Arts Dollars Grants Program: Capacity-Building

Grants of up to $5,000 to Illinois and Iowa small nonprofit arts organizations in eligible counties for activities to improve organizational capacity. The purpose of the program is to enhance the quality of life of local residents through arts programs. Funded programs must serve the counties of Rock Island, Henry, and Mercer counties in Illinois; and Scott, Clinton, and Muscatine counties in Iowa.

Capacity-Building Grants fund activities that increase an organization's overall capacity, organizational strength, and community impact.

Examples of capacity building projects include (but are not limited to):

• Planning activities: e.g., organizational assessments, strategic planning, communications/marketing
• Board development: may include activities such as leadership training, defining the role of the board, and strengthening volunteer roles
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives: may include activities such as organizational trainings, community workshops, etc.
• Organizational re-branding: staffing costs, building online presence, rebranding current marketing
• Strategic Relationships: building collaborative relationships with other nonprofits
• Internal operations: improvements to financial management, volunteer management, etc.
• Technology Improvements: IT capacity through upgrades to hardware or software, websites, and staff training to optimize use of technology.
• Professional development: staff or volunteer attendance at conferences, trainings, or online webinars
• Fundraising Development: staff education costs, equipment supporting the initiation or expansion of sustainable fundraising efforts

Generally, the most successful capacity-building plans:

• Improve the organization as a whole, rather than a single project or program
• Are focused on a single issue or opportunity, rather than multiple unrelated needs
• Are critical to the organization’s long-term success
• Start an organization down a path of perpetual improvement. While the individual proposal may have an end date, it should be clear how the project will propel future improvement.