Organizational Effectiveness Grants

Program Introduction - Organizational Effectiveness
Grants for programs and projects provide the financial backbone for many organizations. However, nonprofits often have an unmet need to strengthen and build their infrastructures that allow them to provide services effectively and efficiently. For the Foundation, funding work that strengthens nonprofits is a prudent long-term investment of Foundation resources. The Organizational Effectiveness Program was established as a strategy to help nonprofits improve how they do their work. While the Program does not require nonprofits to follow a particular model or philosophy to strengthen to strengthen capacity, it is essential that careful thought is given as to how strategic objectives will be identified and implemented. Nonprofits are encouraged to carry out any such activities with a focus on how to best achieve the organization’s mission and to positively impact the lives of those it seeks to improve. Interested applicants should review the Guidelines for the Organizational Effectiveness Program for additional information.

The Organizational Effectiveness Program has four main goals:

• Strengthen the capabilities of individual nonprofits to govern, manage, plan, and change to better serve the communities identified by their mission; 
• Enhance the ability of regional organizations and institutions to support nonprofits interested in organizational development;
• Bring together nonprofit boards and staff to meet and talk about common challenges in improving organization’s effectiveness;
• Increase the number of qualified and culturally competent consultants and facilitators.

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Organizational Effectiveness Program (OEP) Update

May 5, 2004
It has been nearly three years since the Otto Bremer Foundation established its Organizational Effectiveness Program. Here is a summary of the program and related matters.

Four Parts
The Organizational Effectiveness Program began with four parts:

1. Grants to individual organizations: Since November, 2000, the Foundation has made 370 grants to nonprofits in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Though the purpose of the grants has varied widely, the Foundation continues to focus on grants that help nonprofits maximize their impact through mission-based work.
2. Grants to regional or intermediary resources: The Foundation joined in partnership with several organizations that were poised to be new or stronger resources for nonprofits in their respective regions. Examples include the Initiative Foundation, Southwest Minnesota Foundation, College of St. Scholastica, Northwest Minnesota Foundation, and The Funders Collaborative for Strong Latino Communities, associated with Hispanics in Philanthropy.
3. Meetings to support peer-based networks: The Foundation has directly and indirectly sponsored several meetings with grantees to discuss how to improve grantmaking under the OE Program. The Nonprofit Resource Specialists working with Bremer Banks have also sponsored numerous trainings and brown-bag gatherings. Regional grantees have also held various meetings in relation to their programs.
4. Strengthening the cultural competency of consultants and facilitators: The Foundation has made little progress in this area.

Is It Working?
In late 2002, Michael Patton and Bill Svrluga helped the Foundation create a written survey that was sent to 50 grantees. That effort began a process of determining whether the Program is effective. Over 45% of the respondents indicated their organization’s effectiveness has increased “greatly” as a result of the grant. That result was particularly true for organizations experiencing growth and focusing on skill development of boards and staff.

While the preliminary information is encouraging, it does not tell the whole story. For nonprofits, the real test will be whether organizations are practically using the work or products of the grants long after the formal grant period is complete. Indeed, perhaps one of the greatest challenges for nonprofit executives is instilling values and gaining support for the notion that meaningful capacity building efforts require an ongoing effort and an organization-wide commitment, rather than separate activities involving a handful of interested people. The above-mentioned face-to-face meetings with grantees on a regional basis are also helping us learn more about the long-term impact of the grants.

Effectiveness and Advocacy
More and more, executive directors are seeing advocacy as an essential aspect of their organization’s work, even if their work is that of a traditional service provider. Similarly, as suggested in our 2003 OEP update, the Foundation remains convinced that social change will not occur unless nonprofits are helping clients gain a voice and participate in the various democratic processes of our society.

In 2003, over ten nonprofits used grants under the OE Program to strengthen their ability to “tell their story” and/or train boards, management, and staff about rules and to gain tools for advocacy and increased civic engagement. We strongly encourage nonprofits to seriously consider how they might include advocacy, organizing, or public policy work as part of their mission. Even nonprofits unable to carry out organizing or education work themselves are likely to be in a position to join or support a coalition or association working on issues that affect your organization. An OEP grant could help jumpstart this vital area of development.

Participation and Growth
Initially, the Trustees decided to budget up to $1 million a year for the OE Program. Strong interest in the program has caused that amount to increase steadily. The Foundation expects to make approximately $2.5 million in grants under the program this year alone. The Trustees and staff are grateful for the interest in the program, but also hope that nonprofit boards will see the benefit of these grants and incorporate support for capacity building into annual operating budgets, reinforcing and institutionalizing the essential aspects of this work over time.

The Foundation itself has grown and changed as a result of its commitment to organizational effectiveness. Without doubt, the Trustees and staff have a deeper appreciation of the opportunities and issues facing nonprofits in these relatively perilous times. As a result, nearly all of our proposal reviews benefit, directly or indirectly, by our increased understanding of what it takes to develop and maintain a healthy, thriving, and effective organization.

Thank you for that opportunity, and as always, we encourage you to call any of the staff before submitting an application to the Foundation, to determine how or whether your organization fits within the current priorities of the Foundation.

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Background
Our Commitment: Creating Opportunities for Improving Effectiveness
Over the years, the Otto Bremer Foundation has developed a broad record of support for helping non-profits improve their effectiveness. Through the Bremer Organizational Effectiveness Program (“Bremer OEP”), we are making a priority of this commitment to strengthen the non-profit sector and helping ensure that the organizations serving communities are healthy, strong, and focused on their mission.

During the next five years, we are prepared to make a multi-million dollar investment to:

• Strengthen the capabilities of individual non-profits to govern, manage, plan, and change to better serve the communities identified by their mission;
• Enhance the ability of regional organizations and institutions to support non-profits interested in organizational development;
• Bring together non-profit boards and staff to meet and talk about common challenges to improving organizational effectiveness;
• Increase the number of qualified and culturally competent consultants and facilitators.

OEP Grant Use
How can a non-profit use a Bremer Organizational Effectiveness Program grant?
Individual organizations can use a grant for customized consultations, participation in training or classes in particular subjects, or to convene a meeting of non-profits around a particular subject associated with organizational development. (See “What We Fund”)

Time/Dollar Limit
The Foundation anticipates that most grants will apply to projects that range from six to twelve months in length. However, the Foundation understands that improving organizational effectiveness usually occurs through a process that develops over a period of time. Applicants may therefore submit plans that cover a period of time greater than one year. The Foundation will review the progress of organizational development work against the original plan on an annual basis, and it reserves the right to withhold additional pay-outs until an organization can reasonably identify achievements pursuant to the original plan. There are no dollar limits, but the Foundation will apply its general philosophy of giving relatively small grants to a large number of grass-roots organizations through the Bremer OEP.

Who Can Participate?
Any non-profit organization with a program that meets the geographic and programmatic focus areas of the Foundation may request a grant. An organization does not need to be a current or past grantee of the Foundation to apply. The Foundation will continue to give preference to non-profits that have limited access to organizational development resources and are located within Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. If an organization applies only for a Bremer OEP grant, the organization’s underlying programmatic work must meet the Foundation’s Guidelines, including geographic and programmatic priorities, and other funding restrictions.

Submitting Proposals
As with standard grants, applicants may submit proposals in any form that they wish. Applicants should provide all information requested by the Foundation’s Guidelines for Grant Applicants, as applied to organizational development issues, needs, and intended results. It will be particularly important to identify who within the organization will be responsible for implementing any new improvement plans.

Deadlines
When must applicants submit proposals?
The Foundation does not have deadlines, and proposals are accepted throughout the year.

Organizational Effectiveness Program (OEP) Update

March 31, 2003
Many nonprofits entered 2003 facing an uncertain future, and little has changed after one quarter. Several factors have affected the economy, which, in turn, has affected state budgets. Under almost any scenario, the legislatures in our region – especially in Minnesota – will conclude their work this year budget cuts for state departments and reduced or eliminated grants and contracts for nonprofits. Even nonprofits not directly affected by impending cuts could be forced to consider changing or adding services as clients’ needs change due to lack of resources in other areas of their lives.

Nonprofit analyst Paul Light boils down a healthy nonprofit to three key ingredients: mission-driven programming, a strong administration, and an ability to show how the organization is affecting the lives it sets out to support. However, given that economic woes will not likely subside for a while, our interactions with nonprofits suggest there might be a fourth essential element for a strong organization: an ability to advocate.

“Advocacy” could be defined as addressing the underlying causes associated with the challenges facing your clients. In the context of a budget crisis, advocacy could include strategic communications with policy makers, community education about your work, and helping individuals be better advocates for themselves.

Given the important link between organizational effectiveness and advocacy, as well as the immediate state fiscal crises, strengthening advocacy and communication skills are the focus areas of the Otto Bremer Foundation’s Organizational Effectiveness Program in 2003. Examples of grants that fall within these focus areas include (but are not limited to): completing a communications audit, establishing a communications strategic plan, developing a “case statement,” and building skills that will help “tell your story.”

The Foundation will continue to provide support to qualifying nonprofits for a variety of general capacity building efforts (see this site or the Organizational Effectiveness Program brochure for examples); however, the Foundation hopes to make grants totaling approximately $2 million, or half of its Organizational Effectiveness Program budget, for advocacy-related efforts.

As always, applicants are encouraged to call the Foundation, at 888-291-1123, if you have any questions prior to submitting a proposal.

Organizational Effective Program Guidelines
What We Fund
Organizational development to improve organizational effectiveness
The pursuit of organizational effectiveness means continuous learning and improvements in the management of resources, and the coordination and leadership of people. It also assumes clarity of mission that is reviewed critically and with regularity. While strengthening organizations is not an end in itself, it is essential tool to maximize relevance, sustainability, and genuine improvement in the lives served by the agency.

1. While funding for organizational development activities is distinct from programmatic support, and support for general operations, organizational development can be hard to define and difficult to describe. There is not one list of characteristics that makes an organization perfectly effective. Thus, the Foundation anticipates supporting a wide variety of projects, depending on the mission, history, and structure of an organization.

The following types of projects will be funded through the Bremer OEP:

• Assessment and self-assessment tools
• Board development/governance
• Long-term strategic planning
• Human resources, including staff training and development; volunteer support and retention; and/or personnel systems development
• Financial planning and management of financial/accounting systems
• Organizational restructuring
• Program evaluation/measuring results
• Utilization of technology (Does not include the purchase of computers and related hardware or software.)

The Foundation is particularly interested in providing support to organizations that are or will be experiencing significant transitions related to changes in organizational growth or mission. Examples include management transitions, significant board turnover, or changes in funding sources. Such circumstances provide an important opportunity for organizations to clarify mission, improve internal communications, and develop relationships among staff and boards.

2. Improving organizational effectiveness on a sector-wide basis.
The Foundation will be seeking requests for proposals from regional organizations, foundations, and institutions that are interested in improving their ability to provide organizational development support to non-profits within their geographic areas of coverage. The Foundation strongly believes that locally available expertise is preferable to resources that are neither conveniently located nor knowledgeable about local contexts. The Foundation also hopes that these efforts will cultivate peer to peer resources as well. In addition, the Foundation expects to expand its support for sector-wide activities. These interests may include funding programs that help organizations choose and use a consultant, increase the number and quality of facilitators/consultants in rural areas, and enhance the cross-cultural competency of consultants. The Foundation expects to work with strategic partners in prioritizing and funding these non-geographic specific areas of interest.

How to Apply
Given the constancy of change, the Foundation believes that it is healthy for organizations to identify and integrate opportunities for training, learning, and self-assessment into the daily, monthly or annual activities of an organization as much as possible. Ideally, efforts to improve how an organization does its work become an on-going aspect of its culture, rather than an exception to the passion that typically motivates the mission of a non-profit.

To this end, the Foundation will not establish a separate set of guidelines for organizational effectiveness grants. Applicants of OEP grants may use the same guidelines governing the grantmaking process for traditional grants. However, applicants should craft  proposals to address the essential issues, plans, resources, and results related to organizational effectiveness:

• A brief description of the organization, including its goals, purposes, short history, and any organizational changes, if appropriate;
• A description of the plan for which funds are sought, including what it hopes to achieve, and how it will be accomplished. Questions a proposal should answer include:
  1. What do you want to improve?
  2. How will you go about improving it?
  3. What will you need to do it?
  4. Who will participate in the process of improving it?
  5. Who wants you to do it?
  6. How will you know when improvements are achieved?
  7. How will you communicate your results to others?
• The organization’s overall budget, the budget for the organizational development work, and how much your organization can contribute to the cost of the plan.
• The names and qualifications of staff and board members responsible for implementing this plan, including consultants, if applicable.
• An endorsement of the plan signed by the board of directors of the applicant organization, and a list of those members.

Please note that organizations will not be penalized for identifying limitations or weaknesses in applications.

Consultants
Selecting and Working with Consultants
If your organization plans to use an outside consultant, release of an approved grant will be contingent on a review of a detailed work plan. All work plans will be reviewed with a critical eye towards sustainability, i.e., meets the needs of the organization, seeks participation from board and staff, and ensures practical knowledge that can reasonably be implemented.

The Foundation recognizes that in some cases an organization will need to rely on an outside resource to assist it in carrying out preliminary assessments or developing an improvement plan. In other cases, an organization may lack the specific technical expertise to implement a plan after it has completed a self-assessment and determined next steps.

If you plan to use a consultant to assist your organization with its plans and you have already identified a particular consultant, the consultant’s workplan should be included with your proposal. If you contemplate using a consultant but have not identified one prior to submitting an OEP request, the Foundation may still award a grant, but release of the grant will be contingent on the Foundation’s review of the consultant’s detailed work plan and the project budget.

The Foundation strongly believes that a good consultant is one that works closely with the staff and board. The consultant should not be hired to merely complete a plan or project on behalf of your organization. The consultant can and should leave your staff with new skills and capabilities, enabling your organization to build this knowledge into future operations. Thus, all work plans will be reviewed with a critical eye towards sustainability.

Once approval is given to the consultant’s workplan, the Foundation will not require the consultant to report to it on the work he or she has done, nor will the Foundation require the consultant to provide information collected on your program. If a grant is approved, it will be awarded to the applicant organization, and not to the consultant. The grantee, and not the consultant, will be responsible for submitting the final report to the Foundation. (See “Learning, Evaluation, and Sharing.”)

All applicants are encouraged to solicit bids from several consultants. The Foundation does not recommend specific consultants, but we can provide a contact list of recent grantees that have engaged in projects similar to your own.

Evaluation
Learning, Evaluation and Sharing
Learning and evaluation are critical aspects of the Bremer Organizational Effectiveness Program. If you are awarded an OEP grant, your organization will receive an “Grantee Reporting and Self-Evaluation Form” and be asked to complete this self-evaluation form at the end of the work that was formally associated with your grant. The completed form will serve as a final report to the Foundation.

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Examples of  Organizational Effectiveness Program Grants

Direct Grants to Nonprofits:
Many organizations, urban and rural, sought direct grants for organizational effectiveness work in the form of board development and strategic planning. Among those funded for these purposes were Community Homes and Resources in Service to Many in Fargo, Homeless and Refugee Children in Brooklyn Center, the Upper Sioux Community in Granite Falls, and the YWCA of Fargo-Moorhead.

Clay County Supported Training Services (Access, Inc.) in Moorhead used funds to undertake an organizational assessment as a first step of a strategic planning process.

Building Organizational Effectiveness Resources:
Local institutions are often good resources for nonprofits seeking technical assistance to strengthen their own infrastructures. Some grants were given to some of these resources to expand their capacity in providing assistance. The Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation and the Northwest Minnesota Foundation in Bemidji received two such grants. The First Nations Development Institute located in Virginia was awarded a grant to expand its capacity to strengthen Native American nonprofits in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Developing Culturally Competent Consultants
Two organizations that received grants to increase the cultural competencies of organizations that serve diverse populations in Minneapolis were the African American Relief and Development Initiatives and the Center for Cross-Cultural Health. The former worked with African-led nonprofits and the latter trained health workers through the Minnesota Cultural Competence Capacity Building Project.

Convening Nonprofits Around Organizational Effectivness Issues:
The Foundation funded a number of workshops throughout the three state area that offered sessions on capacity building.

Additional Examples
Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and Region
Grand Forks, ND; For a comprehensive nonprofit training program.
Patti Lazarus   (701) 746-0668
412 DeMers Avenue
Grand Forks, ND 58201
22,690

Community Youth Partners, Inc.
Fergus Falls, MN; To restructure this youth development organization.
Kitty Rund   (218) 998-5437
120 East Washington
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
15,000

Dunn County Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers, Inc.
Menomonie, WI; For Board capacity building training.
Diane Atsidakos   (715) 235-2920
1920 South Broadway
 Menomonie, WI 54751
7,595

Epilepsy Foundation of Western Wisconsin
Eau Claire, WI; To train staff for development work.
Kristin Tomek   (715) 834-4455
1812 Brackett Avenue, Suite 5
 Eau Claire, WI 54701
5,750

Lao Family Community of Minnesota, Inc.
St. Paul, MN; For advocacy training.
Ying Vang   (651) 221-0069
Lao Family Community of Minnesota, Inc.
320 West University Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55103-2015
10,000

Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota
St. Paul, MN; To create and implement a statewide visibility and advocacy plan for this organization that seeks to reduce child abuse.
Connie Skillingstad   (651) 523-0099
Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota
1821 University Ave. W, Suite 324
St. Paul, MN 55104
18,000

Project Hero
Moorhead, MN; To develop a business plan for this organization that is a recycling clearinghouse for the redistribution of donated health care materials.
Deanna Micheli   (218) 284-6111
Project Hero
2700 12th Avenue South
Moorhead, MN 56560
7,500

Roosevelt-Custer Regional Council for Development
Dickinson, ND; For self-assessment and evaluation of this organization that provides planning, development, and technical assistance.
Rod Landblom   (701) 227-1241
Roosevelt-Custer Regional Council for Development
Pulver Hall
Dickinson, ND 58601-4857
16,600

St. Paul American Indians in Unity
St. Paul, MN; For strategic planning during a time of expansion, and for the development of housing programs.
Georgia Lickness   (651) 209-2987
St. Paul American Indians in Unity
P.O. Box 40009
St. Paul, MN 55104
6,620

The Foundation also plans to establish regularly scheduled opportunities for OEP grantees to get together with other organizations in their region. These meetings will provide an opportunity to discuss organizational effectiveness work and share learnings with other organizations. The meetings will help foster a network of peer resources for learning and information.

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Links
Nonprofit Management Resources based in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin

Association of Fundraising Professionals
1821 University Avenue West, Suite S-256
St. Paul, MN 55104
(651) 917-6247 • Fax (651) 917-1835
Provides information, research, and professional development to fundraisers.

The Center for Nonprofit Management
University of St. Thomas
1000 LaSalle Ave. TMH 153
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Provides a variety of courses and degree programs related to nonprofit leadership and management. Offers customized consultation services for nonprofits throughout the state, and publishes several guidebooks.

Fieldstone Alliance
(formerly The Wilder Foundation, Wilder Center for Communities)
60 Plato Blvd East
St Paul, MN 55107
Acts as a resource to organizations and citizen leaders who want assistance with such issues as planning, leadership development and program evaluation.

Initiative Foundation, Healthy Organizations Partnership
450 First Street SE
Little Falls, MN 56345
(320) 632-9255
The Partnership offers discretionary training (including elective workshops and grants up to $2,000 to implement organizational development goals) and multi-year training and assistance (through a two-year training and assistance program that includes assessment, governance, and strategic planning opportunities).

Management Assistance Program (MAP) for Nonprofits
2233 University Ave. W., Suite 360
St. Paul, MN 55114-1629
(651) 647-1369
A comprehensive management service organization that provides a wide variety of technical assistance to individual nonprofits and workshops for metro-based nonprofits; extensive online management library.

Nonprofits Assistance Fund
2801 21st Avenue South, Suite 210
Minneapolis, MN 55407
(612) 278-7180 • Fax (612) 278-7181
Provides loans, technical assistance, and training to stabilize and strengthen the financial capacity of nonprofit organizations.

North Dakota Community Foundation--Resource Center
Box 1127
Fargo, ND 58107
866-889-8265
Provides short-term technical assistance to smaller, grass-roots organizations in areas including board training, planning, project development, and fundraising; also sponsors workshops.

The Saint Paul Foundation, Management Improvement Fund
600 Norwest Center
55 East Fifth Street
St. Paul, MN 55101-1797
(651) 224-5463 • Fax (651) 224-8123
Provides financial assistance to nonprofit organizations working to improve organizational capacity and management capabilities.

Works in Progress, Inc.
Post Office Box 282
Sauk Rapids, MN 56379-0282
(320) 259-1956 • Fax (320) 656-1846
Provides training and resources to entrepreneurs, small businesses, non profit organizations and community members. Website includes an on-line Nonprofit Consultant Directory.

Statewide Associations and Councils

Donors Forum of Wisconsin
759 N. Milwaukee St., Suite 408
Milwaukee, WI 53202
877.783.6786/(414) 270-1978 • Fax 414.270.1979
Association of Wisconsin grantmakers. Conducts training, workshops, and provides other resources to grantmakers and grantseekers. Hosts the Wisconsin Common Grant Application.

Minnesota Council on Foundations
15 S. Fifth St., Suite 600
Minneapolis, MN 55402-1570
(612) 338-1989
Membership association of Minnesota grantmakers. Publishes quarterly newspaper, Giving Forum; sends online weekly updates; online nonprofit resources, state grant trends and analysis. Host of the Minnesota Common Grant Application. Conducts quarterly "Grantseeking for Beginners" workshops.
Read MCF's article on Organizational Effectiveness.

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
2700 University Ave. W, Suite 250
St. Paul, MN 55114-1068
800-289-1904
Membership association of Minnesota nonprofits. Publishes "Yellow Pages" of vendors, including professionals and consultants, interested in working with nonprofits. Extensive on-line library, quarterly newsletters; annual conference and other training, including "Nonprofit management 101"; research on nonprofit salaries and other issues; MN Budget Project.

North Dakota Association of Nonprofits
1459 Interstate Loop
Bismarck ND 58503-0567
888-396-3266/(701) 258-9101 • Fax (701) 255-2411
Membership association of North Dakota nonprofits. Publishes a directory of North Dakota nonprofits (an online list of members is also available), conducts training workshops, and monitors local and national public policy.

Volunteer Resource Center
2021 Hennepin Avenue East, Suite 420
Minneapolis, MN 55413
(612) 379-4900 • Fax (612) 379-3104
Provides training in the field of volunteer management, using specific tools developed for organizations with limited resources.

National Nonprofit Management Resources

Alliance for Nonprofit Management
1899 L Street, NW, 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 955-8406 • Fax (202) 955-8419
A national organization that seeks to develop the quality and breadth of consulting services to nonprofits; members include consultants, nonprofits, and foundations. Resource center for nonprofit management topics, focusing on advocacy, organizing, and lobbying. Website contains information on a variety of nonprofit management issues. Hosts annual national conference and three regional conferences.

BoardSource
(formerly National Center for Nonprofit Boards)
1828 L St. NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20036-5104
800-883-6262
Provides a variety of printed resources dealing with nonprofit boards. Topics include governance, fundraising, financial oversight, self-assessment, and more. Also available for workshops and local group trainings.

The Drucker Foundation
320 Park Ave 3rd Fl
New York, NY 10022 USA
(212) 224-1174 • Fax 212-224-2508
Offers a mission-oriented assessment tool for consultants and nonprofits.

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations
300 Second Street, Suite 200
Los Altos, CA 94022
Phone/Fax: (650) 917-7127
An affinity group of the Council of Foundations established to promote learning and encourage dialogue among funders interested in the field of organizational effectiveness for nonprofits; excellent glossary of terms and tools associated with organizational effectiveness; hosts annual conference.

Information Resources

Charities Review Council
46 E. Fourth St., Suite 636
St. Paul, MN 55101-1112
800-733-4483
Develops accountability standards for nonprofits; publishes compliance reports; extensive information on IRS Form 990.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy
1225 23rd St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Biweekly newspaper covering nonprofit news. Selected online content available; subscription for printed version is $67.50/yr. which includes full access to all content on the website.

The Foundation Center
79 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10003-3076
Publishes the most comprehensive listing of foundations in the United States; information is available online on a subscription basis. Provides nonprofit-related web searches. Also provides other fundraising and development resources and online news digest.

Human Interaction Research Institute: Philanthropic Capacity Building Resource (PCBR)
5435 Balboa Boulevard, Suite 115
Encino, CA 91316
Database of foundation capacity-building programs throughout the U.S. Search the PCBR by selecting a report, such as foundation type, geography, and type of capacity-building; criteria can also be combined. Updated quarterly.

Wilder Research Center
919 Lafond Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55104
(651) 642-4000
Publishes a variety of nonprofit books and materials, including survey research, program evaluation, and community studies.

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For inquiries… 
The Foundation encourages initial telephone inquiries concerning its interest in a particular project or to discuss the development of a proposal. For further information please contact:

Otto Bremer Foundation
445 Minnesota Street, Suite 2250
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 227-8036 or (888) 291-1123
or send inquiry via email to: obf@ottobremer.org

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