NPO Centric and the Regional Access Project Foundation welcomed close to 400 guests to its NPO Desert Fast Pitch 2026 Grand Finale on Oct. 1 at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa in Rancho Mirage.
Open-eyed patrons were enthralled by the competition's six finalists as they took the stage to deliver compelling stories about their nonprofit organizations and compete for cash grants.
Tamara Canedo's pitch for Seiden-Juku stood out as the most compelling and won the first prize $20,000 grant. Second place ($15,000) went to Kara Robinson from the Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City and third ($10,000) went to Erin Hyland from Read With Me Volunteer Programs. Canedo claimed the $5,000 Audience Choice Award.
"NPO Desert Fast Pitch represents our board's
commitment to capacity building, strengthening the nonprofit sector and our community," said Taly Fantini, director at NPO Centric. "The RAP Foundation awards more than $70,000 to local nonprofits through this program. Investing in nonprofit leaders and providing the stage for impactful storytelling lifts the entire region and transforms lives."
The competition is about more than just developing a pitch. "For six weeks, we attend three-hour classes and learn about the ways nonprofits can better their fundraising, marketing and messaging," said finalist Julie Makinen, secretary and treasurer of the Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation. "As a journalist, I've been telling stories for 30 years, but putting together my pitch was an entirely different creative process. That was a bit tricky, finding my right voice, and intense. It was exciting to watch people's pitches improve over the weeks."
A team of expert coaches worked closely with the contestants to develop their narratives. "We help them grow as storytellers, leaders and advocates for their organizations," said Stephanie Minor, director of strategic development for The RAP Foundation. "The finalists are competing, but they come to know and love each other's stories and genuinely root for one another. Everyone leaves with a built-in community of peers, mentors and alumni who continue showing up for them long after the event is over."
The evening's big winner was Canedo, Sensai and founder of Seiden-Juku in La Quinta, which is dedicated to building leaders in inclusion and diversity through the art of Karate-Do. "These funds will help us remove financial barriers for underserved athletes by subsidizing tuition, covering quarterly belt examinations and supporting travel and competition expenses for those pursuing national and international dreams."
As to the Fast Pitch competition itself, Canedo said, "I trained as if I'd never won anything. That's the black belt mindset I've carried throughout my life." On competition night, her Seiden-Juku athletes were in the audience watching their Sensei compete, including "children with disabilities, foster youth and survivors of abuse and trauma whom we teach every day to never give up."
Inspirational speaker J.R. Martinez had a profound impact on guests with his message of resilience and optimism as he talked about his experiences in the Iraq war and his injuries. Martinez recognized that so many who gathered for Fast Pitch are doing remarkable things for the Coachella Valley.
"I was inspired by their commitment and reminded of the heroes in our communities that invest in others," he said. "They don't always receive the gratitude they deserve."
Martinez greeted and engaged with attendees following the competition. "I have something in common with every one of them. We all feel the same emotions when we navigate our adversity."
NPO Desert Fast Pitch celebrated local nonprofits' commitment to our community and showcased organizations that work to create meaningful change. For Canedo, it symbolized even more.
"The win was the destination," she said. "The journey was the victory. But the friendships and the extraordinary people I met along the way were the blessings I never knew I needed."
To learn more about NPO Centric, visit npocentric.org.
To learn more about RAP Foundation, visit rapfoundation.org.
Sergio Garcia enjoys writing about the good people that do great things in our community. Contact him at sergio071364@aol.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: NPO Centric, RAP Foundation hold Desert Fast Pitch 2026
