Organizational Development Fund

Purpose 
The Organizational Development Fund supports nonprofit organizations in building their capacity in Linn County, Iowa.

• This fund supports projects that build the organization’s capacities by developing strategies, systems, structures, and skills.
• It does not assist with capital infrastructure projects (bricks and mortar).

Organization Eligibility

• The Organizational Development Fund accepts applications from nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(3) status in Linn County that have been fully operational for two years or longer and with operating budgets less than $50M.
• An organization providing services outside Linn County may apply for the Linn County portion of the project cost.

Project Requirements

• Eligible staff costs are directly related to proposed project implementation and may not be part of existing job responsibilities or current job descriptions.
• Projects involving either Legal Resources or Information Technology must be directly related to another Capacity type.

Types of Organizational Capacities

• Mission, Vision, Strategy, and Planning
• Management Team Leadership
• Board Leadership
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Program Design and Evaluation
• Human Resources Management
• Legal Resources
• Financial Management
• Fund Development
• Marketing, Communications, and External Relations
• Information Technology
• Collaboration

Where a nonprofit organization needs to build capacity depends on many factors, including its age, operating budget, program model(s), and revenue base.

How does an organization determine priorities in building its capacity?  Update or development of an organization’s strategic plan includes some degree of organizational assessment within the process, but more formal organizational assessment may also be appropriate.  Please click here for a list of organizational assessment tools.

Please click here for a list of recently funded Organizational Development Fund grants.

Ineligible Activities

• Fundraising events and activities
• Program-specific staff training
• Staff salary costs except when costs are directly related to project implementation
• Religious activities or efforts supporting an organization’s core religious mission
• Expenses that have occurred or will occur during the grant review process

Low Priority Activities

• Travel out of the region

Maximum Request Amount and Duration of Grant
The Grant Opportunity Chart outlines award ranges and durations which vary based on organization age and budget size. The chart also provides information regarding frequency of application limitations.

Application and Forms
Download Organizational Development Fund Application Packet
Download Organizational Development Fund Budget Form

Questions? Contact 
Rochelle Naylor, Program Officer, at rochelle.naylor@gcrcf.org or at 319.774.2373.

 

NOTE: The Community Foundation maintains strict standards to uphold the integrity of the grantmaking process. Our conflict of interest policy applies to grant committees, board and staff requiring recusals in cases of conflict of interest. The Community Foundation review processes are methodical and transparent, with scoring tools for competitive grant applications available in the online applications.