Van Beuren Foundation: Capacity Grants

Overview

_NOTE:_

* _For first time applicants and major construction and landscape grant applications you will need to contact Program Assistant before applying to setup an introductory call._ 
* _Staff will review capacity grant proposals on a rolling basis, applications will be accepted until funds are expended._

Our Approach

Our grant making priorities focus on the impact we aspire to make in the community.

Aquidneck Island and Newport County remain at the center of our work. We recognize that communities are part of larger systems and economies and we welcome proposals from outside this region that can make a clear case for the benefit to our target communities.

These grant priority areas are intentionally designed to recognize the connections between education, health, economic development, and place. Emphasis in the grant consideration process will be on the impact the proposed activities will have on one or more of these grant priority areas. The Foundation is open to innovative and collaborative approaches, encouraging proposals in the discovery, planning and pilot stages.

Additionally, we invest in strengthening organizations. Through our programming and grant making, we seek to advance our community’s capacity for leadership and best practices needed to thrive and to sustain high-performing nonprofits.

Grant Priorities

* Strong Starts:
* Our Goal: Children and youth have a strong start in life, benefitting from a supportive community and an education that prepares them for the future.
* The Difference We Want to Make: At every age children are ready and engaged learners, supported by their family, schools, and community.
* Our Point of View: Investing in the success of our children is fundamental to the community’s future. Healthy minds and bodies maximize learning. A reputation for excellence in education will both retain and attract families to our community.
* Healthy Lifestyles:
* Our Goal: Residents experience health throughout their lives.
* The Difference We Want to Make: The community offers access to quality health care as well as positive social and physical environments where residents can make healthy choices.
* Our Point of View: Health improves learning, workforce productivity, and the ability of residents to contribute to family and civic life. Healthy places support healthy choices. Communities known for outstanding health care and healthy lifestyles are attractive to both employers and talented workers.
* Community Prosperity:
* Our Goal: Regional economic growth creates opportunities for residents and enterprises.
* The Difference We Want to Make: The regional economy is home to a skilled workforce and thriving enterprises, and continues to foster a strong sense of place.
* Our Point of View: A diverse regional economy supports job growth, improves wages, and raises the standard of living for residents. Creating synergies between our workforce, enterprises, institutions, and quality of place will contribute to community vibrancy. A prosperous community can shape its future and invest in its social, environmental, and cultural values.
* Excellence in the Commons:
* Our Goal: Quality common spaces and institutions make our communities desirable places to live, work, and play.
* The Difference We Want to Make: The quality of landscapes and buildings support the community’s aspirations and contribute to community vitality.
* Our Point of View: Our buildings and landscapes can inspire, shape, and reflect the aspirations of the community. Well-designed natural and built environments enhance the local community and economy--they are physically and socially connected, welcoming, and vibrant. Robust planning processes and thoughtful design lead to quality facilities and landscapes that support program excellence.

Capacity Grants

Capacity Grants help organizations and institutions address capacity needs (e.g. board development, fund development plans, leadership coaching, exploring restructuring) with assistance from a coach or consultant.

When people think of nonprofit organizations, we tend to think first about their missions, strategies, and programs. What often gets less attention is what’s less visible: systems, operations, the capacity to implement programs. Yet, these ingredients are key to an organization’s survival and sustainability, and to its ability to deliver on its mission.

Past projects include (but are not limited to):

* Organizational needs assessments (capacities, systems, etc.)
* Board development
* Leadership coaching
* Building capacity around racial equity
* Fund development plans
* Business plans
* Exploring restructuring, mergers, and shared services

Funding

Capacity grants are limited to $10,000.

This year, vBCF will again offer a limited number of grants—typically averaging $3,500 to $5,000, not to exceed $10,000—to nonprofit organizations aligned with vBCF’s mission to help them address capacity needs by procuring technical assistance from a coach or consultant.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* vBCF provides funding to nonprofit organizations and public institutions for projects and activities that advance its mission and priorities.
* While our interests center on Aquidneck Island and surrounding communities, we welcome proposals from outside the region that will benefit its people and places.

Ineligibility

* The Foundation does not make grants to individuals, for general operating purposes (except on occasion for longstanding partners), to support lobbying, or to attempt to influence legislation.
* Capacity grants are not available for strategic planning; organizations seeking support for this purpose must instead apply for project/program support during one of the Foundation’s regular grant cycles.