August 2025 Roundup
Spur Local
Strengthening local communities is our life's work. Formerly the Catalogue for Philanthropy.
In this monthly roundup, find:
Have thoughts, feedback, or something to share? Please email Amanda Liaw, Spur Local's Communications & Marketing Director, at aliaw@spurlocal.org!
Local News & Updates
On Monday morning, the President temporarily took over the Metropolitan Police Department, which he is authorized to do for up to thirty days under the Home Rule Act. He also deployed the National Guard, with about 800 members beginning to appear on DC streets this week. This is a developing story. Spur Local is following local news sources, including Street Sense Media, Washington City Paper, NBC Washington, Axios DC, and City Cast DC, for updates.
We are joining many allies, including nonprofit partners, to share Know Your Rights information with local communities:
We join the Greater Washington Community Foundation and other philanthropic, business, nonprofit, and faith leaders in supporting DC's right to self-governance and investments in proven community-based solutions.
"Statehood is the only path to real accountability and local control. Without it, the current administration will continue to treat us as powerless and deploy power over us,” Clinique Chapman, CEO of the DC Justice Lab, told The Guardian. “This latest overreach mirrors nationwide efforts to disempower Black-led cities, elected officials and prosecutors, while leaving federal agencies, unaccountable to our residents, in control of our justice system."
"This is fundamentally an economic problem — a shortage of affordable housing," Andy Wassenich, Director of Policy at Miriam’s Kitchen, told The New York Times. "I’ve worked with people who have a sixth-grade education and people who have master’s degrees from Ivy League universities," he said of the unhoused neighbors. "The one thing they had in common is that they couldn’t afford rent."
"With the messaging going around from the Trump administration, we are planning for significantly decreased levels of funding, which means probably significantly decreased level of services, unless we have a significant increase in private sector donations," Maqueda Feldman, Ayuda’s director of legal programs, told the Washington Business Journal. Over recent months, Maqueda Feldman said she has seen “firms and businesses make decisions to sort of curb their engagement” in the form of pro bono legal work or donations, due to concern for drawing attention from the Trump administration.
Just last month, Washington City Paper released its Best of DC 2025 Results, recognizing many local nonprofits like Washington Improv Theater, City Dogs Rescue, Atlas Performing Arts Center, President Lincoln's Cottage, the DC Environmental Film Festival, and more. Our city is beautiful, joyous, and worth celebrating.
Ways to Get Involved
Looking for one-time or longer-term volunteering opportunities? Search local opportunities on Spur Local's website! If you have expertise in areas like marketing, legal, or finance, you can donate these skills, which are enormously helpful for small nonprofits. You can consider joining a nonprofit board or donate other talents to fundraise for a cause.
By taking small steps together, we sustain communities for the long-term. Spur Local's nonprofit partners work in tandem to address today's challenges while building a stronger future for our region. And we each play a part. Community Changemakers is a place for you to meet your nonprofit neighbors! Throughout the evening, connect with 60+ local nonprofits about what they do, how you can get involved, and where we envision going together. Join us on Wednesday, November 5, at 6pm at Hook Hall for food, fun, drinks, and community.
This year, Spur Local is once again a partner of the District Hunt, an annual city-wide treasure hunt around a social theme. On October 4-5, form a team, solve puzzles, and learn about the local community! The theme this year is "Burying the Lede." Every 25 years, symbolic objects are chosen to define the culture of Washington, DC. For generations, a trusted network has protected a rumored treasure tied to this tradition. But in 2025, something has changed. With misinformation on the rise, the protectors are wary of whom to trust and have called for help. Your team is invited to prove it’s worthy of preserving history. Learn more and sign up here!
Join Rising Organizers on Saturday, September 6 at University of District of Columbia from 12-4 PM for the DC Organizing Festival, which will bring together 20 grassroots organizations from across the District. Attendees will connect directly with the campaigns and organizations fighting for our shared future, and participate in hands-on organizing trainings and workshops. There is also free food and activities for all ages. Learn more here.
Nonprofit Events
Attend programming at BlackRock Center for the Arts:
September 15, 5-8pm, in Maryland ($85): Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services (LARS) is a non-profit organization based in Laurel, Maryland that provides housing, and financial assistance to families and individuals in need. This Cocktails for a Cause fundraiser event raises money for LARS's food pantry, homeless services, and senior programs. RSVP here.
September 16, 4-7pm, in Virginia ($65): Shepherd's Center of Northern Virginia's biggest fundraiser of the year is back again! Featuring an awesome golf simulation lounge with world famous courses to play on, a pickleball tournament for advanced players (all levels of play welcome), specialty raffle baskets, and a silent auction with fabulous items and experiences. RSVP here.
September 20, 12pm, in Virginia ($100): The Cloverleaf Polo Classic is the premier community partnership and largest annual fundraising event to support the mission of Cloverleaf Equine Center. Guests are treated to an afternoon of world-class polo, live and silent auctions, music, drinks and dining in the heart of Virginia's picturesque hunt and wine country. The Cloverleaf Polo Classic showcases the impactful work being done at Cloverleaf to serve children and adults with disabilities, youth from marginalized communities and our recovering military personnel. RSVP here.
September 20, 6-9pm, in Maryland ($300): Park After Dark 2025 is a signature C&O Canal Trust event and their largest annual fundraising event in support of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. Hear directly from Trust and National Park Service leadership about current initiatives and plans for the future. The evening also includes music of the canal featuring Seneca Creek Bluegrass Band, a seated dinner, and a silent auction featuring canal-inspired art and weekend getaways showcasing the unique history and recreational activities of canal towns along the Potomac river, s'mores and campfire chat, and an optional ranger-guided hike to Olmsted Island. RSVP here.
Resources for Nonprofits
Spur Local's BIPOC Emerging Leaders cohort is designed for current BIPOC Executive Directors of local nonprofits with less than 3 years of ED experience, or for senior staff that hope to rise into an executive role in the next couple of years. This cohort will run from August through November. Learn more and sign up here.
As part of Spur Local's LeaderBridge partnership with the Crimsonbridge Foundation, registration for our fall program with Access Coaching Collective (ACC) is open! ACC is offering personalized 1:1 coaching for 10 nonprofit leaders. Through this program, participants will engage in six sessions with a coach of their choice, selected from our diverse and highly experienced roster of leadership coaches. This opportunity is open to nonprofit leaders in executive or senior leadership roles at locally-serving nonprofits based in Greater Washington. LeaderBridge alumni are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more here and apply by September 15! Coaching will be from October 2025-March 2026.
Spur Local is proud to have our capacity building services featured in the DMV Capacity Building Map, a new, publicly accessible resource showcasing the wide range of capacity building services and resources available to nonprofits across DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Created in direct response to feedback from nonprofit leaders, this tool is designed to strengthen collaboration across the sector, increase awareness of available support, and help nonprofit organizations more easily identify and access the resources they need to thrive. Explore the project and learn more here.
Spur Local's Executive Director Matt Gayer and Communications Director Amanda Liaw are faculty members in Georgetown University's new Leading Nonprofit Resiliency Training Program! This 3-day curriculum is designed for Executive Directors, CEOs, and senior nonprofit leaders. Taking place from October 15–17, 2025, this program will equip participants with practical tools and strategies across a series of interrelated topics, including Leading in Uncertain Times, Financial Sustainability Assessment, Building Fundraising Resilience, Scenario Planning, Strategic and Crisis Communications, and Caring for Yourself and Your Staff. The inaugural cohort will be limited to 25 participants, accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees will also have the opportunity to invite a board member to join select sessions. The cost to attend is $1,500, with scholarships available based on financial need. Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day. Learn more about the program and register here.
Spur Local is a proud partner of the 2025 Race to Lead Survey, a national effort by the Building Movement Project to better understand how race, leadership, and identity shape the nonprofit sector. Whether you're new to the field or a seasoned professional, your perspective matters. This is an opportunity to reflect on your experiences and help inform how our sector can become more equitable and accountable. The survey is anonymous, takes about 15 minutes, and is open to all nonprofit staff - regardless of role, background, or career stage. By participating, you'll be contributing to the largest dataset of its kind, and helping make sure the realities of nonprofit staff are visible, valued, and taken seriously. Take the survey here!
Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) partners with incredible D.C.-area nonprofits, helping them elevate their messaging and amplify their impact. They're looking for their next pro bono client for a two-year partnership, starting in January 2026. This is a unique chance for a non-profit dedicated to empowering women and/or families in the DC metro area to receive free, high-level strategic communications support from a dedicated team of experienced PR professionals. Their comprehensive services can include strategic communications planning, media relations and training, brand development and messaging, digital communications and website support, social media strategy and engagement, event planning and promotion, and a communications audit. Learn more and apply by August 29.
Ben & Jerry's National Grassroots Organizing Program is now accepting applications for multi-year grants of $10,000-$30,000/year to support community-led organizing. These awards fund grassroots organizations advancing environmental justice, immigrant and refugee rights, criminal justice reform, worker rights, housing justice, Indigenous sovereignty, gender justice, and more. This is a rare opportunity for smaller, member-led organizations with annual operating budgets under $350,000. It's incredibly competitive: last year, fewer than 10% of applicants were funded. The strongest proposals center directly impacted communities, show true organizing infrastructure, and connect local fights to systemic change. Learn more here.
Job Openings
Spur Local collates job openings from local nonprofits as a resource for our community, with the majority of these positions at nonprofit partners in the Spur Local network. For more information or to apply for the positions listed below, please reach out to the appropriate organization directly.
Full-Time Positions
Finance and Operations Manager | Collegiate Directions | $70,000 - $75,000. Contact president@collegiatedirections.org.
Communications Manager | Collegiate Directions | $60,000 - $70,000. Contact president@collegiatedirections.org.
Entry-Level | Membership and Program Associate | Main Street Connect | $50,000 - $56,000. Contact Tara Owens at tarao@mainstreetconnect.org.
Part-Time Positions
Entry-Level | Classroom Instructor | Aspire Afterschool Learning | $22,500. Contact Anna Faulkner at jobs@aspireafterschool.org.
Missed last month's roundup? View more resources, ways to get involved, and opportunities from July 2025.