Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants: Planning Grant

The Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants: Planning Grant, offered by the St. Croix Valley Foundation, provides essential funding for nonprofit organizations in the St. Croix Valley region. Aimed at enhancing the operational capacity of established nonprofits, the program supports strategic assessments and planning efforts to ensure sustainability and growth. Eligible organizations must have a minimum of five years of operation, be located within the service area, and be recognized as 501(c)(3) entities. Grants can be up to $25,000.

The St. Croix Valley Foundation serves six counties bordering the St. Croix River through local partnerships and place-based philanthropy. We serve:

• Minnesota: Chisago County, Washington County

Wisconsin: Burnett County, Pierce County, Polk County, St. Croix County
Partnered with local community affiliates led by volunteers who help guide grantmaking, grow local endowments, and connect donors to opportunities close to home.
Every day, nonprofits across the St. Croix Valley meet urgent community needs while balancing limited resources, growing demand, and constant change. The Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Program was created to support you — with flexible funding for the people, plans, and systems that keep your organization strong.
​Whether you’re planning for the future, implementing new systems, or collaborating with partners to meet regional needs, these grants are designed to help you build strength for the long haul.
​Funded through the Nonprofit Stability Collaborative Fund, this program invests in the long-term health and sustainability of our region’s nonprofits — so together, we can build a stronger, more resilient Valley.
What We Fund
Capacity building is an investment in your organization’s ability to grow, sustain impact, and adapt—whether through refinement, expansion, collaboration, or even sunsetting—in service of your mission and the greater good. The Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Program supports organizations at different stages of readiness through four distinct avenues of funding.
​Experiences – Learning and professional growth for nonprofit leaders and staff. Planning – Strategic assessments and planning to chart a path forward. Implementation – Putting a clear capacity-building plan into action.System-Wide Infrastructure – Shared tools and collaborations that strengthen the entire sector.
Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants: Planning – Strategic assessments and planning to chart a path forward
Examples: Organizational assessments, business or strategic plans, succession planning, technology or financial system evaluations, exploration of mergers or restructuring, fundraising or communications strategy, temporary staff or consultants.

Eligibility

Organizations must:
Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in existence for at least five years.Have a current IRS Form 990 on file.Be well-established and organized in a way that supports their mission and daily operations.Be located in SCVF’s six-county service area: Chisago and Washington (MN); Burnett, Polk, St. Croix, and Pierce (WI).

Ineligibility

Private foundationsGovernment entitiesSectarian religious programsFiscal sponsorshipsCapital projectsOrganizations headquartered outside the region seeking expansion