Application Deadline: Tuesday, September 5th, 2006 5:00pm

Crossroads Community Foundation, incorporated in March 1995, is a nonprofit, public charity organized as a collection of funds contributed by individuals and institutions, whose income is used for grants to charitable organizations.

Crossroads serves the Metrowest communities of Acton, Ashland, Boxborough, Concord, Dover, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lincoln, Marlborough, Maynard, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Millis, Natick, Needham, Sherborn, Southborough, Stow, Sudbury, Waltham, Wayland, Wellesley, Westborough and Weston.

Capacity Building Grants

Crossroads’ Capacity Building Grant Program funds initiatives designed to increase the impact of local non-profits by strengthening their organizational capacity. Desired outcomes for non-profits selected to receive grants through this program include one or more of the following:

• Improved governance and leadership
• Improved staff skills (such as training in financial management and operations; program design and evaluation, leadership skills, technology and information systems; diversity, etc.)
• Improved management systems and practices
• Creation and implementation of strategic and business plans
• Improved, expanded, or additional services

Successful applicants will be able to describe how their enhanced capacity will ultimately benefit the communities that they serve.Grant requests of up to $5,000 will be awarded. Funding is contingent upon the organization’s successful evaluation and reporting of past grant awards from Crossroads Community Foundation, if any.

Selection Criteria

• Confirmation that the organization is reasonably financially stable, with no overwhelming threats to continued viability
• Evidence of experienced leadership, at both the staff and board levels
• Clear explanation of how funds will be used to preserve, protect and conserve the MetroWest watershed
• Description of how the proposed funds will benefit the organization, and in turn benefit the community
• Clear detailing of how results will be measured and communicated, and how success will be defined
• Potential to attract funds during and after the grant period

Eligibility Requirements

To apply for a capacity building grant, applicants must be non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations serving one or more of the communities in Crossroads’ service area: Acton, Ashland, Boxborough, Concord, Dover, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lincoln, Marlborough, Maynard, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Millis, Natick, Needham, Sherborn, Southborough, Stow, Sudbury, Waltham, Wayland, Wellesley, Westborough and Weston.  Projects for which support is sought should benefit people who live or work in the region.

Organizations may apply for funding from Crossroads’ discretionary grant programs only once per calendar year.  Organizations whose proposals are rejected in one calendar year may reapply the following calendar year.  Organizations whose proposals are funded, even partially, may not reapply until the second calendar year after the year in which they were approved.

Crossroads will not fund political or sectarian activities.

Application Deadline
Proposals must be received by Tuesday, September 5th, 2006  (5:00 p.m.).  Faxed copies will not be accepted.  Decisions for funding will be made in mid December 2006.

Application Instructions
To apply for funding, applicants must submit an application form and a copy of the proposal via email at info@ccfdn.org.  The cover letter form is available on our website (www.ccfdn.org).   In addition, three copies of a signed cover letter, the proposal and appendices must be sent via mail.  Proposals must include the following information, keeping in mind the funding criteria:

Applicant Organization (1 page):

• Mission and brief history
• Major programs and geographic scope of services
• Organizational structure and number of staff

• The project or purpose for which grant funding is sought
• The organizational need for increased service capacity
• The target population and community needs to be addressed (please include a list of the towns in Crossroads’ service area in which the proposed project will take place.)
• How you could  involve volunteers (particularly family volunteers) in your proposed project
• The goals (qualitative and quantitative) to be achieved by the project
• Specific timetable of activities for attaining stated goals
• Plans for sustaining the increased organizational capacity beyond the funding period
• Statement as to what will happen if less than full funding is received

• Criteria for determining the project’s success
• Process for evaluating the project

• Itemized project expenses (e.g. salaries, equipment, printing)
• Indication of which project expenses will be covered by Crossroads’ funds
• Projected project revenue, including all funding sources (in-hand and anticipated) and amounts for each source.

• Current organizational operating budget.
• List of board of directors, their contact information, and their affiliations.
• IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter.
• Latest audited financial statement or the equivalent, as required by law.