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Equips new or current executive directors and others taking on leadership roles within a nonprofit. 

This page provides tools and resources for nonprofits and intermediary organizations engaged in capacity building.

Capacity Building Guidebooks: Intermediary Development Series
Capacity-Building Tools
External Links
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Capacity Building Guidebooks: Intermediary Development Series

Identifying and Promoting Effective Practices | Printable Version (210 kb)
Equips intermediaries with the knowledge and information needed to identify, validate, and promote effective practices.
Partnerships: Frameworks for Working Together | Printable Version (308 kb)
Describes different types of partnerships, key components for effective partnerships and the barriers to successful partnerships, and approaches for forming, managing, and ending partnerships.
Acquiring Public Grants | Printable Version (310 kb)
Presents key concepts and processes for effective federal grant research and proposal writing.
Managing Public Grants | Printable Version (272 kb)
Presents key concepts and actions required to manage federal grants effectively.
Measuring Outcomes | Printable Version (445 kb)
A comprehensive guide for organizations interested in improving their procedures for measuring outcomes.
Building Multiple Revenue Sources | Printable Version (386 kb)
Provides an overview of fifteen different revenue sources and how to evaluate, start, and sustain one or more new income or revenue sources. 
Designing and Managing a Subaward Program | Printable Version (530 kb)
Equips intermediaries, particularly those funded by the federal government, to develop a comprehensive plan for providing subawards to grassroots organizations.
Delivering Technical Assistance | Printable Version (396 kb)
Equips intermediaries to create plans for training and technical assistance. Topics include a systems approach to training and technical assistance, using adult learning principles, and assessing readiness for change.  The guidebook provides an introduction to blended learning and a comparison of online tools to support training and collaboration among peers with similar training and technical assistance needs.  
Establishing a Community of Practice to Enhance TTA | Printable Version (173 kb)
Reviews the benefits of using Communities of Practice (COPs)—a group of people who share a common concern, set of problems, or passion about a topic—to support learning from training and technical assistance (TTA) programs.
Leading a Nonprofit Organization: Tips and Tools for Executive Directors and Team Leaders | Printable Version (235 kb)
Equips new or current executive directors and others taking on leadership roles within a nonprofit. 
Managing Crisis: Being Your Best While Dealing with the Worst | Printable Version (271 kb)
What could go wrong? What will you do to prevent things from going wrong? What will you do if something goes wrong? Covers key considerations and best practices for risk management and crisis response planning. 
Working with Consultants | Printable Version (297 kb)
Equips organizations, grant makers, and capacity builders to establish effective and successful consulting relationships.
Understanding Fee-for-Service Models | Printable Version (167 kb)
“Fee-for-service” can help nonprofit organizations generate revenue by requesting or requiring payment for services and products. Helps organizations understand, initiate, or enhance current fee-for-service activities.
Conducting a Community Assessment | Printable Version (205 kb)
Explains the benefits of conducting a community assessment and recommends a six-step process for planning and conducting the assessment.

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Tools from the Compassion Capital Fund

Organizational Assessment Tool | Printable Version (1 mb)
The Capacity Benchmarking Tool was developed to assist newly established and emerging community-based nonprofit organizations, including faith-based organizations, that want to work toward greater stability and effectiveness. The tool covers multiple topics including board of directors, strategic planning, program monitoring, community linkages and partnerships, fundraising and grant writing, technology, management of staff and volunteers, and financial management.

Promising Practices for Improving the Capacity of Faith- and Community-Based Organizations | Printable Version (400 kb)
This report documents the range of services that intermediaries provide to their constituent organizations, and highlights those that constitute promising practices. The report defines as promising practices those efforts undertaken by the intermediaries that show potential for producing successful outcomes-they improve the organizational capacity of faith-based and community organizations, are broadly used and accepted (although not universally), and have the potential for replication among other organizations.

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External Links

The Alliance for Nonprofit Management 
The Alliance for Nonprofit Management is the professional association of individuals and organizations devoted to improving the management and governance capacity of nonprofits, to assist nonprofits in fulfilling their mission.

Bridgestar 
Bridgestar was founded on the premise that mission-focused nonprofits have greater opportunity to achieve breakthrough results when they attract, assemble, and nurture strong board and senior leadership teams. Bridestar seeks to be a resource for enhancing the flow and effectiveness of capable executives into and within the sector.

Christian Community Development Association 
Christian Community Development Association exists to develop a strong fellowship of those involved in Christian community development. We desire to support and encourage existing Christian community developers and their ministries and help to establish new ones.

Corporation for National and Community Service 
The Corporation for National and Community Service has developed a comprehensive toolkit of resources for faith-based and community organizations (FBOs and CBOs) under its Faith and Communities Engaged in Service (FACES) initiative. The Corporation is enhancing its outreach and engagement of FBOs and CBOs as part of its implementation of the President's initiative.

Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations 
Hauser is an interdisciplinary research center at Harvard University based at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. It seeks to expand understanding and accelerate critical thinking about nonprofit organizations and civil society among scholars, practitioners, policy makers, and the general public.

Internet Nonprofit Center 
Internet Nonprofit Center publishes the Nonprofit FAQ, a resource of information provided by participants in many online discussions about nonprofits and their work.

Nonprofit Risk Management Center 
A source for tools, advice and training to control risks.

Stanford Social Innovation Review 
Stanford Social Innovation Review is the premier journal on nonprofits, philanthropy, and corporate social responsibility. The mission of SSIR is to share substantive insights and practical experiences that will help those who do the important work of improving society do it even better.

TCC Group 
TCC Group's mission is to develop strategies and programs that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of nonprofit organizations, philanthropies, and corporate citizenship programs to achieve social impact.

United Way of America 
United Way of America is the national organization dedicated to leading the United Way movement in making measurable impact in every community across America. The United Way movement includes approximately 1,400 community-based United Way organizations. Each is independent, separately incorporated, and governed by local volunteers.

A comprehensive guide for organizations interested in improving their procedures for measuring outcomes.

This resource describes different types of partnerships, key components for effective partnerships and the barriers to successful partnerships, and approaches for forming, managing, and ending partnerships.

CIRCULAR NO. A-122 Revised May 10, 2004 establishes principles for determining costs of grants, contracts and other agreements with non-profit organizations.

“Fee-for-service” can help nonprofit organizations generate revenue by requesting or requiring payment for services and products. Helps organizations understand, initiate, or enhance current fee-for-service activities.

Equips intermediaries with the knowledge and information needed to identify, validate, and promote effective practices.