Organizational Effectiveness Grants: Guidelines

The community foundation provides technical assistance grants of up to $5,000 to help organizations move toward ever-increasing levels of excellence. Applications for this program are accepted throughout the year or until funds are expended.

In an attempt to support the work of more nonprofits in the community, only those organizations that are not currently supported by a Community Investment grant are eligible to apply for an Organizational Effectiveness grant. Eligible organizations may not apply for a community investment grant and an organizational effectiveness grant at the same time.

Proposals should demonstrate the link between the requested funding and the organization's ability to function more efficiently and/or effectively. Project proposals should also address how the newly acquired skills and capabilities will be integrated into organizational practices.

How to Apply

Submit an application with all the required information outlined in the organizational effectiveness application.

Send the grant application to:

Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Organizational Effectiveness Grants
2440 West El Camino Real, Suite 300
Mountain View, California 94040

OR

Email: grants@siliconvalleycf.org

Deadlines

Requests of up to $5,000 for Organizational Effectiveness grants are accepted throughout the year until funds are expended. There are no grant deadlines, but those interested in applying should email grants@siliconvalleycf.org prior to application to check if funds are still available.

Eligibility criteria for organizational effectiveness grants

We provide technical assistance funding for a wide range of activities that increase the capacity of nonprofits. Requests may include but are not limited to:

• Leadership training
• Fund development planning
• Evaluation
• Strategic planning
• Strategic alliances and/or mergers
• An examination of best practices
• Other strategies resulting in increased organizational capacity and sustainability

The following are not eligible to receive organizational effectiveness grants:

• Government agencies, schools, school districts or organizations whose missions are political or religious.

In general, organizational effectiveness grants are not awarded for the following purposes:

• Endowment or capital campaigns
• Software (unless it is part of a larger strategy to increase organizational effectiveness)
• Special events
• General program support
• Organizations not working within our focus areas of arts and cultural participation, education and lifelong learning, civic engagement and self-reliant individuals and families.
• Organizations not located in our geographic area of Redwood City to Gilroy.
• Organizations that are already receiving a community investment grant.
• We do not reimburse expenses already incurred or for projects that are already underway