Organizational Effectiveness Grants

Program Introduction
Nonprofits often have unmet needs in strengthening and building their infrastructures. Organizations that run well are better able to provide services effectively and efficiently. For the Foundation, funding work that strengthens nonprofits is a prudent longterm investment of Foundation resources. Our Organizational Effectiveness strategy exists to help nonprofits improve how they do their work. While this strategy does not require nonprofits to follow a particular model or philosophy to strengthen their capacity, it is essential that careful thought is given to identifying and implementing strategic objectives.

The Organizational Effectiveness strategy 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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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.

Applicants for OEP grants may use the same application as traditional grants. However, applicants should include the following in their proposal narrative:

• Purpose. Describe how the proposed activities were identified, what the organization will be able to do as a result, why these activities are needed now, and how they will enable the organization to better serve the community.
• Process. Please attach a work plan and describe who will carry out the proposed activities, how the expertise was identified, how the work plan was developed, and how costs were determined.

Additional information on the Organizational Effectiveness Program is available here.

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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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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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