Forbes Funds: Management Assistance Grants (MAGs)

Management Assistance Grants (MAGs) from Forbes Funds support collaboratives of nonprofits in Allegheny County, enhancing their capacity to achieve impactful mission work. These reimbursement-based grants fund third-party consultations for projects focusing on financial strategy, organizational realignment, and capacity-building. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations and their partners, who must engage in a collaborative process to address critical social determinants of health. This initiative aims to foster sustainable growth and operational effectiveness within the nonprofit sector.

Promoting collaboratives of human service and community-based nonprofits building their capacity and increasing the impact of their mission work.
Management Assistance Grants are awarded to nonprofit collaboratives to support the cost of hiring third-party consultation for a collaborative capacity-building project. MAGS are reimbursement based grants.
Possible areas of support include the following:
Financial strategy to support operational needs and sustainable growthIdeas for growing the mission and capitalizing on program opportunitiesEnhanced strategic and generative performance of the boardModels for generating more impactful employee performanceAn objective and experienced sounding board with whom you can share your leadership challenges and dreams
What do we fund?
Proposals focusing on finance, strategy, and organizational realignmentFinancial projects will seek to understand the financial standing of a partnership and develop planning for joint sustainability (e.g. Joint sustainability plan, collaborative earned revenue strategy)
Strategy projects will set a direction and plan to pursue joint activities and outcomes (e.g. Strategic plan for a collaborative, shared business plan)
Organizational realignment projects involve formalizing partnerships through a shared structure (e.g. Shared back office, shared positions, strategic affiliation)Capacity-building projects that seek to produce impact at the organizational and systems-level (e.g. Partners from multiple sectors, more efficient use of shared resources)Collaboratives addressing known Social Determinants of Health affecting the region such as:economic stability

Eligibility

Who Can Apply?Allegheney County-based 501(c)(3) organizations can apply, along with partners willing to undertake a collaborative process and a third party to guide the workIt has a lead organization that is a 501(c)3It is composed of partners willing to undertake a collaborative processIt is led by a human services and/or community development organizationIt will use a third-party to guide the project work, seeking bids from at least three consultants prior to signing a contractIt is willing to undertake a capacity-building challenge that is not already underwayIt is willing to meet the requirements of the application process, including the completion of the Nonprofit Needs Assessment and financial scan

Ineligibility

Management Assistant Grants (MAGs) are not made to cover fees and/or costs already incurred, or projects already underway, including capacity-building projects for which the organization has already signed contracts with its preferred provider. Additionally, The Forbes Funds does not provide operating, program, or staffing support.