Strengthening Nonprofits

Nonprofits need certain organizational resiliencies to be able to meet their missions, including strong leadership, financial management, technology, fund development and communications. By providing funding to help organizations invest in these vital building blocks, the Foundation aims to help build efficiencies, improve program delivery and increase and sustain impact.

Strengthening Nonprofits grants are offered quarterly with funding rounds taking place in March, June, September, and December. Please reach out to staff directly with any questions or to discuss potential projects.

Strengthening Nonprofits is becoming a staff-led committee in order to foster more open, candid conversations while providing ongoing, responsive support. By deepening these relationships, we aim to be more flexible and supportive in meeting the evolving needs of partners, grantees, and organizations, strengthening the nonprofit ecosystem in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills.

Grant awards range from $5,000 – $10,000.

Our approach focuses on:

• Funding key organizational development initiatives that lead to stronger, more adaptable organizations.
• Empowering nonprofits to seek assistance that they deem to be the right fit for their organizational needs.
• Centering organizations who are addressing disparities within our communities.
• Prioritizing smaller organizations who meet the grant criteria.

Efforts we support include:

• Professional development opportunities to help staff or board build on the assets they have and add new skillsets. The committee prioritizes training requests that are continuous and have been fully scoped in terms of topic and trainer.
• Executive coaching or supervisory support with an expert in the field or professional consultant.
• Organizational development projects focused on strategic planning, financial management systems, evaluation, fundraising, programming, or communications.
• Note: We cannot fund staffing requests or multi-year requests at this time.

What we look for in applications:

• Requests that clearly connect the specific project to the overall health of the organization and its overall impact in the community.  
• Proposals which have already identified resources and consultants deemed a good fit for the organization and the organizational culture. We encourage applicants to solicit a bid in advance of the round to give the committee a sense of the overall cost. 
• For statewide organizations, how much of your work takes place within our service area and how will the project specifically benefit the towns we serve? Additionally, for statewide organizations we suggest that the request amount is proportionate to the work taking place in our area. 
• Project proposals that are focused on one priority, rather than applications that contain several capacity building components. 
• Requests that fall withing the average grant range. 

If you have specific questions about grant guidelines or if you are a first-time applicant, please reach out to set up an initial conversation ahead of the grant round. 

Related data points:

Building capacity in the nonprofit sector is more important than ever, as we continue to see need rise in our communities.

• 95% of nonprofits in Connecticut report that demand for services has increased in the last five years.
• 40% of nonprofits state that demand has increased by more than 15%.
• 73% of nonprofit executives feel they do not have the resources they need to develop their own leadership.