Napa Valley CanDo’s Give!Guide 2026 Application
Requirements, Guidelines and Application
Submission deadline – 11:59 on Monday, June 30, 2026
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
- IRS Recognition
Must be a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (NPO) recognized by the IRS (or fiscally
sponsored by one) for at least two years.
NOTE: Applications from individual schools, personal scholarships, religious institutions*, political organizations, or memorial funds cannot be accepted.
*Exception: Religious institutions may qualify if offering secular public programs with funds exclusively restricted to those purposes. - Compliance Requirements:
Must be current with both the Federal and State NPO tax-exempt compliance filings, including:- IRS tax-exempt filing (annually)
- California Registry of Charities and Fundraisers (annually)
- California “Statement of Information” (every two-years)
- Visit the CalNonprofit NPO Compliance Checklist on the CalNonprofit website for details.
- Program Scope
- Must have a dedicated program(s) in Napa County that serve local residents.
- All funds raised through the Give!Guide must be used exclusively for Napa County public programs and services.
- Returning NPOs
Are welcome to apply and must be in good standing with the Give!Guide from prior years.
SUBMIT THE APPLICATION ONTIME & ONLINE:
Application period opens May 28 and closes June 30, 2026 at 11:59 pm. Any applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted, no exceptions. Application submission is done online and a confirmation receipt will be sent via email to the main contact listed on your application.
ATTEND TWO MANDATORY MEETINGS:
Failure to attend both meetings may result in an NPO being disqualified from Give!Guide participation.
Orientation Meeting – May 28. All applicants must attend at least one, and are welcome to attend both:
- Newbies 10:30 am – 12:00 pm. For NPOs new to the Give!Guide, returning, or has new personnel.
- Veterans 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm. For NPOs that were featured in the Give!Guide last year.
Count Down Meeting – September 3, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm. For all accepted applicants.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about eligibility – GiveGuide@NVCanDo.org
SELECTION PROCESS
Selection Committee:
All applications are read and evaluated by the Give!Guide selection committee which is made up of members of the community as well as Give!Guide team members.
Each year, the goal of the Give!Guide is to include a cross section of nonprofit organizations by selecting a mix of:
- Organization sizes (small to large)
- Diverse focus areas (characterized by the 7 Give!Guide categories)
- Representation of as many Napa County localities as possible
- Organizations that are new to the G!G as well as ‘veteran’ participants.
Priority consideration may be granted to achieve this balance.
Returning nonprofits: Please note that a history of missed deadlines, and/or a lack of participation in prior year Give!Guide campaigns may impact your application score for this selection process.
APPLICATION OVERVIEW
The CanDo Give!Guide application consists of two parts:
Part A – NONPROFIT PROFILE
Responses in this section provide general organizational information to help us verify eligibility, learn more about your organization, and gather contact information for your Give!Guide campaign team.
Part B – CORE QUESTIONS
Responses in this section will be reviewed by the selection committee, and one question will be scored. If your organization is selected, your answers will be featured on your NPO’s Give!Guide profile page as submitted.
Please provide responses that are clear, concise, engaging, and donor-ready.
Reminders: Responses that exceed the posted word limits cannot be accepted. Please check your word counts before submitting.
TIP:We recommend drafting your answers offline first. Copy the questions into a Word document and take time to prepare thoughtful responses using language from your website, marketing materials, or outreach content. When finished, paste your final answers into the online application form.
Before submitting your application, be sure to save a copy for your records.
Need help writing your Core Questions?
Review a couple nonprofit profiles from last year’s CanDo Napa Valley Give!Guide for inspiration, writing styles, and formatting examples. Additional tips and guidance will also be shared during the Orientation Meeting.
ACCEPTANCE NOTIFICATION
All applicants will receive notification of their acceptance via email on August 3, 2026
IF SELECTED
PARTICIPATION FEE & AUTHORIZATION LETTER:
If selected, nonprofits are required to submit a one-time, non-refundable participation fee and an Authorization Letter signed by the board president by October 1, 2026.
Participation fees are based on your organization’s annual budget:
Fees are payable by check to Napa Valley CanDo. Please mail your check with the signed Authorization Letter to P. O. Box 855, Napa, CA 94559.
| If your budget is in this range… | Your participation fee is this amount… |
| $1-$150,000 | $400 |
| $150,001-$750,000 | $500 |
| $750,001 and above | $600 |
The Give!Guide is produced by a dedicated volunteer committee of Napa Valley CanDo. Participation fees help support campaign marketing and promotion, website maintenance, assorted NPO marketing materials, outreach efforts, events, and specialized services when needed.
ENGAGED PARTNERSHIP EXPECTATIONS
Participating nonprofits are expected to be active and engaged partners in the Give!Guide campaign by helping promote the campaign, honoring deadlines, and supporting donor stewardship efforts.
All participating organizations agree to provide tax acknowledgment letters to donors promptly — ideally within one week of receiving donations and no later than January 31, 2027, as required by the IRS.
MATCHING & SUPPORTING PARTNERS
Organizations that actively promote their Give!Guide campaigns, build partnerships, secure matching funds, and reach new audiences often see the strongest results during the year-end giving season.
Past participants consistently report that matching and supporting partners significantly increase campaign visibility and donor engagement.
We strongly encourage all participating nonprofits to secure one or more matching and/or supporting partners. These partnerships will be featured on your NPO’s profile page. You can add new matches and partnerships throughout the two-month campaign.
QUESTIONS? Please contact us at GiveGuide@NVCanDo.org, or call Nancy Fireman (707) 226.7458.
Application Form
Thank you for your interest in participating in the Give!Guide 2026.
We appreciate your commitment to serving Napa County and the time and care you’ve taken to complete this application and for sharing your organization’s important work with us