Ready. Set. SPUR.

The Foundation’s rural nonprofit conference, SPUR, was held August 7-8, 2025, in Sweetwater, Texas. The Foundation's rural grantmaking initiative inspired the event. The purpose of SPUR is to connect rural nonprofits and funders passionate about strengthening West-Central Texas communities.

Mike Fernandez, Texas National Bank President & CEO, provided opening remarks at the conference, including a charge for the participants. "Our hope is that you soak up as much as you can over the next few days," said Fernandez. "That you make some new friends and acquaintances, and that you leave the conference energized and full of ideas to take back to your homes and organizations."

Fernandez also shared a scripture he had been reflecting on as the days for SPUR drew close. 

Hosted on the campus of Texas State Technical College (TSTC), nearly 100 nonprofit staff, board members, volunteers, and funders from 70 organizations attended the conference.

"This has been a great conference. It's given me a lot of insights into what's necessary to run and administrate a nonprofit," said Jim Cargile with LifeHouse. "My board president and I are going to have to sit down and do some good stuff."

Educational sessions were held on the first day of the conference. 

From board governance to capacity building, marketing and communications to donor stewardship and development, presenting subject-matter experts shared knowledge specific to the nonprofit landscape. 

See the speaker list and explore the conference agenda.

In addition, to prepare nonprofits for the funder roundtables, the Foundation team and supporters (like Dini Spheris, MindPop, and Texas Rural Funders) staffed the SPUR Help Desk. This was a central location where feedback was provided to the nonprofits on their pitches. 

These coaching conversations were constructive in refining an organization's elevator speech before the funder roundtables. 

To conclude SPUR on the following day, the funder roundtables offered face-to-face connections between the nonprofit and the funder. The roundtable discussions are a unique event where nonprofit organizations seeking funding can meet with potential funders in a speed-dating style. 

Participating funders included: Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation, Community Foundation of Abilene, Humanities Texas, Texas Methodist Foundation, The Carl C. Anderson Sr. & Marie Jo Anderson Charitable Foundation, and The Meadows Foundation.

Grant funding plays a crucial role in enhancing the health and well-being of these communities. However, to secure these funds, nonprofits must establish strong relationships with funders and thoroughly understand the grants process. 

With the roundtables, representatives from funding organizations and nonprofit organizations had an opportunity to meet face-to-face to discuss whether there are possible matches between the funder’s giving or grant priorities and the nonprofit’s needs. 

The goal is to connect the nonprofit with local, regional, and statewide funders to gain awareness of their organization. 

This opportunity lets organizations present their "pitch" within a set time limit. 

The nonprofit's introduction could spark interest from the funder. This interaction may lead to further discussions between the organization and the funder.  

And if the roundtables couldn't get any better... 

The Texas Methodist Foundation selected nine nonprofit organizations to recommend in the funder's upcoming grant recommendations. Those nine organizations include:

1. Collegiate Edu-Nation
2. Concho Valley Community Action Agency
3. Cornerstone Community Action Agency
4. DeLeon Public Library
5. Disability Resources, Inc
6. International Rescue Committee
7. ResourceCare
8. Snyder Community Resource Center
9. Sweetwater House of Peace (SHOP)

The impact of these recommendations is a $2,500 grant as well as the opportunity to engage in a learning cohort with Wendolyn Abel, Vice President of Grants Ministry for Texas Methodist Foundation, and other TMF nonprofit grantees. 

This conference event provided rural nonprofits with invaluable access to funding sources, opportunities for collaboration, and capacity-building services. 

It was an opportunity to connect with peers and leaders who understand the challenges facing rural communities. These resources enable organizations to address the needs of their communities more effectively.

A special thanks to the nonprofit and funder participants, as well as our sponsors, for making SPUR possible.

• Prentice Farrar Brown & Alline Ford Brown Foundation
• Dini Spheris
• Dublin Bottling Works
• Shelton Family Foundation
• Taylor Electric Cooperative
• Texas National Bank
• Texas State Technical College (TSTC)
• United Way Abilene

It's strategic philanthropy uniting rural for nonprofits across West-Central Texas.