The Nonprofit Calendar

October 2026: events, trainings and webinars for nonprofits

October has 31 days. It begins on a Thursday. It's budget season, and the month to write your year-end letter.

At a glance

  1. October 7 to November 18: Nonprofit Board Guidance Cohort: How EDs Can Strengthen Their Boards

    Alliance for Nonprofit Impact (United Way of Rhode Island) · Providence, RI

  2. October 8 to November 4: Advanced Board Leadership Certificate

    Center for Nonprofit Excellence of Middle Tennessee · Nashville, TN

  3. October 8 to January 21: 2026-2027 Nonprofit Management Certificate Program

    Common Good Vermont · Vermont (first day in person, then Zoom), VT

  4. October 16 to November 13: Nonprofit Board Reset Cohort with Katie Spencer

    Tennessee Nonprofit Network

The days of October

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  • Red-letter day: a big event or a deadline
  • Has events
  • Federal holiday
  • Giving day
  • Awareness date
  • Observance
  • Good to know

What's on, day by day

All October long

Back to the days of October

Thursday, October 1Red-letter day

Back to the days of October

Sunday, October 4

Back to the days of October

Monday, October 5

  • Awareness day · Human services, Community and civic life, International

    World Habitat Day

    Housing groups can share what a safe home changed for one family, told in their own words.

    Source: United Nations (opens in a new tab)

  • Awareness day · Education, International

    World Teachers' Day

    Thank the teachers who send you volunteers, students and referrals. A short note this week goes a long way.

    Source: UNESCO (opens in a new tab)

Back to the days of October

Wednesday, October 7

Back to the days of October

Thursday, October 8Red-letter day

Back to the days of October

Saturday, October 10

Back to the days of October

Sunday, October 11

  • Awareness day · International, Education

    International Day of the Girl Child

    Let the girls in your programs lead your posts today, in their own words and with their families' okay.

    Source: United Nations (opens in a new tab)

Back to the days of October

Monday, October 12

Back to the days of October

Tuesday, October 13

  • Awareness day · Environment and animals, Community and civic life, International

    International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

    Check your own plan for a flood, fire or long power cut, and share one tip that helps the people you serve get ready.

    Source: United Nations (opens in a new tab)

Back to the days of October

Wednesday, October 14

Back to the days of October

Thursday, October 15Red-letter day

Back to the days of October

Friday, October 16

Back to the days of October

Saturday, October 17

  • Awareness day · Human services, International

    International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

    Invite people who have lived through poverty to speak for themselves in your posts and meetings.

    Source: United Nations (opens in a new tab)

Back to the days of October

Monday, October 19

Back to the days of October

Tuesday, October 20Red-letter day

  • Oct 20 to Nov 17 · 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM CT · In person

    Beginner's Guide to Grant Writing (two-day workshop)

    University of Illinois Extension (Williamson County) · Marion, IL · No cost for a limited number of southern Illinois Delta Region participants (value $225)

  • Oct 20 to Feb 16, 2027 · 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM CT · In person

    Resilient Nonprofit Lab

    Initiative Foundation · Waite Park, MN · Free

Back to the days of October

Friday, October 23

Back to the days of October

Saturday, October 24

  • Awareness week · through October 31 · Education, International

    Global Media and Information Literacy Week

    A good week to show the people you serve, and your own team, how to spot a fake post or a scam before sharing it.

    Source: United Nations (opens in a new tab)

  • Awareness day · International

    United Nations Day

    Groups that work abroad or with refugees can share one way their work links your town to the wider world.

    Source: United Nations (opens in a new tab)

Back to the days of October

Tuesday, October 27Red-letter day

  • Awareness day · Arts and culture, International

    World Day for Audiovisual Heritage

    Old tapes and home movies fade, so ask your community to help you find, label and save the ones that tell your story.

    Source: UNESCO (opens in a new tab)

Back to the days of October

Wednesday, October 28

Back to the days of October

Thursday, October 29Red-letter day

  • Awareness day · Human services, Health, International

    International Day of Care and Support

    Thank the paid and unpaid caregivers who make your programs possible.

    Source: United Nations (opens in a new tab)

  • Oct 29 to 30 · 11:30 AM Oct 29 to 4:30 PM Oct 30 CT · In person

    2026 MCN Annual Conference

    Minnesota Council of Nonprofits · St. Paul, MN · $395 members / $500 nonmembers through Oct 19; pay what you can $159 or $239

  • Oct 29 to 30 · MT · In person

    Heart of Colorado Rural Philanthropy Days

    Community Resource Center · Leadville, CO · $100 to $350

Back to the days of October

Friday, October 30

Back to the days of October

Saturday, October 31

  • Awareness day · Community and civic life, International

    World Cities Day

    Community development groups can share one change on their block that neighbors made happen together.

    Source: United Nations (opens in a new tab)

Back to the days of October

Next: November

Recurring, date not posted yet

These events repeat, but the next date isn't posted yet. Save one to keep it close, or check the organizer's page for news.

While you wait

Free reads on your topics. Each one says who made it.

Your month ahead

One email, a few days before each month starts. It brings your red-letter days, the events that fit you, and the best days to get things done.

Built from your picks

  • Everything, until you pick

One email a month, and every one has an unsubscribe link. We never sell or share your address. How we handle it

See a sample email

Best days to...

  • Send your year-end appealFirst week of November

    Mailed then, your letter arrives before GivingTuesday on December 1 and still has all of December to work. For taxes, a gift counts in the year it's made, so December 31 is the last day for 2026.

    Sources

  • File your Form 990 if your year ended May 31Thursday, October 15

    Your Form 990 is due on the 15th day of the fifth month after your year ends. For a May 31 year-end, that's October 15. Need more time? File Form 8868 by then and you get six more months, no reason needed.

    Sources

  • Recruit holiday volunteersMid-October

    Ask now for your November and December shifts, while people's holiday calendars still have empty squares.

  • Plan your board retreatOctober or early November

    If your year starts January 1, a fall retreat gives you a plan in time to shape the budget your board approves before New Year's.

Saved on this device. No sign-up needed.

Open My events