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Capacity building is a pervasive topic amongst nonprofit organizations, but what exactly is capacity building? Barbara Blumenthal defined it best in her book Investing in Capacity Building: "Actions that improve nonprofit effectiveness." Essentially, it is the building up of skills and abilities to better help an organization reach its goals. It is acquiring more supplies so that an organization can work more efficiently, or the gaining of knowledge and technology to reach a broader range of people. All in all, it is a daily process that helps organizations look at the work they are doing, and reflect on it.
What can TFEC do to help build your capacity? The Foundation for Enhancing Communities offers technical assistance to organizations applying for grants through The Foundation. The Program Officer will provide technical assistance in helping you prepare your grant application. A review of your draft documents can be submitted by e-mail and other questions related to the project, budget, or other grant related matters or questions can be discussed by telephone prior to the due date. These requests should be limited to two reviews before finalizing your proposals. Staff will NOT be able to honor technical assistance requests made later than one week prior to the grant submission deadline. No corrections, additions or revisions to your proposal will be accepted at any time after the due date. The Foundation also provides debriefing on proposals that were not funded.
Articles you may be interested in...
8 Tips for Raising Money and Attracting Support on Social Networks (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)
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How Can I Be Effective at Asking If I'm Not a Stereotypical Salesperson? (GuideStar)
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Best Practices for Volunteer Orientation (GuideStar)
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Additional Resources
The Enhancing Communities Learning Series (ECLS) is a program of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC), Temple University’s Nonprofit Evaluation Services and Training Program (NEST) and the Nonprofit Resource Network (NRN) at Millersville University. The series offers you a convenient way to learn about important and relevant issues affecting nonprofits while enjoying a meal with your colleagues in the community.
Click here for more information on upcoming 2013 sessions, as well as resources available from past sessions.
Free Outcomes Coaching & Training for 501(c)(3)’s through the Dauphin County Capacity Building Project; helps you build and use the United Way Outcome Logic Model.
Click here for more information.
Nonprofit Management Certificate Program from the Nonprofit Resource Network (NRN) at Millerville University.
Click here for more information.
Top Ten Nonprofit Policy Issues: 2011 State and Local Policy Review from the National Council of Nonprofits.
Click here for more information.
Temple University's Nonprofit Evaluation Services and Training (NEST) Center assists nonprofits and governmental human service agencies to cultivate the ability to effectively serve communities by way of effective management, research and training. They offer trainings, certification programs and other nonprofit resources.
Click here to visit the Temple NEST Web site for more information on the resources available.
The Nonprofit Resource Network (NRN) at Millersville University works to strengthen the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations by providing professional development, networking opportunities and access to critical information sources.
Click here to visit the NRN Web site for more information on the resources available.
ConnectSynergy provides results-based organizational development services including workshops and long-term on site consulting. Skip Brown, Owner/Principal Consultant, can help your organization's members work together to determine priorities (strategic & operations planning) and apply effective ways to measure your organization's success (performance measurement-outcome logic modeling). Skip can also help you assess/develop the best structure for your organization, and improve working relationships among members (team performance & conflict management).
Click here to visit ConnectSynergy's Web site for more information on the resources available.
Measuring-success.net is a collaborative group of agencies that has joined forces to discuss measuring program success. Membership is open to all nonprofit and governmental health & human service agencies, funding organizations and academic institutions.
The group has established a portal that provides information on assesment, evaluation and other resources for nonprofits; click here to visit the site and review the resources availalble.
Measuring-success.com provides performance measurement support in a variety of ways to nonprofits. They have an informational newsletter, as well as publications and product lines that are customizable for nonprofits. They are a great resource backed in years of research and expertise in nonprofit performance measurement.
Click here to visit the site and review the resources available.
The County Health Rankings show us that where we live matters to our health. The health of a community depends on many different factors – ranging from individual health behaviors, education and jobs, to quality of health care, to the environment. This collection of 50 reports – one per state – helps community leaders see that where we live, learn, work, and play influences how healthy we are and how long we live. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is collaborating with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute to develop these Rankings for each state’s counties.
Click here to review your county's health ranking.
BetterEvaluation.org is an international collaboration to improve evaluation practice and theory by sharing information about options (methods or tools) and approaches.
Start here to learn more about using BetterEvaluation.
Silbert Fund Raising
In the winter of 1995, Jennifer Beeders Silbert launched a new type of fund raising consulting firm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She created a firm that looks at each client individually, designs its strategies for success based on that client’s unique needs, and implements a customized development plan. With those principles in mind, Silbert Fund Raising continues to provide hands-on support and advice to not-for-profit organizations in Central Pennsylvania and throughout the country.
Click here for more information. |
