A nonprofit is ready for capacity building when it can name one priority it wants finished and give it a few hours a month. It doesn’t need a perfect plan, a large staff or a funder to start.
What should be in place first?
- A leader or staff member who owns the priority.
- A few hours a month for the work.
- Willingness to share the board, budget or donor information the work needs.
How do you choose where to start?
Start where the risk or the opportunity is biggest: cash flow, a leadership transition, a funder asking for a plan, or donors who give once and disappear. A free self-assessment can rank your starting points in about ten minutes.