Program for Nonprofit Effectiveness

MaineCF will not be selecting new partners for the Program for Nonprofit Effectiveness this year. Please check back in 2009 for further information on the program.

The Maine Community Foundation operates a capacity building grant program for nonprofit groups engaged in powerful community building work in the state. Our strategic partner is Common Good Ventures, a nonprofit organization that specializes in helping other organizations adapt and apply useful business principles to further their social missions and increase their financial sustainability. 

The grant program was developed in response to growing evidence of the connection between strong organizational capacity and program outcomes and services. We recognize that nonprofits throughout the state are effective, yet are still constantly striving to accomplish more on seemingly limited resources.

The goal of this program is to strengthen the ability of Maine-based nonprofit organizations to produce outcomes necessary for strong, healthy communities by improving their organizational capacity.

 Potential means to reach desired outcomes for nonprofits selected for this program include one or more of the following: 

Successful applicants will be able to describe how enhancing their organizational capacity will ultimately benefit the communities they serve.

Strategy

The Maine Community Foundation seeks to identify the right moment when a strategic grant and management assistance will help propel an already strong organization, alliance, or network to a higher level of organizational and programmatic capacity. MaineCF will establish long-term relationships (2-3 years) with participants, providing ongoing management assistance during the term of the grant.

Focus

The program seeks to support capacity building projects that focus on either of the following goals:

I. Strengthening individual organizations' internal capacity.

Capacity building projects can be focused on almost every aspect of an organization: management, program delivery, operations, technology, human resources, financial management, board development, and advancement. More specifically, this grant program seeks to support capacity building projects related to:

II. Strengthening the capacity of networks and merging organizations. 

In addition to investing in traditional efforts to increase the impact of individual nonprofit organizations, the grant program also seeks to support existing collaborative initiatives between and among organizations that are intentionally combining resources and assets to achieve greater social outcomes and impact. More specifically, this grant program seeks to support collaborative work related to:

Networks: intentional collaborations that allow organizations to move together toward reaching common goals and greater social impact through sharing information, combining resources and exerting collective leadership.

 

Mergers: combining governance, assets and operations of two organizations into one for the purpose of seizing opportunity to increase impact and/or reducing redundancies.

Grants

Grant requests of up to $15,000 per year (renewable twice) will be considered.  Funding after the first year will be contingent upon submission of regular progress reports and discussions among the grantee, MaineCF and Common Good Ventures or another management assistance provider. We anticipate awarding a total of 3 grants during each RFP, and will conduct an RFP every other year.

 

MaineCF will not be selecting new partners for the Program for Nonprofit Effectiveness this year. Please check back in 2009 for further information on the program.

Management Assistance and Learning Opportunities

We work closely with each partner to develop a work plan that will help them achieve their goals, and we collaboratively design outcome measures that help inform progress towards those goals. 

 

As part of our partnerships with nonprofits and networks/alliances, we will offer the following types of assistance:  

• Management coaching (weekly to bi-weekly) to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of each participating organization, network, or alliance
   
• Specialized technical assistance, if desired by the nonprofit or network/alliance, to be provided by consultants hired with the grant funds coordinated with MaineCF and CGV staff
   
• Facilitated peer-to-peer discussions and coaching

Applicants should note that a successful management assistance relationship requires a significant time commitment from senior management or lead organizers in the case of network or alliance. Our approach is to enter into a partnership relationship with each grantee that is characterized by:   

• An honest and open working relationship with respect for confidentiality
   
• A learning climate that recognizes both successes and mistakes as opportunities to learn
   
• Timely responses by all parties to inquiries, requests, or suggestions
   
• Efficiency of communication, and effective use of staff time, including being prepared for meetings
   
• Respect for the organizational cultures of all partners
   
• Regular feedback about the partnership relationship from each partner’s perspective

Eligibility

-Maine-based nonprofits that have 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt status.

-Medium to large nonprofits (annual budgets greater than $250,000).

-Maine-based networks and alliances that have been in existence for at least one year. 

- Mergers between organizations must have reached a point where the boards of directors of both organizations have taken a formal action to pursue consolidation of governance functions, programs and operations.

-Nonprofits and networks whose work reflects some or all of the foundation’s community-building priorities:
 

• Build collaborative relationships and partnerships to plan, advance and evaluate the program
   
• Include the people who will benefit from the program in its planning, implementation and evaluation
   
• Develop and strengthen local leadership

The program will not provide funds to schools or municipalities, or to individuals.

No direct grants will be awarded to capital campaigns, endowment campaigns, or building projects.

Current Partners Include:
 Maine Center for Economic Policy, Eastern Agency on Aging, Maine Alzheimer’s Association, YWCA of Greater Portland,
and Jobs for Maine’s Graduates.

Past Partners Include:

Maine Historical Society, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), and Women, Work and Community.

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   The following list of areas in which we have worked with organizational capacity partners is not exhaustive, but may be useful as an example:  

Financial tool development

 We have worked with several partners to develop financial tools and reports that will help them make better-informed management decisions and to better communicate their financial position to stakeholders inside and outside the organization.  For example, we helped one partner develop a system that will compare financial performance against goals, and assisting another to develop a cash-flow management system.

Organizational development

One growing partner decided to re-evaluate its organizational structure to ensure that it has allocated human resources effectively and efficiently, and to change the internal reporting structure to better leverage the Executive Director’s time.  Another partner is facing a wave of “first-generation” retirements in the near future and wants to ensure that their institutional knowledge is captured through formalized policies and procedures. Through coaching at the Executive Director level, we are helping keep the process focused on the “big picture” and mission of the organization.

Streamlining Services

A partner is working on streamlining how they are set up to intake new clients into their program and how to best organize staff, volunteers and infrastructure to accommodate growing demands for services. The project includes assessing the impact of various programs, strategizing ways to deliver services cost effectively so to grow this impact with constrained resources, and upgrading the software and technology that helps organization track and organize client contacts and service delivery.

New venture development and launch

One partner developed a new business based on the sale of historical images.  We worked with the partner to identify the vision and scope of the venture, hire a consultant to develop a business plan that includes market, financial, and competitive analysis, and coach the partner through implementation of the plan. Success of the venture will be measured by both its financial achievements and its contribution to the organization’s social mission.

Fundraising strategy development

Several partners have developed more sophisticated and coordinated fundraising strategies. Our fundraising strategy work includes assisting partners in identifying the real costs and benefits of past fundraising activities, prioritizing and planning for future activities, identifying human and technical resources needed for fundraising success, and helping to plan for fundraising training for board members and others as needed.

Technology

One partner is developing its technological infrastructure and research capacity on staff to mine and analyze data and share findings on its program’s impact. This increased capacity will allow the organization to extend its reach beyond the clients it currently serves by informing the work of other organizations and acting as an advocate for the field.

Board development

 We are working with senior management of all partners to help identify ways in which the resources of their boards of directors and/or advisory councils can be tapped more effectively.  We have assisted partners to identify strengths and weaknesses in board/staff relationships, assess current and needed board member skills, create, create opportunities for boards to “dig in” in useful ways, and to plan for board/staff retreats.