Capacity Building Grants

Eligible applicants are those that have been congressionally identified to receive FY24 funds for CD Community Project funding. Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-47). Other non-specified entities may not receive replacement grants or serve as successors-in-interest after the award is made. Application must address activities consistent with the purpose identified by Congress. The amount requested cannot exceed the amount identified by Congress.

The United States Agency for International Developments (USAID) Mission to the Pacific Islands is developing a new program entitled Pacific Economic Growth Activity (PEG). The Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance (ROAA)/USAID Pacific Islands has drafted preliminary technical requirements for the purpose of market research and also to provide industry implementers and stakeholders an opportunity to review, comment, suggest and enhance areas of the draft document. It also provides an advance opportunity for interested parties to establish teaming arrangements and identify key personnel in the event a solicitation is issued. It is anticipated that this technical requirements draft will result in a final Statement of Objectives or Program Description that may lead to a formal solicitation issued for response. It is anticipated that this requirement will result in two separate awards with an expected period of performance of five years within an award range of $15-$18 million for Papua New Guinea/Solomon Islands/Vanuatu (PNG/SI/VAN) and $18-$22 million for Fiji, Kiribati, Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI), Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Nauru, Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu. Responses (comments, suggestions, and enhancements) to this RFI are due to the procurement office by July 24, 2024. Please email responses to manilaroaarfp@usaid.gov. Please include the subject title Response to PEG RFI in the e-mail subject line to ensure the response is directed appropriately.

The Community Economic Development (CED) Planning Grants program, forecasted under the new NOFO HHS-2024-ACF-OCS-EE-0152, is administered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Community Services (OCS). OCS plans to award approximately $1.5 million in discretionary funds to Community Development Corporations (CDCs). The fundamental objective is to stimulate the development of new CED projects by providing crucial financial assistance for administrative capacity building within these CDCs. This initiative directly aligns with OCS's core mission to reduce poverty and catalyze economic growth in local communities by facilitating social and revenue reinvestment, laying the groundwork for sustainable community self-sufficiency. The direct beneficiaries of this funding are Community Development Corporations (CDCs) that serve under-resourced, underserved, and persistent high-poverty areas with struggling economies. The ultimate beneficiaries are the residents of these target communities, including those with low incomes in both urban and rural settings. The immediate impact goal is to strengthen the administrative and planning capacity of CDCs that have historically struggled to put forth a viable CED project. The broader impact goals include stimulating the creation of new, viable CED projects, fostering localized economic growth, and ultimately reducing poverty through comprehensive community support and reinvestment. OCS has established three key strategic priorities for this funding opportunity, centering the approach on equity. The first priority aligns the grants with national climate and equity initiatives, specifically Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and the Justice40 Initiative, by underscoring funding support for energy communities. The second focus is on increasing equity in the geographic distribution of CED funds, ensuring resources reach areas previously overlooked, as mandated by the CED statute. Finally, the third priority emphasizes breaking down service silos by encouraging CDCs to leverage existing partnerships across OCS programs, thereby promoting a holistic, wraparound services model to address poverty. The strategic priority and theory of change for OCS is rooted in the belief that administrative capacity is the critical barrier to entry for effective community-led development in high-poverty areas. By providing financial assistance for capacity building, the awards serve as a crucial step to connect CDCs with the larger CED resources required for impactful social and revenue reinvestment. Expected outcomes include an increase in the number of CDCs capable of developing fundable projects, leading to the stimulation of new CED projects in persistent high-poverty areas. Measurable results will focus on the successful leveraging of the initial administrative capacity building funds into tangible new projects, demonstrating a clear path from planning support to demonstrable local economic growth and sustainable poverty reduction.

This program provides financial assistance to New Jersey communities at risk of wildfires to enhance their resilience through proactive planning, risk mitigation, and public awareness initiatives.

The U.S. Department of State through Embassy Bridgetown announces an open competition for a project to strengthen independent medias ability to increase access to objective and quality information in the Eastern Caribbean. Media outlets across the Caribbean face challenges including declining revenue sources and expensive operating environments. These challenges are compounded by the fact that many outlets have been traditionally under resourced. Media enterprises are suffering loss of advertising revenue and other funding streams. Many media houses also have gaps in adapting to the financial and editorial challenges of the current age and may lack fully developed business plans, leaving the outlets open to potential malign influence or interference efforts. Outlets also lack up-to-date equipment, computers, and software, hampering their ability to produce high-quality and timely content. Further, many operate under austere conditions and struggle to produce enough original, local content, exacerbating their vulnerability to disinformation, propaganda, and co-optation. Assistance is needed to ensure that journalists, outlets, and other media-related institutions have access to the training, networks, content, and equipment they need to resist false narratives and maintain a free and diverse media ecosystem. Embassy Bridgetown and partners seek to build the capacity of Eastern Caribbean media outlets using a third-party implementer. The implementer will scope its approach based on the following lines of efforts: Training and capacity building: training to include but not limited to: methods to increase content production on a wide range of stories, how to expand reach and advertising revenue, how to develop sustainable business models and plans, fact checking and other core journalistic skills, identifying and countering disinformation, and better educating the general public on how to spot disinformation. A training centered around World Press Freedom Day and multimedia training will be built into the program deliverables. Mentorship and network building: mentorship on journalism and media production skills building and financial/business practices. Network building to support joint reporting and fact-checking, and to create a sustainable community of practice that can share best practices beyond the life of this project. Content provision: providing Caribbean media outlets with access to wire service licenses to enable them to run high-quality, independent, third-party content (Associated Press in English, for instance). Content provision may draw on collaboration with other international wire services to offer an aggregated package to local media partners that they could pull from to disseminate themselves. Supplies: providing up-to-date media equipment, computers, and software on an objectively assessed needs basis to support independent, locally developed news content. Embassy Bridgetown seeks proposals that will provide financial and technical assistance to small and medium-sized media outlets to strengthen their ability to safely produce and disseminate accurate information to audiences in the Eastern Caribbean. The goal of this project is to support the independence of regional journalists and media outlets to increase access to information within the domestic and regional media ecosystems.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations in the Richmond area that empower Black youth and young adults through education and capacity-building initiatives.

This funding program provides financial assistance to Texas-based nonprofit organizations, schools, and libraries to hire professional artists for performances and workshops, enhancing community access to the arts.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Missouri to improve their governance, operations, and strategic direction through the engagement of consultants for capacity-building projects.

The Greater Franklin Chamber of Commerce is offering a small business capacity-building grant program through its Franklin Chamber Foundation. This initiative aims to strengthen the economic and social growth of the Franklin community by supporting local small businesses, which are considered the foundation of the city. The program aligns with the Chamber's mission to assist in fortifying these essential businesses within the community. The target beneficiaries for this program are small businesses in Franklin with 10 or fewer full-time employees. The grant seeks to impact these businesses by providing financial assistance for various capacity-building initiatives. The overall goal is to enhance the resilience and growth potential of these small enterprises, thereby contributing to the broader economic vitality of Franklin. The program prioritizes initiatives that expand physical space, improve online presence, or bolster marketing efforts. Examples of capacity building include the development of user-friendly online shopping platforms, enhancement of point-of-sale systems, updating websites, increasing physical spaces, and implementing innovative marketing strategies. These focus areas are designed to provide tangible improvements that directly contribute to business growth and sustainability. The Franklin Chamber Foundation plans to award 12 grants, each valued at $2,500, to local small businesses. The expected outcome is that these grants will enable recipient businesses to implement crucial capacity-building projects, leading to increased operational efficiency, broader market reach, and ultimately, greater economic stability. While specific measurable results are not detailed beyond the number and amount of grants, the underlying theory of change is that direct financial support for strategic improvements will empower small businesses to thrive, reinforcing the community's economic fabric.

This funding opportunity supports higher education institutions and their partners in Michigan to create sustainable systems that address basic needs insecurities, helping students overcome barriers to success in postsecondary education.

This program provides financial support to public school districts and nonprofit organizations in rural Kansas and northwestern Missouri to establish or expand child care centers, enhancing their capacity and services for local families.

This program provides funding of up to $5,000 to local organizations in Grays Harbor County for quick-impact projects that address community needs, such as educational materials, food supplies, and essential items for shelters.

This program provides financial assistance to owners of historic buildings, non-profits, and community groups in Ellensburg, WA, to help preserve and restore historic properties and murals.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and local governments in Texas for capital projects that improve community facilities and infrastructure, such as fire stations, libraries, and emergency responder equipment.

This funding opportunity supports innovative programs that improve college readiness, enrollment, and completion in Michigan communities, particularly those connected to Local College Access Networks.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to local governments and economic organizations in Colorado's non-core regions to enhance infrastructure and resources that attract and retain semiconductor-related businesses.

The Leland Fikes Foundation is accepting grant applications until October 9, 2024. The Foundation supports 501(c)(3) organizations in areas including reproductive health, civic engagement, and human services in the Dallas area. Their funding priorities include improving access to reproductive healthcare, strengthening democratic processes through public policy and advocacy, and addressing local community needs such as housing and health. The Foundation focuses on national, state-level (Texas), and local Dallas initiatives. Grants are not available for individuals or politically partisan groups. For more information, visit the Leland Fikes Foundation.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Colorado-based nonprofit destination marketing organizations and statewide tourism associations for new marketing campaigns that promote the state's tourism attractions and experiences.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to local governments and economic organizations in Colorado to conduct studies that assess their potential for developing semiconductor and advanced industries, excluding established industry areas.

The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County is launching its 2024 BUILD (building unity, infrastructure, leadership, and development) Grant Program, a direct reflection of its mission to strengthen charitable organizations within the county. This program specifically targets nonprofit agencies with an annual operating budget of $500,000 or less, aiming to bolster their capacity and infrastructure. The foundation's strategic priority is clearly to empower smaller, local nonprofits, recognizing their vital role in serving San Luis Obispo County residents. The primary beneficiaries of the BUILD Grant Program are these smaller nonprofit organizations, along with the communities they serve. The impact goal is to enhance the operational effectiveness and sustainability of these agencies, thereby improving their ability to deliver programs and services to the residents of San Luis Obispo County. By strengthening these organizations from within, the foundation seeks to create a ripple effect that ultimately benefits the broader community through more robust and impactful charitable work. The program prioritizes both general operating purposes and specific projects in several key areas. These include capacity building, staff or board training and development, communications or donor development efforts, and capital equipment improvement (such as hardware, software, or furniture). The foundation will specifically prioritize one-year grants, offering $5,000 to successful applicants. This focused approach ensures that funding directly addresses critical needs that contribute to an organization's long-term health and efficiency. Expected outcomes include improved organizational infrastructure, enhanced staff and board capabilities, more effective communication strategies, and modernized equipment, all contributing to increased operational efficiency and program delivery. While the description doesn't explicitly detail measurable results, the focus on tangible improvements in capacity, training, and equipment suggests that the foundation expects a clear, positive impact on the grantees' ability to fulfill their missions. The foundation's theory of change appears to be that by investing in the foundational strength of smaller nonprofits, it can catalyze greater community benefit and resilience in San Luis Obispo County.