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This section contains the following information:
The purpose of the OCB Program is to help metropolitan Chicago area nonprofit organizations make long-term improvements in their management and governance and, by doing so, enhance and sustain their services to the elderly. The Foundation believes that quality services are delivered by viable organizations and that it makes good sense to invest in the sustainability of nonprofit organizations to keep them healthy.
The OCB Program was developed because the Foundation recognizes that nonprofit organizations serving the elderly are facing enormous pressures. The demands to serve a rapidly growing senior population are increasing, but traditional sources of support are shrinking. Government funding is shifting and uncertain, and private sector support for services to the elderly is modest. Organizations face rapid technological change and a delivery environment that is in transition and requires much more accountability. Nonprofits require bold and well-trained leaders and must be more transparent and accountable.
Chicago area nonprofit organizations serving the elderly have told the Foundation that they need to focus more on strengthening their organizations – their staff, revenue streams, and operations. Rather than seeking funding for innovative and cutting edge programs, at this time many nonprofit groups believe they must concentrate on making their organizations secure to enable them to fulfill their mission better over the long term.
For an organization to be eligible for an OCB grant, it must meet the following criteria:
- be a nonprofit organization, but not a unit of government;
- be located in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, or McHenry County, Illinois;
- provide services to the elderly; and
- intentionally give a high priority to the elderly.
In the ten years in which the Foundation has been making OCB grants, it has funded 67 different nonprofit organizations. They are of all types, including multi- and single-purpose providers, advocacy groups, religious bodies, and ethnic-specific organizations that provide direct services to the elderly. They are of all sizes, from small budgets under $100,000 to budgets in the multi-millions. The Foundation gives priority in its OCB Program to organizations that tend to be newer, less developed, and have smaller budgets. The Foundation has found that these organizations generally have fewer resources and less management and governance experience. However, larger and more established organizations are eligible if they can make the case for the need.
OCB grant applications are considered three times a year and coincide with the Foundation's general deadlines. The deadlines are February 1, May 1, and August 1. Decisions are usually made four months after each deadline.
OCB funds generally support consulting and training fees, hardware and software related to information management, and staff and other costs directly related to capacity building activities. OCB grants are made for a period of up to three years. While there is no minimum or maximum amount for an OCB grant, the amount should fit the scope of the organizational capacity building activities. Reviewing the OCB section of the RRF grant lists and the case examples may provide a better understanding of the OCB Program.
The Foundation provides grants for capacity building activities that will help a nonprofit organization improve its management or governance to better serve the elderly. The following are examples of activities that are supported but are not meant to exclude others:
- planning (strategic, business, and financial plans) to steer an organization through changes;
- organizational assessments to identify problem areas that need to be strengthened;
- evaluation to develop outcome measures and determine progress in order to determine areas of improvement and strengthen accountability to constituents and funding sources;
- public relations, communications, and marketing to increase awareness and utilization of services;
- financial management and resource development to improve financial systems, explore revenue options, and develop a stronger funding base;
- human resources management to enhance professional development, do team building, and improve the working environment;
- information systems management, including technology enhancements, to improve efficiency and accountability;
- restructuring and building relations among organizations to strengthen service delivery, reduce costs, share resources, or achieve other benefits; and
- board development including assessment, recruitment, training, and structuring to strengthen the governance of the organization.
The Foundation will not fund building renovation or capital improvements, emergency needs, deficits, or one-time events that do not build long-term capacity, i.e. fundraising events or one-time conferences.
In addition to the grants, the OCB Program offers special features. All organizations that receive a grant are eligible for additional funding over the course of their grant, to be used flexibly for technical assistance opportunities that arise during the course of the grant. These may include seminars, workshops, short-term courses, publications, or other training opportunities related to organizational capacity building. These opportunities may be identified by the grantee or the Foundation. On occasion, the Foundation brings the OCB grantees together for training and experience exchange.
A unique feature of the OCB Program is the availability of coaches. The Foundation has recruited a team of coaches with broad management experience. The coach is made available to the grantee on a continuing basis during the course of the OCB grant. The coach serves as a mentor and provides an objective point of view, and the schedule is arranged between the coach and the grantee. Up to 150 hours of coaching is provided over a three-year grant (For a description of the role of the coach, click here). Hours are prorated for shorter grant periods. The coach's fee is paid for by the Foundation over and above the grant. However, the relationship between the coach and the grantee is confidential and not discussed with the Foundation. In the proposal, OCB applicants indicate whether or not they are interested in a coach.
The Foundation encourages a team approach to organizational capacity building. With previous OCB grants, the Foundation has found the team helpful in planning and implementing the project, providing continuity, and ensuring that the organizational capacity building effort becomes an integral part of the organization. An OCB team usually consists of a small working group within the organization with representation from staff, board, and consultants.
Two projects have been selected to provide examples of ways in which Foundation grants have been used to improve organizational capacity building:
- GRANDFamilies Program of Chicago
- Meals on Wheels Foundation of Cook County
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