Opportunity Information: Apply for CNCS COOP 03302010
Apply for CNCS COOP 03302010
- The Corporation for National and Community Service in the community development education employment, labor and training environment health regional development science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Nonprofit Capacity Building Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 30, 2010 and posted on Mar 30, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 18, 2010 May 18, 2010, 500 p.m. Eastern Time Letters of Intent to apply to be submitted to NCB@cns.gov by 500 p.m. Eastern Time April 27, 2010. Applications must be submitted using eGrants, the Corporations integrated, secure, web based system for grant application and management. To create and submit an application, access eGrants at http://www.nationalservice.gov/egrants/. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities County governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Private institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- To be eligible for a NCBP award, applicants must Be a nonprofit organization as described in section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501 (a) of such code or an entity of organization described in paragraph (1) or (2) of section 170(c) of such Code. Operate within a defined geographic service area that can be city wide, multi city, state wide, or a limited multi state region, and must be able to demonstrate that the nonprofits in your service area face significant resource challenges (See Section IV for justification criteria). Have a strong track record of providing organizational development or capacity building assistance focusing on small to mid size nonprofit organizations. A further discussion of the evaluation criteria for experienced and capable intermediary nonprofit organizations can be found in Section V. Demonstrate cash on hands or commitments (or a combination thereof) of funds equal to 100 of the total budget for the Federal share. The non Federal share of the budget represents the dollar for dollar matching funds requirement under this Notice. An 5 applicant shall provide the non Federal share of the cost through contributions from third parties which may include the following charitable grant making entities, grantmaking vehicles within existing organizations, entities of corporate philanthropy, corporations, individual donors, and limited multi state region, state or local government agencies, and/or other non Federal sources. If the applicant is a private foundation (as defined in section 509 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986), a donor advised fund (as defined in section 4966 (d) (2) of such Code), or an organization which is described in section 4966 (d) (A) (B) of such Code, the applicant shall provide the non Federal share from within its own funds. A non Federal share that includes donations by third parties shall be composed in a way that does not decrease prior levels of funding from the same third parties granted to the applicant in the preceding year. Instructions for documenting match requirements as a part of the application are discussed in Section IV of this Notice.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Nonprofit Capacity Building Program is a federal grant opportunity run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to fund nonprofit intermediary organizations that can strengthen how small and midsize nonprofits measure performance and demonstrate impact. The core purpose is to help nonprofits in communities facing serious resource hardship build practical performance measurement and management systems, so they can track outcomes, improve results over time, and clearly communicate the value of their services to stakeholders such as residents, partners, and potential funders. Rather than funding direct service projects, this program focuses on organizational development support that improves how nonprofits plan, monitor, and evaluate their work.
CNCS planned to award approximately $1,000,000 total through a two-year cooperative agreement structure, with an expectation of about three awards. Individual awards were anticipated to fall between $200,000 (floor) and up to $1,000,000 (ceiling), depending on the scope and design of the intermediary effort. Because this is a cooperative agreement, recipients should expect ongoing federal involvement beyond a typical grant, often including substantial coordination, defined deliverables, and collaboration on technical assistance goals and reporting expectations.
A central feature of the program is that funded intermediaries are expected to work with a limited number of other intermediary grantees and, through them or alongside them, help small and midsize nonprofits build systems for measuring progress toward intended outcomes. That includes putting in place repeatable procedures for collecting data, defining outputs and outcomes, tracking indicators, and using findings to improve program performance and increase community-level impact. In practical terms, the assistance could include training, coaching, templates and tools, peer learning opportunities, and hands-on support to implement performance management approaches that fit the size and capacity of smaller organizations.
Eligibility is geared toward established intermediary organizations with a clear service area and a strong history of capacity-building work. Applicants generally needed to be qualifying nonprofit entities under the Internal Revenue Code (including 501(c)(3) organizations exempt under 501(a), or other eligible entities described under section 170(c)). They also needed to operate within a defined geographic area (citywide, multi-city, statewide, or a limited multi-state region) and show that nonprofits in that area face significant resource challenges. Another key requirement was demonstrated experience providing organizational development or capacity-building assistance specifically focused on small to mid-sized nonprofits, meaning CNCS was looking for applicants with proven capability, not first-time capacity builders.
The funding came with a significant cost-sharing requirement: a dollar-for-dollar match equal to 100 percent of the federal share. Applicants had to demonstrate cash on hand or firm commitments meeting the full match requirement. Matching funds could come from non-federal sources such as philanthropic entities, corporate giving, individual donors, and state or local government sources, with additional rules for certain entities (for example, private foundations and donor-advised fund-related entities may have had to provide the non-federal share from their own funds). The notice also emphasized that third-party donations used for match should be structured so they do not reduce prior-year funding levels from those same third parties, reinforcing the idea that the match should represent real added investment rather than replacing existing support.
The application process was required to run through CNCS eGrants, the agency’s web-based grants application and management system, and applicants were instructed to submit a Letter of Intent by email ahead of the full application. The notice included a technical assistance call designed to help applicants ask clarifying questions about requirements and submission expectations, with a recorded replay option. Contact information was provided for applicants needing assistance or a printed copy of the notice, including both standard and TTY phone lines and an email address dedicated to the competition.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as an investment in nonprofit infrastructure and learning systems: CNCS intended to fund intermediaries that can bring disciplined performance measurement to smaller nonprofits operating under resource constraints, helping them prove and improve what works, strengthen accountability, and become more competitive for future funding by clearly demonstrating outcomes and impact.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Nonprofit Capacity Building Program?
The Nonprofit Capacity Building Program is a federal grant opportunity run by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). It funds nonprofit intermediary organizations that can strengthen how small and midsize nonprofits measure performance and demonstrate impact.
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The core purpose is to help nonprofits in communities facing serious resource hardship build practical performance measurement and management systems. These systems help organizations track outcomes, improve results over time, and clearly communicate the value of their services to stakeholders such as residents, partners, and potential funders.
Does this program fund direct service projects?
No. Rather than funding direct service projects, the program focuses on organizational development support that improves how nonprofits plan, monitor, and evaluate their work.
Who is this funding intended to support?
The funding is intended for nonprofit intermediary organizations that provide capacity-building support to small and midsize nonprofits, particularly in areas where nonprofits face significant resource challenges.
What kinds of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is geared toward established intermediary organizations with a clear service area and a strong history of capacity-building work. Applicants generally needed to be qualifying nonprofit entities under the Internal Revenue Code, including 501(c)(3) organizations exempt under 501(a), or other eligible entities described under section 170(c).
Do applicants need to have a defined service area?
Yes. Applicants needed to operate within a defined geographic area, such as citywide, multi-city, statewide, or a limited multi-state region.
Do applicants need to show that the target community has resource challenges?
Yes. Applicants were expected to show that nonprofits in their defined service area face significant resource challenges.
Is prior experience in capacity building required?
Yes. A key requirement was demonstrated experience providing organizational development or capacity-building assistance specifically focused on small to mid-sized nonprofits. CNCS was looking for applicants with proven capability, not first-time capacity builders.
What is a cooperative agreement, and how is it different from a typical grant?
This opportunity was structured as a two-year cooperative agreement. Because it is a cooperative agreement, recipients should expect ongoing federal involvement beyond a typical grant, often including substantial coordination, defined deliverables, and collaboration on technical assistance goals and reporting expectations.
How much funding was CNCS planning to award overall?
CNCS planned to award approximately $1,000,000 total through this opportunity.
How many awards were expected?
The notice indicated an expectation of about three awards.
What was the anticipated award size per recipient?
Individual awards were anticipated to fall between $200,000 (floor) and up to $1,000,000 (ceiling), depending on the scope and design of the intermediary effort.
How long was the funding period?
The opportunity was planned as a two-year cooperative agreement.
What are intermediaries expected to do with the funding?
Funded intermediaries were expected to help small and midsize nonprofits build systems for measuring progress toward intended outcomes. This includes establishing repeatable procedures for collecting data, defining outputs and outcomes, tracking indicators, and using findings to improve program performance and increase community-level impact.
What types of capacity-building assistance are allowed or expected?
The notice described practical assistance such as training, coaching, templates and tools, peer learning opportunities, and hands-on support to implement performance management approaches that fit the size and capacity of smaller organizations.
Are intermediaries expected to coordinate with other grantees?
Yes. A central feature of the program was that funded intermediaries were expected to work with a limited number of other intermediary grantees and, through them or alongside them, support small and midsize nonprofits.
What is the cost-sharing or matching requirement?
The opportunity included a significant cost-sharing requirement: a dollar-for-dollar match equal to 100 percent of the federal share.
What did applicants need to show regarding the match?
Applicants had to demonstrate cash on hand or firm commitments meeting the full match requirement.
What sources could matching funds come from?
Matching funds could come from non-federal sources such as philanthropic entities, corporate giving, individual donors, and state or local government sources.
Were there any special notes about match funding from certain entities?
Yes. The notice mentioned additional rules for certain entities, noting for example that private foundations and donor-advised fund-related entities may have had to provide the non-federal share from their own funds.
Does the match need to represent new or additional investment?
The notice emphasized that third-party donations used for match should be structured so they do not reduce prior-year funding levels from those same third parties. This reinforced that the match should represent real added investment rather than replacing existing support.
How were applications submitted?
The application process was required to run through CNCS eGrants, the agency's web-based grants application and management system.
Was a Letter of Intent required?
Applicants were instructed to submit a Letter of Intent by email ahead of the full application.
Was technical assistance available for applicants?
Yes. The notice included a technical assistance call designed to help applicants ask clarifying questions about requirements and submission expectations, with a recorded replay option.
How could applicants get help or request information?
Contact information was provided for applicants needing assistance or a printed copy of the notice, including both standard and TTY phone lines and an email address dedicated to the competition.
What is the overall value or intended outcome of this opportunity?
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as an investment in nonprofit infrastructure and learning systems. CNCS intended to fund intermediaries that can bring disciplined performance measurement to smaller nonprofits operating under resource constraints, helping them prove and improve what works, strengthen accountability, and become more competitive for future funding by clearly demonstrating outcomes and impact.
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