We define organizational health as the ability of an organization to function effectively, cope adequately, change appropriately, and grow from within. Our objectives are to increase the stability, effectiveness, and resilience of nonprofits, to meet mission and community need, and to increase the capacity of smaller agencies.
Through this grant program, FCH will accept requests for needs related to:
- Operational infrastructure
- Scaling a program or initiative
- Stabilizing a program or initiative
Based on our nonprofit partner feedback, FCH now accepts applications to the Capacity Building Grant Program through one annual grant cycle. Organizations can request up to $30,000. The application is open and available at the beginning of each year. The deadline is April 30 with decisions made no later than May 31.
Grant Program Details
Eligibility
Eligible organizations must be 501(c)3 organizations OR initiatives with a 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor who serve one or multiple towns within FCH’s community that have alignment with the foundation’s funding interests. Proposals from organizations that do not meet this criterion or have current funding through FCH’s Multi-Year General Operating Support Program will not be considered for funding through this program.
Review Criteria
Applications will be reviewed using the following criteria:
- Alignment between the organization and the foundation’s funding interests, specifically:
- Does the organization provide significant services in a concerted way to residents in FCH’s service area?
- Is the organization focused on improving health issues within our community or the conditions required for health and well-being?
- Does the organization incorporate indicators of community health and well-being when measuring its performance or success?
- Alignment between the use of the requested funds and the organizational health or capacity needs of the organization, as communicated by the applicant
- Does the request clearly support an organizational health need, as identified by the applicant?
- Readiness of the organization, as communicated by the applicant (e.g. organization history, organization health and/or capacity goals, significant changes to the organization)
Please note, that only organizations that provide significant services in FCH’s catchment area will be considered eligible for this grant program. If your organization has strategies that are not specific to the communities in FCH’s catchment area and/or does not provide significant services to residents in FCH’s catchment area your organization is not eligible for a grant through this program.
Lastly, priority will be given to smaller organizations (operating budget at or under $500K annually) that meet the criteria above.
Connect with Sarah
Reach out to Sarah for support with our online portal or questions about the Capacity Building Grant Program.
Photo by Sarah Kenyon.
Connect with Natashea
Contact Natashea with questions regarding eligibility, strength of proposal, or any other big picture inquiries.
Past Grants
Established in 2021, FCH’s Capacity Building Grant Program has awarded $558,070 to twenty-two organizations to date. Curious about individual grants made? See details from each cycle to date, below:
Learning and Evaluation
As part of the foundation’s effort to learn and understand the results of this program, grantee partners in the Capacity Building Grant Program will participate in the following learning and evaluation activities:
- Post-Grant Survey at the end of the funding period (estimated 15-20 minutes to complete)
- Post-Grant Check-in with an FCH staff member (45 minutes – 1 hour)
Additionally, grantees that have not previously or recently (more than 5 years) received funding from FCH will be asked to participate in a brief, 30-minute meeting in advance of their grant’s funded period.
Have a question or need additional information? Please reach out or schedule a meeting on Sarah’s calendar to discuss your request. This is not a mandatory or required step, but we have found that these conversations can be helpful in shaping how a proposal is framed or determining whether there is alignment with FCH’s funding interests – ultimately saving time for prospective grantees. We also suggest looking at the Capacity Building Program’s Post-Grant Survey, this can help give prospective applicants insight as to whether or not their request is aligned with the aims of this grant program.