Mini but Mighty: Highlighting Local Nonprofits for Give STL Day 2026
Give STL Day is the St. Louis Community Foundation’s annual 24-hour signature community giving event, raising money and awareness for over one thousand local nonprofits serving the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan area year after year. The event has raised more than $38 million in its history. Click here to read the 2025 event impact report.
This year marks thirteen years of Give STL Day. We look forward to the transformative impact Give STL Day 2026 will have on our neighbors, communities, and the nonprofits that reside amongst and serve us all.
For Give STL Day, the St. Louis Community Foundation categorizes nonprofits based on operating budget, recognizing nonprofit organizations often stretch a dollar beyond its limits to fulfill their mission and meet the needs of the community. The six categories are:
- Mini: $0 – $50,000
- Micro: $50,001 – $250,000
- Small: $250,001 – $1,000,000
- Medium: $1,000,001 – $2,000,000
- Large: $2,000,001 – $5,000,000
- Giant: $5,000,001 and above
To celebrate thirteen years of Give STL Day we want to highlight a few of the nonprofits from each category who enact change in the St. Louis region. The following organizations are some of the “Mini but Mighty” organizations operating locally.
Find the Light Foundation’s mission is, “To Promote the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Youth and Young Adults by Providing Accessible Resources, Support, and Education.” Born out of heartbreak, the Foundation’s journey began with a single Facebook status and has transformed into what they’ve described as a “new kind of organization” that is dedicated to helping the next generation of students break the cycle and take control of their mental health, always with students leading the way.
Find the Light Foundation provides two free resource portals, capable of being filtered by category, population, cost, and accessibility capable of being used by all ages – yet consciously curated for young people. Moreover, through youth focused advocacy education, alongside community centered tabling events, conferences, and festivals, this organization creates opportunities for all to get involved in their mission.
Learn more about the light of the “Find the Light Foundation” at their website here.
Old Man River Nature Retreat’s mantra is, “Providing a natural oasis of peace & serenity for those coping with PTSD.” Located in Southern Missouri, this non-profit organization was started by Jim and Cindy after the passing of Jim’s beloved father. Honoring Jim’s father, a Vietnam Veteran, who was lovingly nicknamed “Old Man River” the nonprofit’s mission is to “offer veterans, first responders and their family members a natural oasis of peace and serenity to relax the mind, rejuvenate the body and lift the spirit.”
The family’s dream property for the retreat encompasses 43 acres of woods, open fields, a spring fed creek, a 4-5 acre stocked lake, and a small but beautiful waterfall. Constantly growing, Old Man River Nature Retreat offers a variety of services from peer counseling to suicide prevention assistance, reiki to natural and alternative remedy education. OMRNR hopes their services will assist guests in making small changes in their daily lives to heal & find peace.
Learn more about Jim, Cindy, and Old Man River Nature Retreat at their website here.
The Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis was organized in June of 1982 and was formally incorporated in January of 1983. Continually funded by the Productive Living Board for St. Louis County Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, the Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis aims to, “connect individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities with a variety of recreation activities and programs across the greater St. Louis area.”
The Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis provides a range of services from presentations and information on local opportunities to voucher programs to assist with funding for leisure and recreation programs. One such program is their annual “Ride to Unite” program, which assists individuals with disabilities of all ages to experience the inherent joy and independence of cycling without limits. By working with each individual to identify programs in their community that meets their interests and support needs, the Council provides individuals with developmental disabilities with the opportunity to have fun, be active, socialize, gain independence and discover their life’s passion.
Learn more about the Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis and their annual “Ride to Unite” program, by visiting their website here.
Find More Organizations
Give STL Day’s website hosts a directory of nonprofits in the Greater St. Louis region who have registered for the philanthropic day of giving. If you’re curious about the plethora of “Mini but Mighty” non profits in the area, visit the website at www.givestlday.org.
This Give STL Day, consider donating to support the mini nonprofits championing magnificent change. Early giving starts April 22nd and Give STL Day starts at 12am on May 7th.