Speaking Funders’ Language - Aligning Community Café Work With What Foundations Say They Need
Recent research from Candid and the Center for Effective Philanthropy reveals a growing disconnect between what nonprofits say they need to survive and thrive—and what foundation leaders believe they are providing. Survey data gathered from hundreds of nonprofit and foundation leaders highlights rising service demand, increasing pressure on nonprofit leadership, and the urgent need for flexible, relationship‑based funding—yet also shows that foundation leaders often underestimate the scale and urgency of these challenges. [candid.org]
At the same time, community cafés are evolving rapidly. Across the network, cafés are responding to increased demand, workforce strain, shifting donor expectations, and a growing emphasis on dignity‑centered food access. More cafés are collecting data, refining participation models, strengthening partnerships, and positioning themselves as both service providers and systems‑change organizations.
This workshop brings these two realities into conversation. Participants will explore key findings from Candid’s research and examine how community cafés can intentionally align their narratives, funding asks, and grant strategies with what funders say they’re prioritizing—while still clearly articulating what cafés actually need. Together, we’ll discuss how cafés are using data, research, and lived experience to reframe conversations around general operating support, sustainability, collaboration, and long‑term impact.
Through facilitated discussion and peer sharing, attendees will reflect on how to use funder research not as a constraint, but as a strategic tool—one that strengthens grant writing, improves funder relationships, and helps build funding pipelines that support the next phase of the community café movement.
Participants will:
Review key insights from Candid’s research on nonprofit and foundation leader perspectives
Explore how these findings connect to current trends in community cafés
Discuss how cafés are adapting funding strategies in response to increased demand and sector pressure
Share practical ways to align grant language with funder priorities without compromising mission or values
Leave with ideas for leveraging philanthropic research to strengthen funding conversations and proposals
This workshop is ideal for café leaders, development staff, and board members seeking to better understand the philanthropic landscape—and to position community cafés as evidence‑informed, resilient, and fundable models in a changing food system.
FACILITATOR: Jennifer Earle, Grace Cafe
LOCATION:
First Presbyterian Church
650 2nd Ave North
Fargo, ND 58102