The Hispanic Federation, partnered with the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, is seeking applications for the third round of its 2023 Connecticut Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund.
Donor Name: Hispanic Federation
State: Connecticut
County: Hartford County (CT), Tolland County (CT), and Middlesex County (CT)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/29/2023
Size of the Grant:
- Budgets from $75,000 – $150,000: $10,000 – $20,000
- Budgets from $150,00 – $500,000: Up to $35,00
- Budgets from $500,001 to $2 million: Up to $45,000
Details:
This pilot program named the Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund (CCNSF) was designed to help strengthen community-based organizations and since its inception has helped to support 464 capacity-building projects for nonprofit organizations.
In 2021, the Hispanic Federation partnered with the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to develop this capacity-building program throughout the Greater Hartford Region. As a result, the Hartford Foundation allocated $1 million to establish the first Connecticut Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund. The first Connecticut fund of its kind, CCNSF aims to build the capacity of the nonprofits in the Hartford Region of Connecticut in recognition of the fact that organizations led by people of the community are best equipped to meet the needs of the community. CCNSF is also intended to promote learning among CBO leaders.
Eligible Projects
The purpose of the CCNSF capacity-building program is to help organizations identify and address their most pressing organizational needs. Organizations can apply for funding in one of seven areas:
- Management information systems design and development
- This includes securing and/or designing software and building related staff skills necessary for managing work more effectively (e.g., tracking client demographic data, service utilization, and progress toward outcomes).
- Financial management and planning
- This includes assessment, planning, and development of financial systems, as well as staff skill-building to improve reporting systems and enable organizations to identify the most cost-effective services.
- Evaluation and outcomes system development
- This includes efforts to implement systems to keep information related to client needs, referral sources, and services provided; implement systems to measure and/or service recipient satisfaction and/or service recipient outcomes; develop programmatic success measures; and develop evaluation capacity.
- Leadership development
- This includes leadership succession planning; creation and implementation of volunteer management/recruitment plan; management/leadership training for staff; training for board of directors; and creation of board policies.
- New program planning and development
- This includes conducting a needs assessment of community needs and assets, planning of new programs through research on effective practices, and staff development in support of the new initiatives.
- Strategy and organizational development
- This includes efforts to create a staff performance review process; a strategic or operational/annual plan; a communications or marketing plan; and a fundraising or donor development plan.
- Collaboration and strategic alliances
- This includes efforts to establish partnership agreements, create action plans to collaborate with other nonprofits/agencies, and develop a plan for organizational mergers.
Funding Information
With the approval of your proposal, CCNSF will make awards as follows:
- From $10,000 – $20,000 for organizations with budgets ranging from $75,000 – $150,000;
- Up to $35,00 for organizations with budgets from $150,00 – $500,000;
- Up to $45,000 for organizations with budgets from $500,001 to $2 million.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for funding, organizations submitting proposals must meet the following requirements:
- Have tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and a history of at least three years as an incorporated nonprofit.
- Be current in registration with the Connecticut State Department of Consumer Protection Charities Unit.
- Be a Connecticut-based, direct social/human service organization that is located and or serves primarily residents of Greater Hartford Region (i.e., not an association or a re-granting or referral service).
- Has experience serving and currently serves communities where 51% or more of the population are people of color.
- Is led by a chief executive officer who is Hispanic, Indigenous, African American or Asian/Pacific American, and/or is governed by a board with a majority of members who are Hispanic, Indigenous, African American, or Asian/Pacific American. Have an operating budget of at least $75,000 and a maximum of $2 million. Organizations with budgets OVER $2 million will NOT be eligible.
- Has demonstrated commitment to racial equity and addressing structural barriers that limit opportunity for people of color.
- Have demonstrated commitment and capacity to deliver culturally competent services, meeting the social, cultural, and linguistic needs of the community they serve.
For more information, visit Hispanic Federation.
