Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative Grant - Sustained Collaboration Fund Implementation Grant

The Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative Grant supports nonprofits in Los Angeles County through its Sustained Collaboration Fund, which encourages strategic partnerships. These partnerships can enhance organizational effectiveness and efficiency, ultimately leading to greater mission sustainability. Implementation Grants, ranging from $20,000 to $50,000, are available for organizations that have agreed on collaborative efforts, covering costs such as severance, IT integration, and legal fees. This initiative aims to normalize strategic restructuring within the nonprofit sector.

NOTE FROM FUNDER: The NSI's sustained collaboration grants are open year-round (rolling deadline). We request organizations connect with one of our Directors to confirm eligibility and receive access to our application.
Partnerships bring new vitality to an organization. They create opportunities which can help build capacity to sustain your mission and scale your vision. Nonprofit leaders are often tasked with achieving organizational sustainability, but what if we were to relieve them of that burden and instead focus on mission sustainability? This reframing may be the difference between the status quo and innovation. This is the power of partnership and the power of navigating moments of great organizational change from a position of strength and strategic vision.
The NSI helps nonprofits based in Los Angeles County explore and implement formal partnerships leading to greater organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Known as strategic restructuring (SR), these partnerships typically culminate in agreements to combine some (or all) aspects of the organization, ranging from jointly managed programs and back-office consolidations to shared ventures or full-scale mergers. The goal of the NSI is to normalize strategic restructuring by establishing an environment where service providers, funders, and consultants understand and regularly engage in the activity as a strategy for enhancing impact.
Implementation Grants are available for organizations who have reached an agreement following a sustained collaboration exploratory process. Examples of costs that may be eligible for funding include: severance packages for departing CEO’s and other staff, IT integration, lease breaking, developing new marketing and communication materials, legal fees, consolidating capital assets, accountant fees, and board development.
Funding
Implementation grants typically range between $20,000 – $50,000. Costs related to the ongoing operation of the organization(s) will not be considered.
Implementation grants do not typically cover the full cost of implementing an agreement.

Eligibility

To be eligible for NSI funding, the lead applicant organization must be based in and/or primarily serving Los Angeles County. Collaborations must involve at least two organizations that have 501(c)(3) status or are fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Exceptions may be considered under the following conditions:The applicant has demonstrated services, programs, and activities for at least two years.The applicant is not incorporated as a for-profit business entity.The applicant is organized on behalf of a specific cultural community.The applicant has a proven track record of having a decision-making structure and/or a well-established organizational culture.