Allegany Franciscan Ministries wishes you a joyful holiday season. Inside our December newsletter, you will learn about organizational and grant program updates as well as upcoming events for nonprofits to consider attending.

Welcome Stephen Goodell!

We are excited to announce that Stephen Goodell joined the Allegany Franciscan Ministries staff team on October 9, 2023, as our new Administrative and Grant Services Coordinator. 

In his new role, Stephen will provide administrative and logistical support to the Allegany staff team and board of directors, manage accounts payable, and perform related bookkeeping activities and key operations support activities.

Prior to joining Allegany Franciscan Ministries, Stephen served as a bookkeeper and accounting clerk for Ferman Automotive Group. He has extensive experience in accounts payable and accounts receivable. Stephen also has a background in marketing and sales in digital advertising and previously served as a real estate agent for Keller Williams. 

Stephen holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Penn State and is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity in Chaplaincy from Liberty University. His personal interests include working with his local church, spending time with his wife, Amanda, and his family. 

The Allegany team is ecstatic to welcome Stephen aboard!

Farewell to Daniel Gibson

Greetings, friends and partners of Allegany Franciscan Ministries, 

After serving seven years as Allegany Franciscan Ministries’ Regional Vice President for Miami-Dade County, Daniel Gibson has moved on to a new leadership role in philanthropy, with the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. During his tenure with Allegany, Daniel’s unwavering commitment to the community and ability to develop relationships and forge partnerships proved to be key elements to the success of the Common Good Initiative in Overtown.

As a team member, Daniel demonstrated authenticity, passion for the work and a true sense of “fun” for everyone. He was never more than a phone call away and always willing to collaborate with colleagues. Daniel is a committed champion for equitable and inclusive practices in grantmaking and he displayed this in all his work. Daniel also demonstrated a deep appreciation for the history and work of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany and the Allegany Franciscan Ministries Board.

He will be missed, but his impact will forever remain a part of Allegany. 

In September, Allegany convened community partners and supporters of the Common Good Initiative to celebrate their efforts and impact over the last nine years. Fellows, community partners, council members, consultants and thought partners, and Allegany staff and board members joined together to share learnings, successes, and challenges, and to talk about the future of the three communities - Wimauma, Overtown, and Lincoln Park. The two-day event ended with a showering of passion, joy, and encouragement with a blessing from the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany and a performance by the Jones High School Marching Band. Watch a highlight video of the event by clicking on the image below.

Health in the Hood, Miami, FL



Health in the Hood was awarded a Tau Grant in the Fall of 2022 to support the maintenance of the organization’s urban vegetable gardens, healthy food distribution, and wellness programs. The organization’s mission is to promote equal food access for all through urban farming and whole-person wellness. Produce grown in Health in the Hood gardens is distributed for free to children and families, local food pantries, churches, and community centers in food desert neighborhoods. Residents are hired to maintain the gardens, providing needed jobs, and colorful murals are painted on the vegetable beds to enhance community beautification. 

Take a look at their most recent impact video below to gain insight on the incredible work that is being done in Miami.

St. Francis Primary and Infant School, Kingston, Jamaica

St. Francis Primary and Infant School in Kingston, Jamaica was established by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany in 1890. The school serves children between the ages of 4 and 12. Franciscan Sister of Allegany, Maureen Clare Hall served on the board and was actively involved with the school until her passing earlier this year.

The school received an ACOR Grant to expand one of the classrooms which was a quarter of the size of other classrooms. This limited class size and placed pressure on other teachers to take on additional students. Construction has been completed and the renovated and expanded classroom is standard size. Students and teachers now have a more comfortable environment, conducive to learning.

In 2020, Allegany Franciscan Ministries began phasing verbal reporting into our grant reviews, replacing or complementing written reports. We believe that verbal reports provide greater depth of understanding, ease the administrative burden on our grant partners, and offer opportunities for mutual problem-solving and visioning. With verbal reports, Allegany staff initiate a conversation where a shared set of questions are asked. During the verbal report session, usually conducted via Zoom, the Allegany staff listens and engages in dialogue with our partners, then completes documentation in the grants management system. In 2023, we reviewed the reports completed to date and compiled a brief, summary report to share what we are learning from our grant partners.

Theme Design

Implementing a thoughtful and inclusive theme design within a grants system is key to ensuring accessibility and fostering more equitable grantmaking. That’s why our grant technology solutions company, Foundant Technologies, applied a new overall design to our online portal earlier this month. This includes using more clear and legible fonts, and sufficient color contrast which allows all users a visually accessible and clear platform. The next time you log in, you will see the new theme and we hope you find value in the change.

Applicant Dashboard Action Buttons

As an Allegany grant partner, it’s important to familiarize yourself and reference your personal applicant dashboard. The dashboard serves to organize and maintain your organization’s current and past requests and grants awarded, and to complete any “follow up” action items that have been assigned to you. While in the past, you’ve used links to access and complete grant agreements and written reports from your dashboard, new action buttons have been implemented and labeled for better clarity and navigation. View completed follow up forms, Start the next report assigned, or Preview an upcoming scheduled report. 

How to Create a 2024 Fundraising Game Plan for Your Nonprofit, Jan. 11

Review your fundraising year: Understand what worked and what didn't in 2023 to refine your approach for the future. This is a free webinar offered by Nonprofits First. Register

Secure More Strategic Partnerships & Achieve Collective Impact to Grow Your Nonprofit, Jan. 31

During this interactive course, you will explore the various types of strategic collaborations, including partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions. You’ll examine case studies of effective partnerships, identify opportunities for your nonprofit, define next steps, and learn how to manage the process for collective impact. This is an in-person event offered by Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay. Register

Advocacy 101, Feb. 21

This webinar by Florida Nonprofit Alliance is specifically developed for nonprofit organizations and covers the ins and outs of advocacy and lobbying. Register