Capacity Building: What it is and Why it Works!

Capacity Building: What it is and Why it Works!The CLA Annual National Conference

Presented by Kerry Lupher, MSWApril 22, 2008

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Copyright © 2008 JVA Consulting, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

April 2008 ~ CLA Annual National Conference

What is Capacity Building?

Capacity building refers to actions taken to strengthen an organization’s ability to

achieve its mission in an effective manner.

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Benefits of Building Capacity

•For your organization• Increase organizational sustainability, efficiency and

effectiveness •Enhance ability to provide social services•Create collaborations to better serve those most in need

•For those you serve• Increase program effectiveness• Increase ability to deliver more effective programs that produce

positive client outcomes

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•Limited resources (time, staff, funding) necessitate strategic planning of faith-based and community organizations’ engagement in effective service provision.

Why Build Capacity?

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“Strong and stable organizations are a critical component of program impact” and ultimately advancing a funder’s mission.

Source: James Irvine Foundation

A Funder’s Point of View…

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“Doing good is the business of philanthropy. But that's not the same as doing well. It's easy to give away money; it's not easy to do so effectively.”

Source: Pew Charitable Trust

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“By addressing issues that are critical to the long-term viability of non-profit organizations, faith-based and community organizations are better prepared and positioned to understand and meet the needs of their communities.”

Source: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

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Compassion Capital Fund (CCF)

•A program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Faith-Based and Community Initiative

•To help grassroots faith-based and community organizations maximize their social impact as they provide services to those most in need

•Funds capacity building activities that produce measurable effects that result in more sustainable organizations

•Funds cannot support direct social services or inherently religious activities

•For more information: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccf/

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JVA & the Colorado Compassion Initiative

•A three-time CCF intermediary •One of 21 organizations in the nation selected to be an intermediary in the nation’s first CCF Demonstration Grant in 2002•Goal: to provide capacity building grants and technical assistance to faith-based and community organizations throughout Colorado

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CCF & CCI Areas of Capacity Building

•Leadership development•Organizational development•Programs/services development•Funding/revenue development strategies•Community engagement

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Building Leadership Capacity

•Training to enhance skills in service delivery, administration, management and/or leadership

•Establishing or improving the performance of board of directors (membership, orientation, protocols and responsibilities)

•Recruiting, developing and managing volunteers more effectively

•Training and development for volunteers or development of a volunteer program

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Building Organizational Capacity

• Incorporating as a legally recognized organization, obtaining 501(c)(3) status with the IRS

•Creating, adopting or revising a written mission statement•Creating and adopting a written strategic plan•Participating in an organizational assessment by an external

individual/entity•Hiring a financial manager•Getting an audit of finances/financial records by an external auditor•Creating or improving formal, written financial management

procedures•Developing or implementing financial management systems • Implementing a budgeting process

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More on Building Organizational Capacity

•Building volunteer management systems and outreach •Developing HR policies, supervision protocol, performance

review strategies, etc.•Increasing computer and/or software proficiency; updating

computers and/or software; increasing organizational utilization of the Internet

•Developing a communications strategy

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Building Program Capacity

•Developing or implementing plans to: • Increase number of clients served and/or the number or scope

of services offered to clients•Expand into a new programmatic area• Incorporate a new approach to services• Improve service quality/effectiveness• Include a new group of service recipients or geographic area

•Curriculum development and/or purchase•Developing and implementing program evaluation

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Building Revenue Development Capacity

•Creating a written fundraising/fund development plan•Increasing the number of applications for funding submitted

and/or approved•Seeking and/or obtaining funding from new sources•Hiring a grant/contract writer to train staff to prepare

applications for funding•Identifying and pursuing new sources of funding and/or

in-kind donations•Designing a donor development strategy

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Building Capacity for Community Engagement

•Creating or updating a Web site•Developing or distributing written materials, such as a

brochure or newsletter•Making presentations to, and/or engaging in partnerships with,

other local faith-based and community groups•Utilizing public service announcements or paid advertising•Undertaking activities to better understand the needs in your

community or service area (e.g., meeting with constituents, community mapping, needs assessment)

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JVA’s CCI Strategy for Building Capacity

•Comprehensive organizational assessment•Work plan development•Intensive capacity building workshops•One-on-one consulting•Follow-up assessments•Ongoing technical assistance

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JVA’s Comprehensive Organizational Assessment•Developed by JVA after an extensive review of literature on

best practices in nonprofit management•Automated assessment tool ranking organizational capacity in

12 areas:

• Board development• Fundraising• Grantwriting• Grants management• Community collaborations• Marketing and public relations

• Financial management• Program development• Program evaluation• Information technology• Personnel management• Volunteer management

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What We Know about What Works!

•CCI 2 evaluation study sampled organizations that received services over 3-year period.• Group 1 (N=18) received workshops only• Group 2 (N-37) received workshops AND TA• Group 3 (N=44) received workshops, TA and monetary capacity building

awards (up to $10K)

•Organizations made significant gains in 12 of the 18 areas of capacity building.

•Organizational capacity increased in direct relation to the level and amount of support offered.

•Individualized TA and consulting directly improved organizations’ capacity to achieve their missions.

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9 Principles of Capacity Building*

1. Every organization is capable of building its capacity.

2. Trust between the organization and provider is a must.

3. The organization must be ready for capacity building.

4. Ongoing questions mean better answers.

5. Team and peer learning are effective capacity building tools.

6. Capacity building should accommodate different learning styles.

7. Value the organization’s unique history and culture.

8. All people and all parts of the organization are interrelated.

9. Capacity building takes time.

*Adapted from Echoes from the Field: Proven Capacity-Building Principles for Nonprofits, David and Lucile Packard Foundation

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A Few Funders of Capacity Building

•James Irvine Foundation•C.S. Mott Foundation•Ford Foundation•Knight Foundation•Deaconess Foundation•Hartford Foundation for Public Giving•Sierra Health Foundation•The Pfizer Foundation•The David and Lucile Packard Foundation•Others?

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Who Can Help you Build your Capacity?

•A capacity building consultant should:• Understand you and whom you understand (the community you serve)• Work collaboratively with you to develop your capacity building action

plan/ workplan• Be a a clear speaker, a great facilitator and a good writer• Be willing to respectfully challenge the usefulness of current practices• Have experience and expertise in the capacity building areas of interest• Be willing to share the capacity building work with you• Be someone who shares your organizational philosophy• What else?

Thank you!

Kerry Lupher, MSWTel: 800.292.9551 or 303.477.4896 E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.jvaconsulting.com

You still believe one person can change the world. So does JVA—and we can help you do it.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.jvaconsulting.com/

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Capacity Building: What it is and Why it Works!