Building Capacity in Nonprofits

Click here for a Narrated Powerpoint: Overview of Services

Research has identified eight elements for effectively increasing nonprofit sustainability and effectiveness. The Center for Democracy and Humanity mindfully incorporates best practices into the INPD by providing services that are 1) contextualized, 2) comprehensive, 3) customized, 4) competence-based, 5)  timely, 6) peer-connected, 7) assessment-based and 8) readiness-based.

Contextualized- INPD is located within the community we serve. As an extension of Mount Wachusett, a well established community resource, we seek to maintain close and lasting relationships with local organizations.

Comprehensive: The most effective capacity building occurs in the larger context of other strengthening services a nonprofit is receiving, other activities of the sponsoring foundation, and other elements of the current community environment. INPD works closely with local funders.

Customized - Custom-tailoring individual and group capacity building technical assistance, sub-awards, and conferences to regional needs and multiple stages in the organizational life cycle.

Competence Based – INPD works with experienced and well trained consultants, such as Community Wealth Ventures, Twin Cities Latino Coalition, Central Massachusetts Center for Healthy Communities, Joyaux Associates and Legacy Consulting.

Timely- Providing a long-range commitment of resources with six months of targeted technical assistance to 24 organizations, followed by one year of sub-awards to continue capacity building efforts.

Peer-Connected – Providing opportunities for peer-to-peer networking, mentoring, and information sharing through the North Central Network of Nonprofits and three years of support for a cohort model of group technical assistance. Annual conferences incorporate networking, round tables, and promotion of organizational progress.

Assessment Based - Assessing needs and assets of nonprofit and community to drive capacity-building services via the McKinsey Capacity Assessment Tool.

Readiness Based – Providing a range of capacity building services to attract non-profits at multiple levels of readiness:  

Broad: On-line resources, resource room materials, and access to grant-making databases;

Intermediate: Education and professional development through skill-building workshops, annual conferences, issue-based discussions with peers, and support of a community of practice (The North Central Network of Nonprofits), and direct technical assistance from INPD staff;

Deep: Intensive, long term technical assistance.