Local Nonprofits to Compete for Grant Funding at Annual Desert Fast Pitch Event

Six local nonprofits will compete for grant funding of up to $20,000 at the 10th Annual Desert Fast Pitch Grant Competition on October 2, 2025, at UC Riverside Palm Desert Campus.

The event, organized by the Regional Access Project Foundation and NPO Centric, follows eight weeks of intensive coaching and training provided to 14 area nonprofits. Six organizations were selected to deliver three-minute pitches to a panel of judges and audience members.

Winners will be determined by both judges and attendees, who will vote for the Audience Choice Award recipient. The competition aims to support nonprofit organizations working throughout the Coachella Valley.

Elizabeth Smart will serve as the event's inspirational speaker. Smart, who was abducted at age 14 and held captive for nine months, has become a prominent child safety advocate and founded the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, which works to prevent crimes against children and support survivors.