Capacity Building Grants

ACT supports and encourages nonprofit excellence and strengthens leadership within nonprofits by bringing and investing in infrastructure based programs and organizational needs.  Over the past four years, ACT has supported three types of Capacity Building efforts:

• Compass Strategy Grants
• ACT Now Fund Grants
• Organizational Assessment Grants
• Strategy Implementation Grants

Compass Strategy Grants

ACT works in partnership with Compass, a leading consulting group, to provide consulting services to nonprofit organizations.  Compass leverages the expertise of alumni from top-tier business schools such as Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, and Tuck, and a smaller number of non-MBA business professionals, to provide strategic alignment, board development and fundraising strategy services to local nonprofits. 

Past grantees include:  Alexandria Red Cross, Alexandria Seaport Foundation, Community Lodgings, Hopkins House, Literacy Council of Northern Virginia, Northern Virginia Area Health Education Center, SCAN of Northern Virginia and The Campagna Center.

Applications will be available in May 2010.  
 

ACT Now Fund Grants

ACT Now Fund Grants, previously Operational Needs grants, respond to the needs of safety-net nonprofit organizations experiencing a significant financial shortfall affecting their capacity to provide services, due to the economic downturn. The ACT Now Fund specifically assists organizations with meeting essential needs in our community, such as emergency financial assistance, housing assistance, food, clothing, and medical/health assistance.

Past grantees include:  Alexandria Neighborhood Health Services, Inc., Alexandria-Arlington Coalition for the Homeless, ALIVE!, Community Lodgings, CrisisLink, Friends of Guest House, and Senior Services of Alexandria.

Organizational Assessment Grants

These awards provide an organizational assessment to a local nonprofit organization displaying great potential.  The assessment is conducted by a private consultant specializing in nonprofit capacity improvement and strategic planning.  The purpose of the assessment is to assist high potential nonprofit organizations in gaining insight into their current operating conditions and begin to address critical issues including:  organizational development and culture, strategic planning initiatives, and staff and board development.  

Past grantees include:   Alexandria Olympic Boys & Girls Club, ALIVE!, Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless, Community Lodgings, Friends of Guest House, Hopkins House, Senior Services of Alexandria, and Volunteer Alexandria.

To apply, please complete the Application and Cover Sheet. 
Applications are due Friday, November 20, 2009 at noon to ACT, 311 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. 

Strategy Implementation Grants

ACT offers grants to support nonprofits seeking to implement capacity building measures within their organizations.  These tangible activities (software, equipment, marketing resources, consultant project, new staff, etc.) are linked to needs identified within the organization - often through a Compass or Organizational Assessment Grant recommendation.  

Past grantees include:  Alexandria Neighborhood Health Services, Inc., Alexandria Seaport Foundation, ALIVE!, Computer C.O.R.E., Friends of Guest House, Hopkins House, Literacy Council of Northern Virginia, New Neighbors Education Center, Rebuilding Together Alexandria, Stop Child Abuse Now of Northern Virginia, The Campagna Center, The Reading Connection, and Volunteer Alexandria.   

To apply, please complete the Application and Cover Sheet. 
Applications are due Friday, November 20, 2009 at noon to ACT, 311 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.