Partnership Funding

Given the current economic climate, the Partnership for Prince George's County is currently focusing its capacity building funding on organizations providing critical lifeline services. These are services providing families with basic necessities and sustenance including food, housing, medical care/preventive care, childcare, job training and emergency financial assistance to our most vulnerable residents. Additional criteria includes:

• Inner beltway communities of the county (See map of zip codes)
• Organizations with operating budgets of not less than $50,000 and not more than $1.5 million
• Organizations whose clients served are at minimum 50% inner beltway residents
• Organizational Capacity building needs (those needs that, when met, will transform and /or strengthen the organization’s ability to function. Examples of this would include strategic plans, development plans, board development assistance, bookkeeping and/or finance assistance, human resources policies, etc. This is not programmatic or implementation funding.)

  Aspect of Nonprofit Capacity	Relevant Capabilities, Knowledge, and Resources
  Adaptive: The ability to monitor, assess, respond to, and stimulate internal and external changes	Needs assessment Organizational assessment Program evaluation Knowledge management Planning Collaborations and partnerships
  Leadership: The ability of organizational leaders to inspire, prioritize, make decisions, provide direction and innovate	Board development Executive leadership development Leadership transitions
  Management: The ability to ensure the effective and efficient use of organizational resources	Human resource development and management Internal communications Financial management
  Technical: The ability to implement all of the key organizational functions and deliver programs and services	Service delivery Evaluation Outreach and advocacy Legal Fundraising Marketing and communications Earned income generation Accounting Facilities management Technology

• Organizations that have been successfully in existence, are currently economically stable and serving inner beltway residents for a minimum of two years
• Organizations with a willingness to engage collaboratively in advocacy efforts related to repositioning the nonprofit sector within Prince George's County. (See History for more specific background.) Special funding available

There are two smaller grants available for the following:

• $2,500 is available for an organization working specifically in the area of HIV/AIDS. All criteria as outlined above remains applicable to this funding.
• $5,000 is available for an organization providing lifeline services specifically to women headed households, and/or women and girls. Again, all criteria as outlined above remains applicable to this funding.

Our next capacity building grants cycle officially launched October 10 (check our Calendar for specifics)), and approximately $150,000 in capacity building funding is available. Grants will be in amounts not exceeding $25,000, and first round grant recipients are not eligible for this round of funding.

Capacity building requests should focus specifically on increasing the organization's effectiveness and/or efficiency, and budgets should include:

• Consulting costs (actual costs for the consultant you bring on to assist you)
• Related costs (i.e. accounting software if your request is to improve your organization's fiscal responsibility. Donor database software if your request is to increase your organization's fundraising ability. Fees for website graphics if your request is to increase your organization's visibility and/or marketing efforts.)
• Overhead at 10% of the requested amount

Capacity building requests should not include:

• Percentage of staff time (either to cover current staff or to bring on a new staff person)
• Sponsorship of events or conferences
• Supplies
• Anything else that an organization should have as a part of its general operating budget (i.e. Annual audit, general staff trainings, etc.)

Additionally, all LOI’s should include a paragraph addressing one of the following:

1. An indication that your organization will require some technical assistance in identifying an appropriate consultant to assist your organization with its capacity building effort;
2. A clear outline for your organization’s plans for identifying and ultimately securing your capacity building consultant; or
3. A scope of work and an attachment of a formal proposal (including a budget) from the consultant your organization has already identified.

Ultimately, the Partnership would like to see these grants used as leverage by the grantees to secure additional funding for your organizations. To provide you with some potential strategies for leveraging the grant funding, as well as provide an opportunities for all grantees to meet, the Partnership hosts an informal post-award lunch with grantees.

Additionally, all grantees of the Partnership will be convened at least twice yearly, in concert with HSC, to further cultivate the Partnership's Nonprofit Network*. This Network will focus on building a movement in the County to advocate on behalf of the nonprofit sector at the County level.

Capacity Building Grantmaking Timeline:

Our Funding Partners

Upcoming Events

October 9 • HOLIDAY — Yom Kippur

October 13 • Columbus Day

October 20 • Due date for self-assessments from prospective grantees

October 22 • Partnership’s Steering Committee meeting

November 4 • ELECTION DAY — Remember to vote!

November 14 • Pre-proposal workshop and Letter of Intent guidelines available

Our Supporting Partners