The deadline for submitting a Letter of Intent to Plan for 2008 was September 10th.

Through the Capacity Building Fund (CBF), approximately 10 to 15 nonprofit networks will be awarded $2,500 to $5,000 by TSNE for a three to four (3 to 4) month planning phase. Six to 10 of those networks will be eligible to receive additional funding in the range of $15,000 to $25,000 to implement their respective projects.

Eligibility

Only networks and not individual organizations are eligible to apply for CBF Planning Grants. Networks are comprised of five or more organizations that come together to design a joint learning experience (peer or expert led). An ad hoc, informal network can be convened for the purpose of this grant, or the network can be pre-existing in the form of a collaboration or a coalition. Networks need a lead organization and an identified person who will coordinate the planning process and convene the learning group.  

Letter of Intent to Plan

All Letters of Intent to Plan will be screened by the Selection Committee comprised of CBF staff and selected advisory members. Applicants may be contacted by telephone during the review process if additional information is required. Please respond to the following request for information within the body of your two- to three-page Letter of Intent to Plan (exclusive of attachments) in the following format.

• Provide the name of the lead organization (must be a 501(c)3 nonprofit) and the point person’s contact information.
• Include the types of organizations that will participate in the learning network (names of at least five initial groups should be attached along with a contact person and contact information for each group).
• Answer the following questions:
  • Why does your group want to learn together?
  • What does your group want to learn, or what capacity do you want to build?
  • What are the common community or issue-based outcomes your network wants to move toward? And how were these outcomes defined?
  • How does your group know this outcome matters to your constituents? (If unknown, it is appropriate to include finding out in your plan.)
  • How does your group feel a learning network will help it reach that outcome?
• Briefly describe the design for moving forward with planning your co-learning/capacity-building project.
  • For instance, will the planning process use consultant guidance?
  • Who will convene the groups for planning, etc.?
  • What are the costs for the planning phase?
• Please tell us how your network shares the TSNE values of nondiscrimination and diversity.

Submission

Please submit the hard-copy two- to three-page Letter of Intent to Plan in 12-point type, one original plus two (2) copies. Letters of Intent to Plan are due no later than 12:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 10, 2008. All applicants will be notified of the status of their proposals, and all Planning Grants will be awarded in mid-November 2008.

Send submissions to:

Capacity Building Fund
Attn: Phillip Davis
Third Sector New England
89 South Street, Suite 700
Boston, MA 02110

Only those groups receiving Planning Grants will be eligible to apply for Implementation Grants. Not all Implementation Grant proposals will be funded. Implementation Grant proposals will be due on May 1, 2009, by 12:00 p.m., and all applicants will be notified in late June 2009.

TSNE Values of Nondiscrimination and Diversity

TSNE values inclusion of all people in the creation of healthy, vibrant and democratic communities. Groups funded through the Capacity Building Fund cannot discriminate in regards to employment or membership in their organization on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation/identity, disability, age, country of origin, citizen status, veteran status or ethnic identity.