Organizational Effectiveness Grants

$5,000–$10,000

Grants are awarded annually in April

• February 1: Applications open
• February 28: Application deadline

Organizations awarded a grant are expected to use funds within 10 months of the award date. A short final report is due in the 10th month, with a brief accounting of expenditure, use, impact, and lessons learned.

• Be a registered 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) organization or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor
• Serve West Marin, ideally for the last three years
• Have a commitment to racial justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Priority will be given to organizations based in West Marin and with an annual budget under $2,000,000
• Organizations may receive more than one Organizational Effectiveness grant if they are acting as a fiscal sponsor for a successful applicant
• Organizations may apply to other types of grants offered by the Fund

Before applying: Please review the general eligibility requirements and What We Don’t Fund on our Grant Opportunities page.

• Explain how the proposed activities will strengthen your organization’s ability to serve West Marin communities.
• Identify clear outcomes and how progress will be tracked.
• Demonstrate responsible fiscal management and adequate accounting practices.
• Set specific diversity, equity, and inclusion goals for the proposed activities.
• Describe how the organization will keep building on this capacity after the grant ends.
• Priority will be given to organizations seeking support to strengthen their own capacity. If the proposed project is intended to strengthen the capacity of other organizations, applicants should demonstrate that those organizations have requested the support or would welcome the proposed approach.

With support from The Fund for West Marin staff, proposals are reviewed against established criteria by a Grant Review Committee, made up of community members with diverse perspectives and knowledge of West Marin’s communities, nonprofit organizations, organizational capacity, and community needs. Together, the Committee develops and submits its funding recommendations to the Fund’s Board of Directors for final approval.

Interested in serving on a Grant Review Committee? We welcome community members of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Nominate yourself or someone else!

• Log on or create a new account
• Create your Organizational Profile, or update it if it’s over two years old
• Review the application guidelines
• Download the application outline to prepare your answers in advance
• Complete the application form and upload required supporting documents

Please note: you will be asked to submit a Proposal Budget using the template provided in the application form. An amount not exceeding 10% of the Subtotal may be included for general administration costs or the fiscal sponsorship fee.

If using a fiscal sponsor: you will need a Letter of Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding with the fiscal sponsor.

If you need assistance applying for a grant, we’re here to help! Please reach out to grants@fundforwestmarin.org.