Apply for Capacity Building Fund Program in Canada

Deadline: 02-Jan-2025

Apply now for the Capacity Building Fund Program to empower eligible non-profits for one-time projects that enhance social impact and address emerging issues by strengthening organizational effectiveness.

This fund supports organizations in building internal capacity to become more effective, sustainable, and responsive to Calgarians experiencing vulnerabilities.

Eligible initiatives focus on increasing adaptive or technical capacity, going beyond regular operations or program activities to strengthen the organization’s overall resilience and responsiveness.

Areas

• This year, projects that fall under the following areas will be accepted for funding:
  • Good Governance: Developing, or updating, policies, procedures, and strategies to foster good governance and increase the ability to meet community needs.
    • Anticipated Outcome: Improved governance and leadership, leading to greater accountability, transparency, and organizational effectiveness.
  • Community Needs and Mobilization: Strategies and activities to understand how to support and mobilize communities to co-create solutions. This can include assessing needs while simultaneously leveraging the existing strengths and resources within the community.
    • Anticipated Outcome: Improved alignment of services with community needs, ensuring that resources are directed effectively and that solutions are developed collaboratively with the community.
  • Digital Transformation: Enhancing technological resilience and upgrading digital infrastructure to improve service delivery, data collection, and outreach.
    • Anticipated Outcome: Improved performance and efficiency in delivering services and achieving goals.
  • Change Management: Strengthening leadership skills and governance structures to prepare organizations for future challenges. This includes scenario planning, contingency planning, and other strategies to ensure readiness and resilience in the face of organizational changes.
    • Anticipated Outcome: Strengthened organizational resilience with effective contingency plans in place, enabling organizations to navigate unexpected challenges and maintain stability.
  • Financial Sustainability: Building sustainable funding models, such as training in grant writing, fundraising tactics, or developing social enterprises
    • Anticipated Outcome: Greater financial resilience and sustainability through diversified funding strategies
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing: Initiatives to improve the mental health and psychological safety of staff or volunteers.
    • Anticipated Outcome: Enhanced mental health and well-being of staff and volunteers through the implementation of trauma-informed care practices and effective support strategies.
  • Learning and Development: Fostering a positive work environment by supporting organizational growth and employee development through professional development, support systems, and continuous learning.
    • Anticipated Outcome: Improved staff support systems, manageable workloads, and a positive work environment.
  • Data and Impact: Strengthening the ability to collect, analyze, and use data for effective decision making and measuring impact.
    • Anticipated Outcome: Enhanced ability to collect, analyze, and use data to evaluate effectiveness, demonstrate impact, and guide informed decision-making.
  • Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism: Integrating anti-racist and equitable practices into capacity-building efforts, fostering inclusivity, and ensuring equity-deserving groups have opportunities to fully participate and thrive.
    • Anticipated Outcome: Enhanced equity and inclusivity, providing more equitable access and opportunities for equity-deserving groups.
  • Truth and Reconciliation: Incorporating Indigenous knowledge and practices into capacity building efforts to promote healing, education, and understanding, addressing the impacts of colonization on Indigenous communities in Calgary.
    • Anticipated Outcome: Strengthened Indigenous partnerships and practices, fostering cultural understanding and advancing truth and reconciliation efforts.

Funding Information

• Up to $1 million will be available through this fund in 2025. Individual projects will be funded for a maximum of $100,000.

Funding Priorities and Anticipated Outcomes

• Funding for community-based organizations will be prioritized through this funding call to implement projects that will lead to positive change for the Calgarians they serve.
• Community-based organizations are those that are:
  • A registered non-profit organization.
  • Serve Calgarians experiencing vulnerabilities, including individuals facing systemic barriers related to ability, age, ethnicity, gender, immigration status, Indigeneity, race, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.
  • Led by members of the community they serve, and;
  • Have an annual operating budget of less than $250,000 a year; or
  • Have four, or fewer, full-time equivalent staff positions.

Eligibility Criteria

• Organizational Eligibility
  • Non-profit organizations with an elected volunteer Board of Directors, operating within Calgary’s city limits. Organizations must be registered under one of the following:
    • The Alberta Societies Act;
    • The Alberta Companies Act;
    • The Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act; or
    • The Canada Business Corporations Act.
  • Organizations must be in good standing with The City of Calgary. Organizations with a previous, or existing, funding agreement must have fulfilled all reporting and other contractual requirements or have no other conditions that would disqualify them from additional funding.
  • Community-based organizations that meet the following criteria:
    • A registered non-profit organization
    • Led by members of the community they serve, and either:
    • Have an annual operating budget of less than $250,000, or
    • Have four or fewer full-time equivalent staff positions.

For more information, visit The City of Calgary.