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Our Bottom Line is a Better

Community.

Strengthening Communities Fund

Nonprofit Capacity Building Program
Information Session
Presented by Jennifer Lockwood, SCF Program Manager
Susan Weinrich, VP Organizational & Community Development
New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc.
305 7th Avenue, 11th Floor
NY, NY 10001
1-800-515-5012 x. 152
917-522-8304, jlockwood@nycon.org
www.nycon.org

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 The American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

Strengthening Communities Fund

The focus of this program is to build the capacity of nonprofit
organizations, whether secular or faith based, to address the broad
economic recovery issues present in their communities, including helping
low-income individuals secure and retain employment, earn higher
wages, obtain better-quality jobs, and gain greater access to state and
Federal benefits and tax credits, including ARRA benefits.

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 The American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

Strengthening Communities Fund

Nonprofit Capacity Building Program: The SCF Nonprofit
Capacity Building program will make one-time awards up to $1
million to experienced lead organizations to provide nonprofit
organizations -- or project partners -- with capacity building training,
technical assistance, and competitive financial assistance.

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 SCF Program
Eligibility
• Community and Faith-based Organizations
• Organizations working with agencies responsible for
administering the TANF program;
• Organizations whose annual budgets do not exceed
$1,000,000 (priority to orgs with budgets under $500,000);
• Organizations implementing programs that address the broad
economic recovery issues present in their communities;
• Nonprofits specifically located in, or serving, the Bronx,
Brooklyn and Manhattan are eligible to apply.

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 Programs and Services
Working to Address the
Economic Recovery
Criteria for Eligible Programs & Services
The purpose of this program is to build the capacity
of community and faith-based nonprofits involved in
broad economic recovery efforts, specifically those
that assist low-income individuals secure and retain
employment, obtain better quality jobs, provide
job training (job readiness/skills development) and
increase access to Federal and State benefits
(including ARRA benefits) and tax credits.

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 NYCON
SCF Program Overview
Nonprofit Capacity Building Training
For the next 2 years, 80 Program Participants will have access to:
• Scholarships providing over 4,000 hours of training offered by NYCON,
the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, and the Women’s Center
for Education and Career Advancement;
• Access to an Online Learning Center complete with videos, resources,
publications, tools and an online peer network;
• Post training consultation to help integrate the information learned into
the nonprofit’s operations;
• Be eligible to apply for participation in an intensive Skills Builders Basic
Fundraising for Small Nonprofits session, provided by the Nonprofit
Coordinating Committee of New York.
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 Available Trainings
NYCON State Board Training Consortium Topics:

• Duties and Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards

• Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining a Motivated Board of Directors
• Strategic Planning: Setting the Course for a Successful Future
• Developing a Fiscally Accountable Board
• Nonprofit Accounting Basics for Nonprofit Boards
• The New Form 990: A Focus on Board Governance
• The Role of the Independent Audit

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 Available Trainings
SBTC’s continued…

• Board’s Role in Working with Staff Leadership

• Human Resource Issues for Nonprofit Boards
• Understanding Your Legal Obligations as a Nonprofit
Board Member
• Doing the Right Thing: Board Members as Ethical
Decision Makers
• Fund Development for Nonprofit Boards

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 Available Trainings
NYCON Build a Better Nonprofit Training Series Topics:

• Beyond Collaboration: Re-Engineering for Success

• Strategic Management in Tough Times
• Program Implementation & Development
• Your Nonprofit Bylaws
• Introduction to Grantwriting Fundamentals
• Understanding Your Governing Documents
• Being a Successful Executive Director, a Retreat for new Executive Directors
• Camp Finance: Financial Management Conference

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 Available Trainings
Training Descriptions:
Nonprofit Coordinating Committee (NPCC) Skills Builders series provide intensive training,
coaching, and support. 40 organizations will have the opportunity to participate in a Basic
Fundraising for Small Nonprofits Skills Builders session. In this intensive training series,
Program Participants will learn how to create a compelling case for support, to deliver a pitch
successfully and to raise more money from a more diverse group of people. Sessions are
designed to involve the Executive Director and a Board member and offer 25 hours of
training and technical assistance per person, or 50 hours per group.

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 Available Trainings
Training Descriptions:

Support Center for Nonprofit Management offers a wide range of

public trainings for the staff and Board of non-profits. These half-day
and full day sessions will be made available to Program Participants as
part of a training and technical assistance plan to build organizational
capacity. The Support Center provides Board training and
development, and on-site training on topics such as financial
management and supervisory skills.

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 Available Trainings
Training Descriptions:

The Women’s Center for Employment and Career Advancement

will offer half-day training sessions for counselors and caseworkers
from among our Program Participants to learn how to utilize the
Women Center’s Self Sufficiency Calculator. The Calculator helps
nonprofits build capacity by enhancing performance and accuracy,
as well as building efficiencies so staff can focus on their core
missions and programming. Counselors and employers use the
Calculator to help people access un-tapped work supports, test the
real value of a given wage against actual expenses and household
circumstances, and improve job retention.

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 SCF Program
Overview continued…
Capacity Building Technical and Financial Assistance
30 of the 80 Program Participants can become Project Partners, who through a
competitive application process, may be awarded:
• A financial grant of up to $24,000 to support capacity building efforts;
• An organizational assessment and work plan specific to each organization;
• Approximately 50 hours of technical assistance (including the assessment);
• A technical assistance and training plan that includes a multidisciplinary
team of NYCON staff and Training Partners to provide needed assistance.

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 The Five Critical Areas
of Capacity Building:
1. Organizational Development – board governance; developing
management and human resources systems; bylaws; personnel
policies; developing communications strategies; budgeting and
financial reporting; developing and implementing fiscal controls
and other policies and procedures; strategic planning; resource
development planning and skills building.

2. Program Development – curriculum development; creating

information systems; making program improvements;
training job/benefits counselors.

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 The Five Critical Areas
of Capacity Building:
3. Collaboration and Community Engagement – identification and strategy
development for forging collaborations; disseminating benefits information;
developing referral systems.

4. Leadership Development – board composition and functioning; executive

leadership; staff development; volunteer development; succession planning.
5. Evaluation of Effectiveness – training on evaluation and outcome
measurement; identification of program measures; establishment of evaluation
systems and procedures; establishment of Quality Assurance plan; replicating
effective program models.

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 Application Review &
Questions
Component # 1

Training and Education. NYCON will provide access to and

scholarships for free training, access to an online learning
community, and consulting support to 80 community and
faith-based organizations. These organizations will be
known as “Program Participants.” NYCON is collaborating
with three Nonprofit Training Partners including the Women’s
Center for Education and Career Advancement, the Support
Center for Nonprofit Management and the Nonprofit
Coordinating Committee of New York.

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 Questions?

Component # 1: Program Participants

Review of specific application questions

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 Program Participants &
Project Partners
Application Guidance
Unlike typical funding applications where you market your
organization’s strengths and make no mention of its weaknesses or the
challenges it faces, this application is designed to give you the
opportunity to present a balanced perspective. We are asking you to
take an honest look at your organization’s systems and procedures,
at your Staff’s and Board’s training needs, and we are asking you
to make the commitment to take time out of the daily grind to
position your organization to meet current, new and unforeseen
challenges.

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 Application Review &
Questions
Component # 2

Funding and Technical Assistance. Program Participants will be

able to compete to receive a grant ranging from $10,000 to
$24,000 and receive 50 hours of free technical assistance. Both
the funding awards and technical assistance are designed to build
organizational capacity. Approximately 30 community and faith-
based organizations will be awarded financial and technical
assistance and these organizations will be known as “Project
Partners.”

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 Questions?

Component # 2: Project Partners

Review of specific application questions

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 Financial Assistance
Sub-Awards:
Allowable Expenses
Examples of eligible uses of financial assistance include:

• The purchase of technology or related consulting services such as

computer hardware and software, phone systems, networking an office,
office equipment; and website development;
• Activities that increase accessibility for clients such as printing, translation,
or development of resource materials or marketing materials;
• Client research such as focus groups or surveys to determine market
interest and need in new programs and models;

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 Financial Assistance
Sub-Awards: Allowable
Expenses continued…
Examples of eligible uses of financial assistance include:

• Professional development training programs for staff;

• Moving and relocation costs when tied to broader organizational
development strategies such as being located to client base, being
wheelchair accessible, etc.;
• Offset the costs of staff time dedicated to capacity building efforts
such as training, research, program and curriculum development.

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 Sub-Awards:
Disallowable Expenses

Distinction: Capacity Building vs. Direct Services

Eligible use of financial assistance will focus on capacity
building and will not support direct services, medical
services, direct fundraising activities, religious activities,
construction activities, or the purchase of real property.

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 Outcome Measurement

Outcome Measurement guidance expected in early March

Capacity building outcome measures may include:

• Completed activities of Project Partners
• Participation in new or existing collaborative efforts
• Measures for Better Serving Those in Need
– New scope of services, territory, new populations served
– Increased success rates
– Number of additional persons served

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 Application Review &
Award Process
1st Round Applications Due March 15, 2010
2nd Round Applications due November 8, 2010
• Application process is completely open and competitive for
eligible community and faith-based organizations
• Applications will be reviewed and scored by an objective
“Application Review Team”
• 3-4 week timeframe for reviews and scoring verification
• Program Participant and Project Partner award notifications
expected in late April 2010
• Program timeframe is 12 months
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 SCF Training Partners
On-line Resources
New York Council of Nonprofits: www.nycon.org
Invitations to the On-line Resource will be sent upon award notification

Support Center for Nonprofit Management:

http://www.supportcenteronline.org/

Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York (NPCC):

http://www.npccny.org/

Women’s Center for Education & Career Advancement:

http://www.wceca.org/

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 Federal Resources &
Information
US Department of Health & Human Services, Administration
for Children & Families, Office of Community Services:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/scf/

HHS/ACF Information on Equal Treatment Regulations:

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/equal_treatmentregulations.html

Office of Management & Budget: Cost Principles for

Nonprofits:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/rewrite/circulars/a122/a122_2004.html
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 Questions?

1-800-515-5012 x. 152
jlockwood@nycon.org

Community Focus | Statewide Impact | National Network