Community Power Initiative (CPI) - General Operating Grants

Community Power Initiative (CPI)

Launched: June 2024

Purpose: Provide multi-year, general operating support to nonprofits serving Marin County residents. Designed to reduce administrative burden, increase flexibility, and provide stability to organizations.

Award Amount: Approximately $10 million distributed annually over three years (2024-2027)

Geographic Scope: Marin County, California

Duration: Multi-year grants (3-year funding)

Funding Structure:

General operating support (not project-specific)

Multi-year commitments

Designed for flexibility in how funds are used

Eligibility:

501(c)(3) nonprofits serving Marin County residents

Organizations of all sizes accepted

Both established and emerging organizations

Organizations addressing wide range of issues and populations

What They Fund:

Education

Child care

Older adult care

Food security

Youth mental health

Arts and culture

Youth-focused physical fitness

Legal assistance for low-income and immigrant populations

Community collaboratives and coalitions

What They Don't Fund:

Project-specific funding (general operating support only)

Recent Awards (First Round - 2024):

Over 80 organizations received grants

Recipients ranged from smaller nonprofits (<$200,000 budgets) to larger organizations (>$75 million budgets)

9 collaborative partnerships also funded

Application Process (First Round - Closed):

Request for Proposals (RFP) issued

209 applications received requesting over $47 million

Funding allocated to top 80+ applicants

Approach:

Moved away from theme-based grantmaking

Open call to all nonprofits serving Marin

Supports organizations proximate to or experiencing the issues they address

Multi-sector collaboratives supported

Contact:

Michelle DePass, Vice President of Community Engagement

Marin Community Foundation

Phone: 415.464.2500

Address: 5 Hamilton Landing Suite 200, Novato, CA 94949