund, administered by the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance, or searching VolunteerTX.org to find local organizations leading volunteer efforts to rebuild property and livelihoods.

On July 24, OneStar put out a call to action to advocate for AmeriCorps during #Stand4Service Day, co-hosted by Voices for National Service, America's Service Commissions, Service Year Alliance, and The Corps Network. This day of action was a response to the FY25 federal budget proposed by the House Appropriations spending bill that recommended eliminating funding for national service—threatening over 71,000 AmeriCorps service positions and eliminating vital social support for our most vulnerable communities. Earlier this month, the Senate Appropriations Committee released its proposal for the federal budget that provides a modest $15 million increase in funding for AmeriCorps over last year. With an $828.4 million discrepancy between the Senate and House bills, we urge you to continue to speak out about the importance of preserving and expanding AmeriCorps in Texas communities.

With national service funding at risk of elimination in next year's federal budget, we reflect on the devastating impact that cuts to AmeriCorps would have on Texas communities. Without AmeriCorps, we miss out on critical outcomes, including:

Create your own Without AmeriCorps statements to illustrate how your nonprofit and community will be affected by a loss of AmeriCorps funding. Share these statements with your elected officials and community leaders and encourage them to #Stand4Service!

We are pleased to announce Pat Guzmán-Weema as our Director of Operations & Compliance! Pat joined the OneStar team in 2017 and previously served in the positions of Program Officer and Manager of AmeriCorps Texas. We are thrilled to leverage her skills and experience in this new leadership role!

Join us in welcoming the newest members of the OneStar board, appointed this year by the Texas Governor Greg Abbott!

OneStar Networks North Texas Regional Convening
August 8, Dallas

In Case You Missed It: Events & Opportunities from the Sector

Nominations due Fri, Aug 30
Know of a great environmental project, student, or teacher? The Texas Environmental Excellence Awards honor achievements in environmental preservation and protection. As the state's highest environmental honor, the Office of the Governor and commissioners from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality recognize outstanding projects from ten diverse categories.

Presented by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Application deadline Sat, Aug 31
The Texas Music Office is accepting applications for grant projects that will benefit music-related education and community programs sponsored by a nonprofit organization based in Texas.

Presented by Texas Music Office

Wed, Sep 11
Americans of all ages and backgrounds are invited to join and lead community service projects to honor the lives and service of those we lost on September 11. Cross divides, differences, and ideologies to serve with neighbors and strangers alike to build important bridges in your communities. You and your partners are encouraged to engage with your community and create lasting impact.

Presented by AmeriCorps and 9/11 Day

Tue, Sep 17
Boerne
The Hill Country’s premiere educational event for nonprofit professionals is coming this fall. Summit 2024 will feature a keynote speaker, panel discussions, and six sessions. This year’s conference theme is DIY for Good: Strategies for Nonprofits.

Presented by Community Foundation for the Texas Hill Country

Application deadline Wed, Sep 18
AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP engages people ages 55 and older in a diverse range of volunteer activities. AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP volunteers tutor children, help prepare simple taxes, assist victims of natural disasters, provide nutrition/food support, facilitate opioid and substance abuse education workshops, and serve in their communities in many other ways.

Presented by AmeriCorps

Fri, Sep 27
Hurst
This informative day of research and practical learning opportunities will help guide North Texas nonprofit and philanthropic leaders in creating, implementing, and evaluating innovative and collaborative strategies for the future.

Presented by North Texas Nonprofit Institute

Thu, Oct 10-Fri, Oct 11
Dallas & Virtual
Texas Volunteer Management Conference is the leading educational event for current and emerging volunteer management professionals throughout Texas and the U.S. The conference provides an opportunity to learn from top-level speakers, trainers, and leaders who are outstanding in their fields. This year’s conference theme is Uniting Changemakers for Dynamic Impact.

Presented by VolunteerNow

Fri, Oct 11
Tyler
Join us for a day of learning, networking, and inspiration as we strengthen our  East Texas nonprofit community. Whether you're a nonprofit leader, staff member, volunteer, or supporter, this summit is for you!

Presented by East Texas Center for Nonprofits, UT Tyler, and Association of Fundraising Professionals East Texas Chapter

Thu, Oct 24-Fri, Oct 25
Dallas
At bigBANG! 2024, leaders in philanthropy, business, and government will explore what it means to be human as artificial intelligence and augmented reality become more prevalent. As these technologies improve and expand, and the lines between humans and machines become blurred, we are free to explore what about humans can never be replaced. We will examine the concepts of humanity, human agency, and our shared interconnectedness in an ever-growing digit in an ever-growing digital world.

Presented by SVP Dallas and The Dallas Foundation

To explore more events from across Texas, visit Texas Nonprofit Strong at txnonprofits.org/calendar