Cary Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies

05/27/2026

No better way to spend a weekday afternoon than with our friends Our House Auburn ‼️ We are excited to help support Our House with materials from our iCare Kids Book Club that focuses on character development, money smarts, and legacy buildings as they begin their summer camp! ☀️📚

05/27/2026

Join us for our June virtual program - registration link below!

Our June virtual program, "Hidden Research Funders Are Doing On You," will take place via Zoom on Thursday, June 11th from 10:30-11:30 AM CST with Lauren Steiner, Founder and CEO of Grants Plus. The one-hour program is FREE thanks to our presenting sponsor, the Walker Area Community Foundation. Registration is required--register today: linktr.ee/carycenterau.

Lauren Steiner is the Founder and CEO of Grants Plus, a national grant strategy and consulting firm serving nonprofit organizations since 2007. With over two decades of practitioner experience, she advises organizations on institutional fundraising strategy, funder cultivation, and building grant programs that reflect both mission clarity and organizational credibility. Lauren serves on the Giving USA Editorial Review Board, and is a recognized voice on grant seeking trends, foundation giving, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence in nonprofit institutional fundraising.

Contact Brittany Spillman at [email protected] or 334-844-3557 for additional information See less

05/19/2026

Thank you to Blake and for their sponsorship by Railroad Investment Group supporting the ’s monthly Nonprofit Development Meetup over lunch and a great presentation by Pilot Peak Consulting on “How to manage staff that report to you.”

05/01/2026

The Cary Center’s iCare Kids curriculum is making a difference across Alabama! 4th and 5th grade students from across the state are stepping up, setting goals, and learning the importance of being financially responsible and philanthropically engaged!

04/21/2026

04/17/2026

Today we are highlighting our Book Club Coordinator Amanda Hebb! Amanda’s passion for empowering future philanthropists has helped shape our iCare Kids Curriculum into what is is today. Thank you Amanda for all that you do! 📚✨

04/03/2026

Our April virtual program, "Creative Impact: Building Programs That Transform Communities," will take place via Zoom on Thursday, April 9th from 10:30-11:30 AM CST with Hannah Wohltjen, Co-Founder and Chief Research and Evaluation Officer at Elevate Consulting. The one-hour program is FREE thanks to our presenting sponsor, the Walker Area Community Foundation. Registration is required--register today: linktr.ee/carycenterau.

Hannah Wohltjen is the Chief Research and Evaluation Officer and a co-founder of Elevate Consulting, a Nashville-based consulting firm that partners with service organizations to help them find ways to better solve problems, tell their stories, and share their impact. She is passionate about making evaluation approachable, accessible, and useful. She has experience with all phases of evaluation, but is particularly interested in evaluation design, innovative data collection methods, and data visualization. Hannah has had the opportunity to work on evaluation projects with a variety of state agencies, foundations, and nonprofits.

Contact Brittany Spillman at [email protected] or 334-844-3557 for additional information

04/01/2026

We are absolutely thrilled to share some incredible news! Our very own Jade Kennedy of the Walker County Children’s Advocacy Center (WCCAC) has been named the
***2026 Alabama Nonprofit Employee of the Year!**

This award is through Cary Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies Auburn University College of Human Sciences. This initiative is sponsored by the Student Philanthropy Board (SPB) of Auburn University- a mentoring initiative of the Women's Philanthropy Board.

This prestigious statewide honor recognizes Jade’s unwavering dedication, compassion, and tireless work for the children and families in our community. Please join us in the comments below to congratulate Jade on this well-deserved recognition!

We are so proud to have her representing Walker County on the state stage. 🏆💙

04/01/2026

The Cary Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies has partnered with the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham to present an in person "Nonprofit Training Series" in Birmingham at the Community Foundation's office on Wednesday, April 15th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Registration is $25 and includes lunch sponsored by Fortif Law Partners. Register today at: linktr.ee/carycenterau

Contact Brittany Spillman at [email protected] or 334-844-3557 for additional information.

03/30/2026

Partner Spotlight! We love partnering with local nonprofits, and this spring has been teaching our iCare Kids curriculum through our Book Club. 📚These Students are growing as leaders-building compassion, financial responsibility, and a heart for giving back. 💸🫶