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Prepared by:February 26, 2016Targeted Capacity Building

Julie Simpson Director of

Nonprofit Strategy & Capacity Building

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Agenda

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o Who Needs to Build Capacity and For What?

o The Roles: Rearranging the Status Quo

o Going Deeper: The Six Stepso Finding the Win-Win: Constructing

the Plano Sustaining the Community’s

Collective Capacity

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Who Needs to Build Capacity and For What?

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The Problem

Multi-sector collaboration is

increasingly a given in the

social sector. This is new work, and therefore requires new capacity.

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The Problem

But ourmodels ofcapacity building are too focusedon a one-way relationship

where funders provide support

for nonprofits to build their own

organizational capacity.

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The Problem

But where’sthe attentionto relational

capacity

…and to thecapacity that funders and

others need to be good

collaborators

??

The conversation on capacity building is evolving…

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The Evolution of Capacity Building

Who:

What:

How:

Ecosystems

Relational Capacity

Targeted CapacityBuilding

CB 3.0CB 2.0CB 1.0

Organizations

Interrelated Functions

Catch-all CapacityBuilding Initiatives

Individuals

Skills and Knowledge

Trainings, Workshops,

Seminars

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The Roles: Rearranging the Status Quo

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Capacity Building Learning Community

Investor

Co-learner

Knowledge distributor

Change agent

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4 Part Learning Partnership

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Capacity Building: 4 Part Learning Partnership

• Funder• Set strategic direction for capacity building and learning

goals• Create environment and set expectations for mutual

learning• Adjust strategy based on learnings based on data and

lessons learned• Organization

• Commit to change and learning• Work with consultants to develop and implement

capacity building plans• Provide continuous feedback on the process

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Community Partners (cont.)

• Local Capacity Building Providers• Work with organizations to interpret the CCAT • Help organizations create capacity building plans, using

targeted capacity building approach and their own expertise• Empower individuals and provide assistance in

implementing plans

• TCC Group• Collaborates with funders to design the initiative• Trains on the ground consultants on targeted capacity

building • Establishes and maintains a learning loop/learning

communities

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Going Deeper: The Six Steps

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6 Steps for Targeted Capacity Building1. Who are you? What do you want to be? Determine your

organization’s role and aspirationsa. Macro, Micro, or Hybrid

b. What are your “relational communities?” In what ways are they essential if you are to achieve your mission? How do they affect your growth aspirations?

2. What is your current lifecycle stage? Assess your organization’s lifecycle

3. What are your priority capacity strengths and challenges? Assess your organization’s capacity needs

4. Who are the change agents to building capacity? Determine who needs to change

5. What do the change agents need to build capacity? What type(s) of capacity building support do they need? Determine whether the individuals or group are “ready to go” or “need to get ready”

6. What are the available resources to build capacity? Determine a cost-effective model for supporting capacity building

Macro

Micro

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Step 1: Who Are You and What Do You Want to Be?

Social Problem

or Desired Impact

Macro

SystemsPolicies

High-level Practices

Micro

IndividualsSmall GroupsCommunities

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Who makes up your ecosystem? How might this influence your growth aspirations?

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Step 2: What is Your Current Lifecycle Stage?

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Questions for the Organization

Follow this order:1. Where is the organization in the organizational

lifecycle?

2. What are the priority recommendations?• Are there recommendations that don’t make sense

for the organization?

• Can the recommendations be grouped?

• What item in the capacity-building plan really excites you / scares or concerns you, and why?

3. If you were to summarize your primary need in one core capacity by focusing on your priority recommendations and subcapacity scores, what would it be?

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Example 1

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Example 2

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Step 3: How can you tell your story?

Core Program Infrastructure Development Impact Expansion

Capacity

Needs

LeadershipInternal leadership and

vision to sustain and grow program model

Internal leadership to sustain and grow business

model

Scalable models for community impact and

system change

AdaptiveNeeds assessment and

ongoing evaluation (R&D) to sustain and grow

Organizational assessment for sustainability and business planning for independent resource generation for growth

Evaluation, planning, and process implementation for community alliances,

collaborations, and system reform efforts

ManagementStrong program

management and implementation for

sustainability and growth

HR and infrastructure management and

performance measurement for

sustainability and growth

Alliance and partner management

TechnicalProgram delivery,

resources and tools for sustainability and growth

Operational and administrative facilities;

skills and tools for sustainability and growth

Relationships, networks, and resources

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Our Assumption: A nonprofit’s plate is simply too full…

• Is it realistic for a nonprofit to be able to make the required change to increase capacity by itself?

• What’s needed in order to put knowledge into action?

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Step 4: Who Is Your Nonprofit’s Change Team?

• Map Change Agents with the RACI analysis

Responsible

Accountable

Consult

Inform

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Setting the Stage for Change

“You know, I'm all in for progress. It’s change that I object to.”

– Mark Twain

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• Education• Training

• Resources• Tools• Consulting• Technical

Assistance / Support

• Coaching• Mentoring

• Awareness• Know-How• Motivation

Step 5: What Do the Change Agents Need

to Build Capacity?Motivation, Skills

Ready Set Go!

• Plans• Tools• Resources• Instructions

• Assisting• Showing• Doing• Feedback

Plan:

(Are You)

(Get)

Create:

Act:

Support Needed: Support Needed:

Support Needed:

Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude Opportunity, Behavior, Habit

When behaviors happen, habits are formed, and changes are sustained

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RACI and “Ready, Set, Go”

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Step 6: What Are the Available Resources to Build Capacity?

Community

In-house

External / expert

assistanceFunders

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Finding the Win-Win: Constructing a Plan

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How to Plan, Conduct, & Interpret Targeted Capacity Building Sessions

• Report clear, results-oriented objectives in improving health, education, and quality of life in the community

• Articulate need for CB and effectively marshal resources

• Acquire the internal capacity to absorb additional funds as they enhance effectiveness and impact

• Employ sustainable leadership practices of staff and board to lead and fundraise

• Funding to support internal infrastructure, in addition to program infrastructure

• Ability to "tell their story" and articulate how add'l resources would increase their capacity to succeed

• Access to experts and technical assistance to build skills

• Increased leadership capacity, including board development and succession planning

Grant partners who:

Foundation Goals Grantee Needs

Cap

acity

Bui

ldin

gSu

ppor

ts

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Sustaining the Community’s

Collective Capacity

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Capacity Building Learning Community in Action

Expert Facilitation from Local Consultants, Informed by:• Targeted Capacity Building Approach• Local Understanding and Expertise• Learning Loop

Learning Loop:TCC feeds information back into the process via CCAT

data, interviews, and surveys

Stronger Nonprofits/Community/Fu

nder

Funder Supporting a

Cohort

CCAT CB Plan Development

Implementation and TA

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THANK YOU

Julie SimpsonDirector, Nonprofit

Strategy & Capacity Building

jsimpson@tccgrp.com