The Capacity Building Grant Program is designed to support the organizational health of nonprofits serving the community within the Foundation for Community Health’s (FCH) service area. The foundation defines organizational health as an organization’s ability to function effectively, cope adequately with challenges, change appropriately, and grow internally. The main objective of this program is to increase the stability, effectiveness, and resilience of nonprofits to meet their missions and community needs, with a specific focus on smaller organizations.

Through this grant, FCH aims to increase the capacity of nonprofits by investing in areas such as governance, strategic planning, infrastructure, and human resources. The program acknowledges that long-term impact requires continuous organizational development, and funding is intended to support nonprofits in evolving their structures and capabilities. The program accepts requests for needs directly related to organizational capacity, with approved grants being unrestricted in use.

Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) entities or initiatives with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. These organizations should serve one or more towns within the FCH community and align with the foundation’s funding priorities. Proposals from organizations that do not meet these criteria, or from those receiving current funding through FCH’s Multi-Year General Operating Support Program, will not be considered for the Capacity Building Grant Program.

Priority is given to smaller organizations, particularly those with annual operating budgets of $500,000 or less, that meet the above eligibility criteria. The program opens each year with applications being accepted through a single annual cycle. The maximum grant amount available is $30,000 per organization. The application deadline is April 30 each year, with funding decisions made by May 31.

Applications are reviewed based on several criteria, including alignment between the organization’s mission and the foundation’s funding interests, the clarity of the organizational health needs expressed by the applicant, and the readiness of the organization to make changes or improvements. The foundation places a strong emphasis on organizations that focus on improving health-related issues in their communities and those that use community health indicators to measure success.

The Capacity Building Grant Program is particularly geared toward organizations that are deeply involved in the community, particularly those providing significant services to residents in the FCH’s service area. FCH holds informational sessions to assist potential applicants with the application process, and staff are available to help organizations understand how they can best meet the program’s requirements.