Digging Deeper to Enhance Performance
The Digging Deeper to Enhance Performance (DDEP) pilot program is administered by The Lumpkin Family Fund. DDEP provides nonprofit organizations in Coles County with a grant to complete a comprehensive organizational assessment. DDEP focuses on building the effectiveness, skills, knowledge and sustainability of board and staff leaders, consultants, and the larger nonprofit sector of Coles County.
DDEP awarded four 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in Coles County a grant to complete a comprehensive organizational assessment, including a core capacity review; a technology review; an external constituent survey; a financial sustainability assessment; and a legal compliance review. The assessment would culminate in a final report with prioritized recommendations for enhancing the performance of the organization.
In response to the assessments, and taking into consideration each organization’s preparedness, grants for one or more mutually defined projects as defined in the assessment would be funded over the ensuing two years. The grants and projects are expected to vary by organization depending on need.
The leadership (lead staff and at least one board member) of each selected organization will be involved in peer-group activities including an in-person meeting at least quarterly to share their experience with one another.
To view the organizations selected for the pilot, click here.
Q&A
Why did The Lumpkin Family Foundation begin DDEP?
The Lumpkin Family Foundation has been making capacity building grants and providing training for nonprofits in the area since 2004. In 2010, this grantmaking was assessed and a community taskforce convened to review and revise the program. After much research, and to align with The Foundation’s 2010 strategic plan to “dig deeper in Coles County,” the Taskforce recommended the development of DDEP.
What do we mean by “capacity building”?
Capacity building is much more than using technical assistance to develop a particular skill or area of management. It requires rethinking systems and programs in a new, more comprehensive and integrated fashion. To be successful, capacity building must be “place-based”: it must be customized to a particular agency and local realities. The Lumpkin Family Foundation believes that funders, agencies, and technical assistance providers must work together to make this success possible and sustainable.
Who is eligible to participate in DDEP?
Any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Coles County, Illinois with a minimum budget of $100,000 and maximum budget of $5 million; and at least one FTE staff member.
Does participation in DDEP affect eligibility to receive grants from other Lumpkin Family Foundation programs?
Organizations may apply for new funds from The Lumpkin Family Fund if eligible during the DDEP process.
What is the DDEP process?
Assessment Phase:
Organizations will undergo a thorough organizational assessment with a trained consultant. Agencies select consultants from a vetted roster. Agencies are free to select an outside provider, but they must successfully apply for membership in the consultant pool to receive project funds. The organizational assessment will include a complete document review, internal interviews with Board and Staff members, and an examination of all management systems. It is expected to take about four months. The consultant will work closely with Board and Staff leaders and will most likely conduct an organizational retreat. At the end of this process of inquiry, research and data collection, the consultant prepares a confidential, detailed report and recommendations for the organization, presenting it first to the leadership team, and then to the Board and Staff. They also prepare a two-page Executive Summary that outlines strengths and challenges and suggests priorities for a possible capacity building proposal. Although the detailed report is confidential, when the organization applies for a Capacity Building Grant, the Executive Summary must be attached to the application.
Capacity Building Phase:
Nonprofit organizations that have completed the assessment phase may apply for funding to support the plan identified in the assessment. Capacity Building Applications must be submitted online within two (2) months of completing the Assessment Phase. We anticipate the capacity building grants will range between $10,000 and $20,000 per organization. We expect applications that are highly customized to the needs of each organizations and a duration of up to two (2) years.
What is expected of an organization that receives a grant in the Assessment phase?
Board and Staff must agree to invest the substantial time needed to participate in specific components of the Assessment including: internal and external surveys; review of bylaws, policies, plans, financial reports and other documents; interviews and focus groups; workshops and presentations; and project evaluation. Time required is approximately 2 to 4 days per month.
During the process, the leadership (lead staff and at least one board member) will be involved in peer-group activities including an in-person meeting at least quarterly to share their experience with one another.
What is expected of an organization that receives a grant in the Capacity Building Phase?
Each organization is expected to: meet the objectives set forth in its own proposal on time and within budget; participate in peer learning opportunities; and complete required internal and external assessments. The external performance assessment measures client perceptions; it is implemented before and after the capacity building initiative to determine what changes have occurred, if any. The original internal assessment tool is also re-administered to determine change. A confidential report for each is given to the agency; only an aggregate summary of findings is given to The Lumpkin Family Foundation.
What information needs to be collected for the assessment phase application?
Each organization will need to provide the following information:
- Organizational mission statement and brief description of programs.
- Current board and staff list, including the name, title, professional affiliation, phone, email, mailing address and number of years of service to the organization for each person. Bios of key staff will also be needed as well as a staff organizational chart (if available).
- List of active committees on the board and chair(s) of each.
- List of partner organizations and a brief description of the relationship with each.
- List of previous grants from The Lumpkin Family Foundation.
- Narrative answers to the following:
- What does your organization hope to learn from the organizational assessment?
- Examples of something your organization has done or participated in that demonstrates commitment to ongoing organizational learning and development.
- Why do you think your organization is ready for a subsequent capacity building award?
- How will increased organizational capacity enhance your ability to more effectively and efficiently carry out your mission and provide services?
- A letter acknowledging unanimous board support signed by the Board Chair. The letter must articulate why the agency is interested in participating in the Organizational Assessment phase of DDEP and invite The Lumpkin Family Foundation staff to a board and staff meeting (either separately or jointly) within two months of the approval of this grant to provide an overview of the process.
- A joint letter from the Executive Director and Board Chair confirming the ability of the Executive Director to engage in organizational assessment work for up to eight hours each week; and, a commitment from the board chair to participate in the process up to eight hours each month.
- Copies of the organization’s IRS Letter of Determination, Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and current Strategic Plan.
- Copies of the current budget, audited financials and Form 990.
What is the timeline for the DDEP pilot program?
March 11, 2011 Grant Program Announced
April 18, 2011 Assessment Application Deadline
Early May, 2011 Recipients Announced
May-June, 2011 Meetings with Recipients and selection of Consultants
July-November, 2011 Organizational Assessments
December 2011 (or as completed) Capacity Building Applications Due (anticipated)
January-November 2012 Capacity Building projects (may be renewed into 2013)
How are organizations selected for participation?
The online applications for the initial assessment phase are reviewed by members of The Lumpkin Family Fund Committee. Selection is based on compliance with the application process and organizational readiness. Building on capacity-building best practices, we will look for organizations that are open to change, comfortable with transparency, committed to organizational learning, and financially viable.
Once approved, the organization will receive an email of approval and the lead staff and board chair must meet with a program officer to discuss the process. After the meeting, the organization is offered assistance in selecting consultants from a vetted roster of experts provided by LFF in nonprofit management. Capacity building grant allocations are determined by proposal quality, case for support, project scope, degree of institutional commitment to capacity building, and potential for community impact.
Please direct inquiries on DDEP to:
Annie Hernandez
Annie@lumpkinfoundation.org
217-234-5702