LevelUp Program
LevelUp
Program
The LevelUp Grant Program’s goal is to support leaders so they can more effectively advance the mission and vision of their nonprofit organizations.
Program Overview
The LevelUp Grant Program’s goal is to support leaders so they can more effectively advance the mission and vision of their nonprofit organizations. LevelUp is an expression of CFHC’s profound respect and support for the nonprofit leaders who are doing the hard work that is vital to improving the quality of life in Hancock County. CFHC understands that time and resources for internal capacity building are often limited or non-existent; LevelUp is designed to remove those barriers for nonprofits looking to take their operations and programs to the next level.
LevelUp starts with a simple question: Where does your organization want to go, and what support and resources does it need to get there? The program engages executive directors, senior staff, and board members to think strategically about their goals and the skills, infrastructure, and organizational systems needed to carry out their work.
LevelUp consists of three key elements:
- Planning. Each organization will complete a capacity-building assessment (with board and staff involvement) and a brief “pre-survey” to serve as a benchmark for impact evaluation. Once the greatest area of opportunity for growth is identified, participants will identify a consultant who specializes in the area of organizational development on which the nonprofit will focus (this will likely involve an RFP process). The CFHC Community Investment + Grants Officer will serve as a support partner during this process, offering advice and approval.
- Grant. Nonprofits will receive a grant of up to $20,000 to hire the consultant, researcher, or coach of their choice and implement development strategies consistent with needs outlined in the capacity-building assessment. Grantees will need to contribute any project costs beyond $20,000. Once the grant period is over, grantees will complete a “post-survey” as part of their grant report to measure against the “pre-survey” for impact evaluation.
- Peer Learning Roundtables. CFHC convenes LevelUp grantees every other month to discuss what is developing in their organizations and their experience working with a consultant. CFHC staff will help facilitate these natural and conversational meetings.
The LevelUp Grant Program is designed to walk organizations through assessing their capacity in the following areas of organizational health, ultimately selecting one area to focus on taking to the next level under the guidance of a professional consultant.
- Mission & Strategy
- Board Development
- Financial Management
- Human Resources Management
- Fundraising & Donor Relations
- Program Outcome Measurement
- Governance & Administration
- Communications & Marketing
- Transition & Succession Planning
- Leadership & Organizational Culture
Eligible applicants must be public, tax-exempt organizations by Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code, who serve Hancock County and have received at least one previous grant from CFHC. LevelUp grantees will NOT be eligible for the Annual Grant Cycle for the year they are participating in the LevelUp Grant Program. Preference may be given to organizations that have not received a LevelUp grant previously.
