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This Week @ UNA: July 22, 2025

Get Ready to Be Inspired 🎬

Joke of the Week

Q: What’s a beach’s favorite kind of music?
A: Scroll down to see the answer!

Spotlighting the Nonprofit Film Festival Participants

The Utah Nonprofit Film Festival is coming in November, and we’re thrilled to announce the 12 incredible organizations whose stories will light up the big screen. Their short films won't just be powerful—they'll be personal, reminding us that hope is a call to action. Each film, produced by local filmmaker Issimo Story Agency, will offer a glimpse into the hearts of nonprofits making a difference in Utah, and together they’ll create a compelling portrait of service, resilience, and possibility. Stay tuned for more information as we launch our intensive storytelling training!

Hope in Action is more than a theme—it’s a call to all of us in the nonprofit world. Save your seat for the 2025 UNA Annual Conference and snag the Early Bird Rate through August 13!

🛣️ Navigating Nonprofit Crossroads: Mergers, Dissolutions & Strategic Decisions | July 29
If your nonprofit is facing hard decisions about its future, you’re not alone. Join UNA and acting chair of the UNA Board Jason Krause, an experienced nonprofit governance attorney, for a session on navigating mergers, closures, and staying the course. Get real-world insights and answers to the tough questions leaders are asking right now. 

🌉 Bridging Gaps: Skillfully Managing Uncertainty and Intergenerational Influence at Work | July 31
In this session, we’ll unpack the complex dynamics of power in the workplace, including how generational differences and personal experiences with age can influence the way we lead, collaborate, and communicate. 

💸 Nonprofit Fundraising: Frenetic to Focused | July 31
With so many competing priorities, it’s easy for your fundraising strategy to slip through the cracks. Join us to take a macro look at your fundraising program to uncover what’s working and zero in on the most impactful, actionable strategies and opportunities. 

P.S. Have a Letter to the Editor from your Executive Director or a news story featuring your organization? Send it our way—we're adding these highlights to the UNA Newsroom

Breakout Sessions Now Online!

Join us for the 2025 UNA Annual Conference, Hope in Action, Utah’s largest gathering of nonprofit professionals, happening Thursday, September 18 at the Davis Conference Center. The UNA Annual Conference brings you a full day of diverse sessions and speakers that offer insights and innovative approaches to addressing today's nonprofit challenges and needs. Register now! 

UNA Annual Conference Awards and Recognitions

Hall of Fame Spotlight Recognition Submissions are open until August 8! Celebrate the individuals who uplift your mission. 

Looking for other ways to get involved? Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities put your organization in front of nonprofit leaders who are ready to connect and collaborate. Support Utah’s nonprofit sector while showcasing your services, products, or expertise. 

Your Learning Lineup

Headed Out for Summer Adventures?

No worriesall UNA trainings (including Credential courses) are recorded so you can learn on your schedule. And when it comes to one-on-one consultations, sign-ups are sent by email—no need to be there live to grab a spot! 

Nonprofit Credential Courses
Get knowledge, skills, and resources to build capacity, achieve outcomes, and grow your organization.

If Not Now, When?

Now is the time to know how to build in an advocacy plan for your organization. A lot of decisions are being made that is affecting your funding, your goals, and the community you serve. It is not too late to start your advocacy plan and building out your strategy in order to protect your nonprofit organization and mission. Register TODAY for the Nonprofit Credential in Advocacy and Civic Engagement. Be the voice your community needs!

Tools You Can Use

UNA’s Telehealth Benefit: Affordable Care, Anytime, Anywhere

HealthiestYou is UNA’s most tech-forward wellness program—offering 24/7 access to licensed doctors via phone or app, helping your team stay healthy while saving on medical costs. 

Ready to make the most of your membership? Learn more. 

Community Corner

UNA’s Community Circles, MiniConfabs, and Receptions

Connect, collaborate, and grow with fellow nonprofit professionals across Utah.

Celebrating Community Excellence

Calling all change-makers and community champions in Utah! Now in its second year, the GRIT Award honors individuals who exemplify the values of Giving, Respecting, Involving, and Transforming. This prestigious recognition celebrates those who have demonstrated unwavering dedication to community engagement by giving back, respecting differences, involving diverse voices, and driving meaningful, transformative change. Through their passion and efforts, these exceptional individuals continue to make Utah a better, more inclusive place for all. Learn more.

New and Renewed Friendships: June

Join us in welcoming our new and returning nonprofit friends, from June to the UNA community.

Research Spotlight: "The Current State of Providers Serving Immigrants & Refugees," by the Center for Economic Opportunity and Belonging 

The recent instability of federal grants has placed many of Utah’s New American service providers in an increasingly precarious position, jeopardizing vital programs and creating uncertainty for the communities they serve. This survey of 28 service providers offers a critical window into the evolving landscape, illuminating both the mounting challenges and the potential pathways forward. Learn more.

Report from the Center for Effective Philanthropy - State of Nonprofits 2025: What Funders Need to Know

"This year, leaders describe operating in an environment that has only grown more complex. Nonprofits are facing new pressures that test their ability to work effectively, such as actions taken by the new presidential administration and future economic uncertainty. A number of foundations have responded by issuing public statements, increasing payout levels, and offering additional support. These actions reflect a growing recognition of the need to support nonprofits as they navigate an increasingly unpredictable context, one that will likely continue to evolve in the months ahead." Learn more.

Nonprofit Community Calendar

Share your upcoming events on the Nonprofit Community Calendar and reach a bigger audience. Submit your event.

Utah SUN Bucks Program (Summer EBT)

Utah SUN Bucks (also called Summer EBT) can help families buy food during the summer when schools are closed. Families get $120 for each eligible school-age child. Applications must be submitted by August 31. Learn more. 

Advocacy

Federal Policy Watch: Nonprofits in the Spotlight

Nonprofits are facing increasing scrutiny, including two recent Congressional hearings that question their funding and mission. At the same time, the Johnson Amendment is under legal threat, which could drastically change how nonprofits engage in politics. Changes to federal benefits rules are also narrowing immigrant access to services, and new shifts in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program may impact nonprofit workers. Learn more.

FREE Nonprofit Vote Webinar: Engaging Candidates 🤝 Ways for Nonprofits to Build Local Community Power | July 30 

Engaging candidates isn’t just about giving candidates a platform around an issue, it’s about breaking down silos. Nonprofits who invite communities to listen and connect with candidates become bridge-builders🌉, connecting the most vulnerable with those seeking to represent them. Register and learn more.

Navigate the Noise

We know you’re balancing a million things. Our Resources to Navigating Uncertainty and Policy Update Page are here to keep you grounded. And if legislation or funding changes are impacting your work, share your story. Your voice matters—and we’re listening. 

Nonprofits Don’t Have Big, Corporate PACs or Deep Lobbying Pockets—but We Do Have Each Other

Advocacy is how we protect our missions, secure resources, and push back against harmful policies. But this work doesn’t happen on its own. It’s powered by people like you. 

Your support and membership fuels our ability to monitor legislation, mobilize quickly, and ensure nonprofits are heard—whether at the Capitol in Salt Lake City or on Capitol Hill in Washington. 

🙏 If you're already a member—thank you! 

👉 Not a member? Join UNA today—because advocacy isn’t free, but it’s worth every ounce of support. 

👉 Not a Nonprofit? Donate to UNA—support the sector with your donation. 

Get Involved

Celebrate the People Who Power Nonprofits

We’ve made it easy to honor the people behind your impact with 2025 UNA Annual Conference nominations and Utah Philanthropy Day awards

Explore these pages to see which nomination, event, or recognition fits your changemaker best:

🌟 Individuals 

Volunteers. Staff. Board members. Advocates.

They show up, speak out, and go above and beyond—often without recognition. Celebrate the individuals who uplift your mission. 

🤝 Teams 

Program staff. Leadership teams. Collaborations. 

Change is a group effort. Recognize your powerhouse team and give them the celebration they deserve. 

💼 Funders and Companies 

Mission-aligned businesses. Sponsors. Grantmakers. 

They make the work possible. Shine a light on your partners who lead with generosity and purpose. 

Joke of the Week

Q: What’s a beach’s favorite kind of music?
A: Surf rock!

Have a joke that makes your team laugh out loud? Send it to info@utahnonprofits.org—you might see it in next week’s Rapid Read! 

Resources to Keep on Your Radar

Need affordable health coverage for your team? Explore UNA's Group Health Insurance Plan. 

Looking for professional expertise or guidance? Check out the Business Affiliate Directory for the solutions you need. 

Sign up for UNA’s Slack Community and join the UNA Advocacy and Civic Engagement channel to share your advocacy priorities, questions, and calls to action.

Curious about UNA member benefits? See the complete list.