Abilene Gives 2026 FAQs

Abilene Gives will conclude after the 2026 giving day event. However, the Foundation is not ending. In alignment with our strategic initiatives, we will instead expand the educational programming offered with the launch of the building expansion. 

The Foundation completes listening sessions with nonprofits and giving day leaders to hear lessons learned. In those conversations, the Foundation discovered that the giving day is a significant strain on capacity. 

While Abilene Gives will not be replaced with another giving day, the Foundation is actively planning a two-day nonprofit conference in spring 2027. 

Nonprofits have consistently commented that the most valuable aspects of the giving day were the online platform, planning tools, and marketing strategies. 

This educational event leverages the momentum and feedback from the local nonprofit community regarding these competencies.

We will continue to provide a platform for local nonprofits to highlight their causes. Nonprofit Compass allows nonprofits to provide updated needs, engagement opportunities, and video messages that tell their unique story.

After each giving day, the Foundation distributes a survey to the nonprofits. In the 2025 results, responding organizations indicated the following:

• 26% do not project for Abilene Gives in their operating budget.
• 49% say that Abilene Gives donations reflect 10% or less of their operating budget.

Informed by this feedback from our nonprofit community, the Foundation decided that the giving day is no longer the most effective way to support local nonprofits’ fundraising capacity.

There is no financial gain to the Foundation from Abilene Gives. The giving day is designed entirely to benefit the participating nonprofits, where the dollars raised go directly to them. Sponsors, such as Foundation fundholders, businesses, or individuals, underwrite the bonus prizes that are awarded on the giving day. These bonus prizes can help amplify the nonprofit’s overall giving day total. The Foundation’s role is to host and resource the nonprofits with training and promotion. 

Giving days allow nonprofits to build well-developed donor stewardship plans. Of the participants in 2025, at least 82% raised $1,000 or more. 

Even as new nonprofits or first-time Abilene Gives participants, we're confident the organizations will take their experience and build on their new donor base beyond Abilene Gives. 

The Foundation will host a nonprofit training on January 28, 2026. At that time, more information will be shared about the sunsetting of Abilene Gives 2026. Training registration details will be emailed and available on our website.

Nonprofit registration will open on January 30, 2026, at abilenegives.org.

The features of the Abilene Gives platform are identical to those of the Foundation’s nonprofit directory, Nonprofit Compass. Nonprofits can transfer their Abilene Gives content to a Nonprofit Compass profile and continue using the platform to make their organization visible year-round. 

Note: Donor and financial data should be exported and saved before July 31, 2026. This information will not be available after August 1, 2026.

Nonprofit Compass is not a giving day, but it continues the discoverability and online fundraising functionality that nonprofits used during Abilene Gives. On their profile, nonprofits can share volunteer and board service needs, wish lists, and more. 

Donors can contribute to a nonprofit’s funding request featured in one of the Foundation’s multiple grant cycles, through a nonprofit’s profile at nonprofitcompass.org, or the nonprofit’s direct website.

All the Foundation’s rural and local grantmaking will continue. For example, the application for the community grant cycle is currently open through January 15, 2026. Guidelines and application information are available at cfabilene.org/grants. 

In 2024-25, the Foundation directed about $1.2 million through its community grant cycle, including $264k to rural nonprofits. 

The 2026 Abilene Gives will serve as a celebration of a decade of community impact. Additional opportunities to recognize participating nonprofits, donors, and sponsors will be announced in the New Year.

The Foundation’s investment is in stronger capacity-building, leadership development, and community partnerships that extend beyond a single day of giving. Sunsetting Abilene Gives allows Foundation staff and resources to support these strategic plans, especially as the building expansion project launches.