Field guide
Capacity Building Field Guide
Short, citable answers to the questions funders and nonprofits ask about capacity building. Free to quote with attribution (CC BY 4.0).
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Articles
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What is nonprofit capacity building?
A plain definition of nonprofit capacity building, what it includes, and what good capacity building leaves behind.
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Types of nonprofit capacity building
The main types of capacity building — coaching, technical assistance, training, peer learning and more — and when each fits.
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Who delivers capacity building? The ecosystem
Funders, intermediaries, direct support providers, and networks: who does what in the nonprofit capacity-building ecosystem.
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How to fund capacity building
Restricted grants, unrestricted support, cohorts and portfolio models: the main ways funders pay for capacity building.
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Trust-based capacity building
What trust-based capacity building looks like in practice: nonprofit-led priorities, no new reporting, and learning by consent.
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How can a foundation provide capacity building to all its grantees?
A practical model for reaching every grantee with capacity building: access for all, cohorts for shared needs, and deeper support where it’s wanted.
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How much should a foundation budget for capacity building per grantee?
How to think about a capacity-building budget per grantee: reach versus depth, the three cost layers, and how to size each.
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Capacity building vs. technical assistance: what’s the difference?
Technical assistance is one kind of capacity building. Here’s how they differ, and when a nonprofit needs each.
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How much time does capacity building take for a nonprofit?
How much staff time capacity building takes: about 5–8 hours a month for a cohort, an hour or two for coaching, and what to plan for.
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Is your nonprofit ready for capacity building?
Signs a nonprofit is ready for capacity building, what to have in place first, and how to pick one starting point.
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Measuring capacity building results
How to measure capacity building: participation, finished deliverables and outcomes over time — not just satisfaction scores.
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Reaching small and BIPOC-led nonprofits
Practical ways funders can make capacity building reach small, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC)-led and culturally specific organizations.
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Capacity building and AI
How AI fits into nonprofit capacity building: practical uses, risks, and why human-delivered support still matters.
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