Capacity Building Grant Program

The Capacity Building Grant Program from the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton is designed to strengthen the long-term sustainability and operational resilience of nonprofit organizations serving Stark, Carroll, Holmes, Tuscarawas, and Wayne counties in Ohio. As a philanthropic initiative, the Foundation prioritizes alignment with its mission—supporting organizations that address poverty and serve underserved populations in health, education, and social services. The program specifically targets existing organizations looking to enhance their strategic capacity, internal operations, governance, and other core infrastructure areas vital to mission-driven success. This grant initiative is not intended to launch new programming or support direct service expansion. Instead, it focuses on critical organizational improvements such as leadership development, technology upgrades, financial systems, evaluation capacity, and strategic planning. The program supports a broad range of allowable capacity-building activities, including board development, communications enhancements, succession planning, volunteer management systems, and human resources improvements. Importantly, the Foundation emphasizes that the grant is not a replacement for existing budgeted expenditures or operational support, and specifically excludes funding for capital projects, computer hardware, personnel costs, or program implementation. Grants under this program are capped at $15,000 per proposal, with a flexible project length that may extend beyond one year if needed. The Foundation encourages proposals that include compelling needs and thoughtful strategies for sustainability and impact. Applicants must be nongovernmental 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with annual operating budgets under $10 million. Additionally, churches may apply but only for specific programming (in health, education, or social services), not for general operational improvements. The application process is structured in two phases. First, applicants submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) through the Foundation’s online grant portal, providing a brief project overview, alignment with the Foundation’s mission, the type of activity proposed, and a budget estimate. If the LOI is approved, applicants are invited to submit a full proposal, which must include a detailed project outline, a statement of need, implementation timeline, project management information, budget breakdown, consultant quotes, and detailed organizational background including leadership and financial documents. All submissions must go through the Foundation’s online portal. Capacity Building Grants are accepted on a rolling basis, with quarterly review cycles. Deadlines for LOI submission are set for November 1, February 1, May 1, and August 1, followed by full application deadlines on December 1, March 1, June 1, and September 1 respectively. Grant decisions are made on March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1, aligning with the Foundation Board’s quarterly schedule. This structure provides applicants with multiple opportunities throughout the year to align their proposal with the Foundation’s review calendar. Upon completion of the funded project, grantees must submit a financial report via the online portal detailing how the funds were spent. Additionally, they are required to participate in an in-person presentation summarizing project outcomes, tangible impacts, and key lessons learned. This component is designed to promote peer learning and foster a culture of continuous improvement among grantee partners. Past successful projects have included strategic assessments, leadership training, software enhancements, and fund development planning, illustrating the program’s versatility in supporting nonprofit growth and resilience.