New opportunity for donors to support nonprofit capacity building needs
At the Quad Cities Community Foundation, every grant cycle is a new opportunity to celebrate the abundance of talented nonprofits across our region and the generosity of donors who believe deeply in those nonprofits’ missions. In fact, the Community Foundation sees so much potential for good in our community that as we announce $150,000 in Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants going to 10 local nonprofits this summer, we’re also extending an exciting opportunity for donors to step in and support proposals that the grant program’s budget did not allow it to fund.
“We’re passionate about engaging generous people in our community to give at the intersections of what they care about and what their community needs,” said Anne Calder, vice president of development. “One of the ways we do that is by sharing the information we have access to with donors—in this case, the specific needs our community’s nonprofits have told us they’re working to fill.”
Twice a year, the Community Foundation awards Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants to fund internal infrastructure projects like technology upgrades, staff training, and strategic planning. “Our goal is to invest in nonprofits’ core capacities to carry out their missions,” said Kaleigh Trammell, grantmaking specialist. “We know this funding is important to our nonprofits because they’ve told us it is.”
That was one resounding takeaway, Trammell explained, from a recent evaluation of the grant program. “Nonprofits who received these grants told us that their projects stepped up their missions, gave them more visibility in the community, improved their financial strength, and made them more efficient,” she said. They also said capacity building funding can be hard to come by. “We really appreciate that the foundation supports this type of work, which is often difficult to find from other funders as it is not ‘glamorous,’” said one interview respondent.
The following nonprofits received spring 2022 Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants:
Center for Active Seniors, Inc., for technology needs and staff training to improve communication, data, evaluation, program delivery capacity—$16,580
Family Resources, for a collaborative Shared Human Services Center—$20,000
German American Heritage Center, for diversity, equity, access, inclusion training and technology—$15,000
Junior Theatre, for governance training and coaching for stability, equity, and fundraising—$7,250
Martin Luther King Jr Community Center, to improve professionalism of marketing and communication—$6,975
Nahant Marsh Education Center, for strategic planning and technology equipment to increase diversity and reach—$20,000
NEST (Nourish Everyone Sustainably Together), for board/staff training to safely and effectively deliver the pay-what-you-can model to our community—$4,900
SAL Community Services’ Skip-a-Long Child Childhood Centers, for the Davenport campus nature explore outdoor classroom—$20,000
Western Illinois University Foundation, for technology needs for the WIU-QC Early Learning Lab Site's program delivery—$19,318
YWCA of the Quad Cities, for technology upgrades to improve the YWCA QC's mission and program delivery—$19,980
As a result of the program evaluation, the Community Foundation increased the maximum awarded per application from $15,000 to $20,000, with the new total budget for successful grant applicants up from $215,000 to $300,000. The program’s annual budget is made possible by donors who gift to the Quad Cities Community Impact Fund at the Community Foundation, which makes grants to address the most pressing needs and promising opportunities in the region.
This year, nine out of the 10 applications that received grants were fully funded, including several that received the new maximum award or an amount close to it. While those 10 nonprofits are receiving generous, substantial funding, 14 other worthy applications remain unfunded.
“These are grants we would have funded if we could have,” said Calder. “Because we and the community members who volunteer on our grants committee see so much value in these applications, we wanted to facilitate new ways of getting them funded.”
Last fall the Community Foundation piloted an opportunity for holders of donor-advised funds at the Community Foundation to fund unfunded applicants. “We saw that donors wanted to give in this way, and it was a great opportunity to put more resources where they’re most needed,” said Calder. This time around, all Quad Citizens, not just fundholders, have that opportunity. “We welcome anyone who sees the value in these projects to explore the opportunities available and make a truly impactful gift.”
Gifts of any size will make a difference. If an organization does not receive enough funding to complete its full capacity building project, it will use the gifts received toward a portion of the project or related capacity building activities. All contributions will be collected in the Grant Opportunities Fund and granted to the selected organizations in August, so interested donors are encouraged to send in their gifts—or recommend grants from their donor-advised funds—by July 31.
The following unfunded Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants applications are available for your support:
Leadership in youth building—$20,000
ASWAS (A System Within A System) is a new organization that seeks to equip and inspire men to be leaders and to connect them with young men as mentors. The organization recognizes the need for increased board training and education to build a solid foundation of leadership within the organization. This project provides funding for them to seek this training.
Rebranding to enhance Ballet Quad Cities’ program delivery—$20,000
Ballet Quad Cities dancers are professionals who have chosen this company as their career and the Quad Cities as their home. Some think of ballet as formal and elitist, but Ballet Quad Cities’ performances do not fall into those categories; they are dynamic, vital, entertaining, and artistic. Our current brand does not fully articulate and promote these qualities as they deserve. This project will develop an updated brand that articulates what sets Ballet Quad Cities apart from other organizations and ballet companies, setting the stage for the future of the organization.
Strategic planning and technology upgrades to expand the Freight House Farmer’s Market’s mission, reach and program delivery—$20,000
Over the past two years, Freight House Farmer's Market has implemented their Market2Go delivery system and streamlined the SNAP/EBT voucher program. The staff recognizes that they play a role in providing leadership and sustainable solutions for our community. They are currently seeking funding from the Farmer's Market Promotion Program for the establishment of a regional Food Hub, but first need to address two necessary projects to accomplish that goal. The first is to conduct a strategic planning process with their network partners. The second is to acquire the technology and equipment necessary to accomplish the program objectives. These two projects will lay the foundation for the establishment of the regional Food Hub.
ADA compliance and safety upgrades—$13,583
A recent building assessment highlighted areas of Friendly House's brick and mortar location that require upgrades to be ADA compliant. As an organization that seeks to be known as inclusive, and in order to provide equitable access to opportunity, Friendly House is seeking funding for ADA compliant handrails and the installation of a weather alert horn in their building. This project allows Friendly House the opportunity to strengthen their commitment to equality.
Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois
Technology upgrades to improve access to Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois property and delivery of outdoor experiences—$19,234
Camp Liberty is a 245-acre property in Scott County that hosts summer camp for girls, an equestrian program and year-round outdoor and camping opportunities. The reservation software currently being used for the property is not intuitive and troubleshooting issues takes staff time away from the other important work they are doing. This project allows Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois the opportunity to upgrade that technology to be more intuitive, inclusive, and ultimately increasing revenue to support Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois programming.
Staff training to increase leadership capacity and fundraising capability—$7,016
Living Proof Exhibit is at an exciting crossroads: they have recently hired a new Executive Director who has stepped up from their role as a program director for the organization and into a leadership position. This project will support the development of this person for this position, allowing them to complete a series of professional development, leadership, and fundraising classes. With these acquired skills and networking opportunities, the Executive Director will increase the organization’s capacity by developing major gifts and annual fund programs and implementing the strategic goal to diversify funding sources. Long-term, this will make the organization more sustainable and reach more people who can benefit from the healing power of the arts and is a vote of confidence in an emerging nonprofit leader.
Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center
Improving professionalism of marketing and communication—$12,975
This project was partially funded by a Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant, however, there is still an opportunity to support enhancements to the professional quality of the Martin Luther King Jr Community Center's marketing and communication efforts, particularly around video production and photography to communicate their mission, programs, and impact, as well as for their annual event to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Hiring professionals in these fields not only supports local businesses, but will provide the organization with the opportunity to utilize the footage and images in their marketing and communication for the next several years.
Mississippi Valley Blues Society
Expanding online program delivery capacity by developing a dedicated website—$20,000
During the height of the pandemic, Mississippi Valley Blues Society transitioned all their educational tools and resources online. Through this effort, the organization saw requests for these resources from 37 states and 4 countries, indicating that there is a demand for this kind of resource. This project allows Mississippi Valley Blues Society to improve their website so that they not only have a wider reach, but can more deeply connect with young people by sharing stories through Blues music that have shaped our history.
Moline Public Schools Foundation
Computer software and hardware to upgrade Moline Public School Foundation’s donor management, fundraising & communication systems—$7,931
Moline Public Schools Foundation is seeking to increase donations and event proceeds in order to better support teachers with classroom grants. In order to successfully communicate with and steward donors, dedicated technology and software is needed. This project supports the Executive Director by providing a work laptop (currently, a personal laptop is being used), software to support their auction event and data management, and the time and expertise necessary to implement it. As the need for increased funding expands, this upgrade will support Moline Public Schools Foundation to better meet those needs.
The Project of the Quad Cities
Strategic planning—$10,000
"We can end the epidemic." When The Project of the Quad Cities was founded, these five words would have been thought to be fiction. During those early days, the few resources dedicated to the care of people living with HIV had nothing to do with living at all. The goal was to keep people as comfortable as possible as they faced the end of their lives. Now, the end of the epidemic is within reach and The Project of the Quad Cities needs to adapt their infrastructure to address the complex needs that lie ahead. This strategic planning project will be the first step in allowing The Project of the Quad Cities to change alongside those they serve and into the future.
Necessary equipment to grow into our future—$18,730
Currently, all labor at Quad City Botanical Center is done by hand. They are seeking to purchase a John Deere light duty tractor to allow them to expand, refresh and grow into their future. Adding this piece of equipment will allow staff and volunteers to be more efficient and the work less physically taxing, opening up the opportunity for the organization to more easily recruit staff and volunteers and refresh aging exhibits.
Working with communities to expand FEMA’s Community Rating System—$20,000
River Action is partnering with Augustana, FEMA, QC Flood Resiliency Alliance and local communities to facilitate expansion in FEMA's Community Rating System, which incentivizes communities to improve flood management by decreasing flood insurance rates for policy holders in that community. This project supports two students who will be selected for national training and local mentorship with the end goal of working with QC communities to apply for FEMA's Community Rating System and paving the way for those students to become Certified Floodplain Managers.
Shelter to Stability Project—$15,300
The Salvation Army relies on technology to provide services to their clients seeking stable and affordable housing. As technology ages, time spent troubleshooting issues and waiting for repairs increases, keeping staff from the work of supporting their clients. Through the Shelter to Sustainability Project, staff are working more often in the community instead of in the main office, which limits access to communication between a client and the staff they're attempting to reach. This project seeks to upgrade aging technology and provide cell phones and portable equipment to staff working off-site and in the community.
Upgrading technology to expand A BOOK by ME’s program delivery capacity—$8,327
To date, A BOOK by ME has published more than 100 books on the Holocaust, human rights and heroes and shared them with libraries, school districts, and individuals. Educators have found them very valuable additions to their classrooms. Peer authors tell a story in a way that other kids understand, including the things that make the most sense and impact to them. In order to continue to tell these important stories, technology upgrades are necessary. Aging devices and outdated website structure puts a limit on what can be accomplished. This project seeks to update the Understanding Works website and purchase new computers for staff (they are currently using an outdated machine and an iPhone to edit documents). With improved technology, Understanding Works program, A BOOK by ME, will continue to expand its reach by connecting young authors with storytellers.