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Capacity Building grants

Capacity Building grants are designed to strengthen the organizational capacity of 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity organizations by fostering sound leadership, strong boards, professional development for staff, technology, evaluation, strategic planning, communications, and sustainability.

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We are offering optional two office hour sessions to answer questions about Capacity Building grants.
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What are Capacity Building grants?

Capacity Building grants are designed to support an organization’s internal effectiveness and long-term stability, rather than funding a specific program or singular service.

These one-time, short-term investments are intended for charities that can clearly articulate a specific capacity gap and demonstrate alignment with our strategic priorities and focus areas.

Capacity Building Grants

Funding amount: $100,000 – $250,000

Funding disbursement cycle: Once annually

Preview the application questions [PDF] >

Successful applications should describe:

  • Why this request is especially important at this moment in your organization’s development.
  • Why the investment you’re seeking is appropriate as a one-time intervention.
  • How it will position your organization for long-term impact and sustainability.

We’re looking for proposals that show how a targeted capacity investment will strengthen your infrastructure, increase resilience, and improve your ability to deliver on your mission over time.


Capacity Building grant examples

The following list provides examples of broad categories and specific organizational needs that may be eligible for Capacity Building grants. This list is not meant to be exhaustive and additional capacity needs may qualify for these funds.

  • Cooperative mission alignment assessment
  • Facilitated co-creation among partners
  • Strategic partnership and coalition development
  • Branding, collateral development, and web redesign
  • Strategic communications plan development, including target audience analysis
  • Building case studies, reports, and lessons learned
  • Streamlining internal audit controls
  • Structuring data sets
  • Budget assessments and feasibility study execution
  • Business model planning and risk assessments
  • Fundraising strategy development
  • Revenue planning
  • Short-term and long-term financial forecasting
  • Culture and internal strengths and weaknesses evaluation
  • Human resources policies, process, and infrastructure assessment
  • Job classifications and compensation structures analysis
  • Performance management and coaching
  • Staff recruitment and pipeline development
  • Audit of technology needs
  • Cybersecurity safeguard training
  • Database design 
  • Equipment and technology upgrades
  • Customer relationship management tool
  • Human resources, finance, or grant management software purchases and/or implementation
  • Infrastructure development
  • Legal compliance development
  • Material items, leasing space, and transportation purchasing
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • General operating support
  • World Cup readiness and engagement
  • Pilot project
  • Short-term projects
  • Program enhancement/expansion
  • Executive transitions and succession planning
  • Inclusive leadership training
  • Orientation and training development
  • Organizational structure design
  • Sabbatical for executive leader*
  • Staff audits and assessments
  • Workplace training and skill building

*Sabbatical requests will only be reviewed for organizations that have a sabbatical policy in place.

  • Community landscape and stakeholder needs assessment
  • Plan implementation
  • Strategic evaluation
  • Strategy formation
  • SWOT analysis and scenario planning

Frequently asked questions

Have a specific question related to Capacity Building grants? Explore some of our frequently asked questions below. Have a question about our refreshed approach to grantmaking overall? Visit our general FAQ page here.

Typically only available to 501(c)(3) nonprofit charities, Capacity Building grants are designed to strengthen the organizational capacity of public charities by fostering sound leadership, strong boards, professional development for staff, technology, evaluation, strategic planning, communications, and sustainability. Rather than funding an organization’s specific program or singular service, Capacity Building grants look for opportunities to support a charity’s move toward internal effectiveness and long-term stability.

Strategically aligned public charities can support World Cup readiness and engagement in various ways. For example, they may provide training and technical assistance to help entrepreneurs and small businesses prepare for increased demand. Others might focus on expanding job training programs to equip workers for event-related employment. Efforts could also include supporting local business districts in attracting visitors or assisting local governments with policies that enhance business participation.

The funding available for a Capacity Building grant ranges from $100,000 to $250,000.

The portal to apply for Capacity Building grants opens August 12 and closes September 12, 2025. Check your eligibility >

If you are a current grantee, your grant must be closed before additional funding can be disbursed. You can apply for funding for a different type of capacity as long as your current grant is closed before the next grant is funded.

If you apply for a Capacity Building grant and later determine that you think another grant pathway (i.e. Project) might be a better fit, you can withdraw the Capacity Building grant application or decline the award, if applicable. Keep in mind that our other grant types have different parameters for qualification and may be more competitive, so organizations need to be prepared to deliver measurable impact across our strategic priorities if apply for other grant types.

We host regular, optional webinars and office hours. Learn more about these and how to reserve your spot to attend >

2024 Capacity Building grantee, Sewing Labs
2024 Capacity Building grantee, Sewing Labs
2024 Capacity Building grantee, Police Athletic League
2024 Capacity Building grantee, Police Athletic League
2024 Capacity Building grantee, Pawsperity
2024 Capacity Building grantee, Pathway Financial
2024 Capacity Building grantee, Pathway Financial
2024 Capacity Building grantee, Northeast Community Center
2024 Capacity Building grantee, KC Can Compost
2024 Capacity Building grantee, KC Can Compost

Meet the inaugural Capacity Building grantees

Funds seek to advance the growth of organizations driving college access and completion, workforce and career development, and entrepreneurship for 56 organizations.

“We heard loud and clear that grantees needed funds to grow their reach and achieve impact – and we responded,” said Allison Greenwood-Bajracharya, chief impact and strategy officer.