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.jpg) “Capacity-building”
proposals are requests for staffing or other resources intended to
help a nonprofit organization secure additional resources for its
programs through increased fundraising or new efficiencies.
To be competitive, capacity-building grant proposals
should have:
- formal board-level commitment, developed as
a part of long-range planning
- increased or stabilized support for programs
that fit OCF objectives and have a strong likelihood of success—reflecting
the organization’s track record
- a well-documented need in the community
- a convincing case that unrealized resources
can be captured
Following are questions OCF will typically ask
in the process of reviewing these proposals:
- Do you have a long-range (strategic) plan adopted
by the board? What does it say about resource development? Is
it a major priority?
- Are your goals for increased capacity clearly
defined?
- Are your goals measurable? What are the plans
for measurement?
- Why is increasing the capacity of your organization
important to the community you serve? How is this documented?
(What gaps in service or new opportunities are you trying to meet?
What concrete changes will the project bring? What's the consequence
of not increasing resources? What specific programs do you plan
to develop with increased resources?)
- What specific capacity-building steps will you
take? Why are these steps the best strategy?
- How much will it cost to generate additional
capacity (or revenues), and what is the target for net revenues
for programs--after "capacity-building" expenses? Is
this clearly reflected in the project budget? (See the attached
sample budget.)
- What are the projected sources for increased
revenue?
- What is the plan for sustaining new revenues
and programs over time?
- What is the context for this effort? Why do
you think you can reach new revenue targets or increase your efficiency?
- Who's chiefly responsible for overseeing this
project? How much time will board members and senior staff members
devote to it?
- What's the timetable for getting the new programs
underway?
- How will the organization evaluate the success
of the new or expanded programs?
Sample Capacity-Building Grant Proposal Budget
Goal: Increase resources for programs by about
50 percent over four years by adding .5 FTE to Development Director
position (Year 1), adding Development Associate position (Year 2),
and investing in donor recognition and fundraising technology (Years
1-4)
|
2000-2001 (Base Year) |
2001-02
(Year 1) |
2002-03
(Year 2) |
2003-04
(Year 3) |
2004-2005
(Year 4) |
|
2005 Increase over Base Year |
| REVENUE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Membership |
150,000 |
160,000 |
180,000 |
205,000 |
225,000 |
|
75,000 |
Donations |
50,000 |
60,000 |
75,000 |
100,000 |
130,000 |
|
80,000 |
Grants |
75,000 |
80,000 |
85,000 |
85,000 |
85,000 |
|
10,000 |
Events (gross) |
25,000 |
27,500 |
32,000 |
35,000 |
40,000 |
|
15,000 |
Bequests |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
OCF capacity grant |
0 |
15,000 |
12,500 |
10,000 |
0 |
|
0 |
Total |
300,000
|
342,500
|
384,500
|
435,000
|
480,000
|
|
180,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| EXPENSE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Development
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dev Dir |
18,000 |
37,500 |
39,000 |
41,000 |
43,000 |
|
25,000 |
Dev. Associate |
0 |
0 |
20,000 |
21,000 |
23,000 |
|
23,000 |
Events |
5,000 |
5,000 |
6,000 |
6,000 |
7,000 |
|
2,000 |
Mailings |
5,000 |
7,500 |
8,000 |
8,000 |
8,500 |
|
3,500 |
Technology/Web |
0 |
0 |
10,000 |
2,500 |
3,000 |
|
3,000 |
Donor Recognition |
0 |
2,000 |
2,500 |
3,000 |
3,250 |
|
3,250 |
|
Subtotal |
28,000
|
52,000
|
85,500
|
81,500
|
87,750
|
|
59,750
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Program
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exec. Dir. |
45,000 |
46,500 |
49,000 |
51,000 |
53,000 |
|
8,000 |
Staff/Programs |
225,000 |
235,000 |
250,000 |
300,000 |
335,000 |
|
110,000 |
Subtotal |
270,000
|
281,500
|
299,000
|
351,000
|
388,000
|
|
118,000 |
Total |
298,000 |
333,500 |
384,500 |
432,500 |
475,750 |
|
177,750 |
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