Capacity building grants
Capacity building grants for nonprofits: get your support funded
Many funders already pay for capacity building. Find out whether yours will sponsor coaching, training and peer cohorts for you, and use our template to ask.
No credit card required · you own & control your data
Coaching, training, planning, board, systems.
Often faster. Copy our request letter.
An honest list of places to look.
No funder needed to begin.
The basics
What capacity building grants usually pay for.
Capacity building grants typically fund the things that make an organization stronger rather than a single program: coaching and consultants, training, strategic planning, board development, fundraising systems and technology.
Your options
Three ways to get capacity building funded.
Apply for a capacity building grant
Search for open capacity-building grant programs and apply. It works, but it’s competitive and slow.
Ask an existing funder to sponsor support
Often faster. Funders who already know you can sponsor a program seat, coaching or a workspace — and many already sponsor Resilia.
Start free and add paid programs later
Begin with the free workspace and community today. Start free.
Request template
Ask your funder to sponsor Resilia.
Adapt this letter and send it to your program officer. Talking points: it ends with finished work, it reaches your whole team, and it adds no reporting burden — your funder sees a portfolio view of participation and what you choose to share.
Subject: Request: capacity-building support for [Your organization] Dear [Program officer name], Thank you for your continued partnership with [Your organization]. I’m writing to ask whether [Foundation name] would consider sponsoring capacity-building support for our team through Resilia. What we want to work on: [e.g. a digital fundraising campaign / a strategic plan / board development]. Why now: [one or two sentences on the need and the opportunity]. What it includes: coaching, a peer cohort and practical tools, ending with a finished deliverable — [e.g. a launched campaign / a board-approved plan]. What it means for you: no new reporting forms. Resilia offers funders a portfolio view of participation and the progress we choose to share. Many funders sponsor whole portfolios of grantees this way. More information: https://www.resilia.com/grantmakers/ I’d be glad to talk it through. Thank you for considering it. Sincerely, [Your name] [Title], [Your organization]
Partners
Funders that sponsor Resilia.
Since our founding, Resilia has served more than 25,000 nonprofits and 200 grantmakers. Partners include The Boston Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, The Miami Foundation, United Way, Community Foundation of Broward, Oxfam America and the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. Not sure if your funder is a partner? Ask us.
Honest resources
Where to find capacity building grants.
- Candid (Foundation Directory) — search funders by “capacity building” or “technical assistance” support type.
- Your community foundation — many run capacity-building or organizational-effectiveness grant programs.
- Your regional grantmaker association — they often list capacity-building funds and providers in your area.
- Grant databases such as Instrumentl — filter for operating and capacity-building support.
- Your current funders — ask whether they offer capacity-building or general operating support.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is a capacity building grant?
A grant that funds an organization’s ability to deliver its mission — leadership, planning, fundraising, systems, technology — rather than a specific program’s services.
Can I use a capacity building grant for Resilia programs?
Usually, yes. Program seats, coaching and technical assistance are typical capacity-building expenses. Check your grant terms or ask your program officer.
What if my funder says no?
You can still start free, buy paid services like a cohort seat yourself, or ask another funder. We’re happy to help you think it through.
Get your capacity building funded.
Start now
Create your free workspace while you wait.
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