MFH Capacity Building - Technical Assistance

Grant Program

Formerly known as the MFH Capacity Building Grant Program

NSC serves as the primary contact for MFH Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grant Program.

Eligible Organizations

Types of Eligible Activities

Award Conditions

Application Process Outline

Application Review

What is NOT Covered in this Program

Cycle One 2009 Process Calendar

RFP Assistance Conference Calls

Application Submission

Eligibility for Funding & FAQ's

View Sample Successful Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grant Submission

Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grant Program Funding Guidelines

Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to review this section in its entirety prior to developing a proposal.

Eligible Organizations:

• Because MFH is a funder of health and health-related programs, organizations must support activities that aim to achieve measurable improvements in the health of Missouri's citizens, particularly the health of the uninsured, underinsured and underserved populations. Therefore, health programming must be central to the mission of the organization to be eligible for funding.  Organizations must be located and provide services in the Foundation's service area (refer to service area map found on MFH's website)

• Applicants must be either a nonprofit organization exempt from federal tax under provisions of Section 501(c) (3) of the IRS Code or exempt state or local government agencies. All applicants must be in good corporate standing with the state of Missouri.

• Organizations with operating budgets in excess of $10 million annually are not eligible for this program.    

Note: The Foundation does not accept Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grant Program applications from for-profit organizations or from organizations located outside its region.

Types of Activities Eligible for Funding:

The MFH Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grants Program is focused on specific, discrete, short-term interventions that will help an organization (or coalition of organizations) be more efficient in its mode of operating and effective in accomplishing its mission objectives. In 2009, the types of activities that will receive funding under this program are as follows:

• Strategic Planning:  Strategic Planning refers to the process by which an organization determines and articulates its priorities for program, resource, and systems development within a specific time-frame (often three to five years) based on an examination of internal and external environmental conditions within the context of its mission and values.
• Short-term Business and Financial Planning:  The focus should be on implementing strategies already in place or imbedded in a current strategic plan.  A typical business plan would include a SWOT analysis, priority markets and constituencies, a product analysis, a value proposition, codifying the operating model (who does what, with/to whom, using what resources), and identifying the financing strategy.  It would also include short-term implementation planning, e.g. goals, success measures, tasks, accountabilities, and risks.

• Fund Development: Activities that are related to the process of organizational or institutional fundraising which may also include formulating development assessments and plans.
• Program Evaluation: The systematic collection of information about the activities, characteristics, and outcomes of programs to make judgments about the program, improve program effectiveness, and/or inform decisions about future program development.
• Strategic Communications:  For nonprofits to communicate effectively with current and prospective stakeholders, they must develop strategic communication tools.  Projects should look at specific ways in which communication planning can be used to better inform, recruit and retain constituency support. The most effective strategic communications efforts will link to other strategic efforts by the organization (i.e.; fundraising, board/staff development, volunteer recruitment, community relations, program development, etc.)  All projects should include assessment, implementation/operation and training. Projects including web design or development are not eligible.

• Management Systems Development:

  Projects in this category refer to shorter-term interventions that provide consulting-only resources for an organization to resolve a problem or enhance capability related to its management systems and processes.  Areas that are eligible for funding support are as follows:

  • Financial Management Systems:  Assisting organizations with an assessment and understanding of accounting systems, risk assessment, budgeting activities (i.e., cash flow, cost benefits analysis, etc.) and grant protocol and management.
  • Human Resources Management Systems: Assisting organizations with process and/or procedural improvements to such areas as recruitment and retention, employee relations, and compensation.

Award Conditions:

The following conditions should be considered when applying for a Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grant

• The maximum award for a single project is $20,000.
• The project cannot exceed one (1) year in length.
• No single organization may have more than one (1) pending application per cycle at any point in time with the Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grants Program.
• No more than ten percent of requested amount can be for software.
• No single organization that has an active Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grant can submit an additional Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grants Program application until that grant project is closed by MFH.
• The proposed project must meet an assessed need derived through a Board-approved organizational assessment process. This process may be conducted by the organization or through the engagement of an external consultant (see proposal summary on page 6 for examples of organizational assessment tools).
• Project consultants must be selected prior to submitting the application.
• Use of fiscal agents is not allowed. For coalitions or collaborations, one of the participating organizations can take the lead role.

Note: Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grants Program applications and awards do not affect an organization’s eligibility for other Missouri Foundation for Health grant programs.  The MFH 25% rule does not apply to this program.

Proposal Process Outline:

The following is a description for the basic process flow of the Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grants Program (refer also to the Timetable included in this document):

1. Applicant submits proposal and all required documentation.
2. Application is reviewed by review team.
3. Applicant receives notification of decision.
4. If approved, applicant and MFH enter into a Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grants Program Agreement.
5. Project begins within 60 days of completion of agreement.
6. Approved applicants attend program orientation.
7. Evaluation/Follow-Up takes place.
8. Organization submits final report.

Proposals will be reviewed for the following:

• Promotion of the Foundation’s vision to improve the health of the people in communities served.
• Description of how the intervention will assist the organization in becoming more effective, and therefore, positively impact health in the community.
• Discussion of why the specific type of organizational development assistance is being sought, how the need was identified and how success will be measured.
• Identification of organizational challenges related to the assistance.
• The proposed intervention’s long term strategic implications for the organization.
• Feasibility of work plan to achieve desired results.
• The clarity of the budget and the soundness of its underlying assumptions.
• A thorough and meaningful evaluation strategy.

What is NOT Covered in this Program

• Program-related costs such as staff time or any costs related to employee participation, e.g., salaries, extra compensation, payment of temporary staff to substitute for employees.
• Rental Fees
• Lodging for Employees or Board Members
• IT – related: Computer Hardware
• Computer Software that is more than 10% of total amount requested.  
• Conference and seminar training resulting from recommendations made by the consultant. These may be contracted with consultants under arrangements made from other funding sources.
• Consultant travel from outside Missouri

2009 Cycle One Process Calendar

RFA Assistance Conference Calls

This activity will be provided to interested applicants as an opportunity to dialogue with application reviewers about the primary components of the application and ask any questions regarding the application development and the review process. Individuals interested in participating in an RFA Assistance Conference Call should contact the NSC at (314) 436-9580 or toll free at 1-866-433-9580 to register for one of the available sessions.

Application Submission

Applications for the Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grant Program must either be:

• received at the offices of the NSC by 5:00 p.m. on June 30, 2009 or
•  mailed with a postmark of June 30, 2009

Completed applications may be brought in person or mailed to:

Nonprofit Services Center

Attn: Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grant Program

1015 Locust Street, Suite 801

St. Louis, MO  63101

Please direct all questions about the application process to Claire Hundelt, Director of Programs and Services at (314) 436-9580 or toll free at 1-866-433-9580 or claire@nonprofitservices.org.

Note: Accepted applications for the Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Grant Program do not guarantee funding under other MFH funding areas/mechanisms.

Download Cycle Two 2009 Capacity Building - Technical Assistance Program Grant Application and Form [ PDF  |  Word]

Eligibility Requirements and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF downloadable documents on this page.