Back to grantmaking 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. Back to top ^ Definition Examples FAQs Ready to apply? What are Capacity Building grants? Capacity Building grants are designed to strengthen the organizational capacity of nonprofits by fostering sound leadership, strong boards, professional development for staff, technology, evaluation, strategic planning, communications, and sustainability. Applications open twice each year. Capacity Building Grants Funding amount: $100,000 – $250,000 Funding disbursement cycle: Twice annually (summer and winter) Rather than funding a charity’s specific program or singular service, Capacity Building grants look for opportunities to support an organization’s focus on internal effectiveness and long-term stability. These one-time, short-term grants will be awarded to charities that demonstrate a specific capacity gap and who are aligned with our strategic priorities and focus areas. Learn more about our grants cycle 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. Collaboration development Cooperative mission alignment assessment Facilitated co-creation among partners Strategic partnership and coalition development Communications and marketing Branding, collateral development, and web redesign Strategic communications plan development, including target audience analysis Data and evaluation capacity Building case studies, reports, and lessons learned Streamlining internal audit controls Structuring data sets Financial planning and fundraising Budget assessments and feasibility study execution Business model planning and risk assessments Fundraising strategy development Revenue planning Short-term and long-term financial forecasting Human resource planning 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 Information technology planning and cybersecurity Audit of technology needs Cybersecurity safeguard training Database design Equipment and technology upgrades Operating systems 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 Pilot initiatives (new in 2025) Artificial Intelligence (AI) General operating support World Cup readiness and engagement Special projects Pilot project Short-term projects Program enhancement/expansion Staff, board, and leadership development 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. Strategic planning 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. What do Capacity Building grants support? 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. How does the World Cup fit into Capacity Building grants? 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. How much funding can I expect to receive? The funding available for a Capacity Building grant ranges from $100,000 to $250,000. When does the application period open for Capacity Building grants? We will open the application period for Capacity Building grants twice annually. In 2025, those application windows will be in the spring and fall. Can I apply for additional funding this round if I’m a current Capacity grantee? 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. I applied for a Capacity Building grant but think my application is more aligned to a different grant opportunity. What are my next steps? 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. I have more questions about the Capacity Building grant. Who can I connect with to learn more? We host regular, optional webinars and office hours. Learn more about these and how to reserve your spot to attend > I have questions about Kauffman’s grantmaking strategies. Where can I go to learn more? Our funding homepage offers information about our strategic priorities and focus areas. To learn more about our grant cycle timeline across all of the different grant types, you can visit our grants page. We have also collected questions and feedback from our first round of grant pathways in an overarching FAQ page. More specific detail about each of our grant types can be found on their respective pages: Capacity Building, Collective Impact, Project, Research, and Sunset. We often host webinars in conjunction with a grant pathway opening, and information about those webinars and how to sign up for one can be found here. If you are not finding the information you need, please send us a message, and we will do our best to assist you in a timely fashion. 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. Read more Ready to apply? We are currently not accepting applications for this grant. Check our grants timeline and stay connected with us to learn when the application opens next.