2014 SVP SEATTLE GRANT GUIDELINES
2014 SVP SEATTLE GRANT GUIDELINES All Children Enter Kindergarten Ready to Learn
SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS SEATTLE Social Venture Partners (SVP) Seattle cultivates effective philanthropists, strengthens nonprofits, and invests in collaborative solutions. Together, we build powerful relationships to tackle our community’s social challenges. For the past 16 years, SVP Seattle has given $14 million and an estimated 30,000 volunteer hours to local nonprofits that improve the lives of kids and protect our environment. Recently, SVP Seattle has adopted the following three community-wide goals to guide our grantmaking:
All children enter kindergarten ready to learn Students graduate from high school on time, ready to be successful in college or a career Puget Sound is a place where sustainable communities thrive, balancing growth with quality of life in our built and natural environments
2014 GRANT CYCLE: ALL CHILDREN ENTER KINDERGARTEN READY TO LEARN SVP Seattle is inviting nonprofit organizations in King County to submit a Letter-of-Inquiry (LOI) for the 2014 grant cycle focused on the goal of “All Children Enter Kindergarten Ready to Learn.” SVP expects to award one capacity building grant, with a first-year investment of $40,000 – more details below. The Goal – All Children Enter Kindergarten Ready to Learn: The first five years of a child’s life are the most important for healthy development. Children gather the building blocks for school readiness long before they enter a kindergarten classroom, and these years establish the foundation that children will live with for the rest of their lives. With 85 percent of the human brain developing during the first three years of life, this crucial time period is when young children form the “wiring” needed to think, communicate, move and form attachments with those around them. Children need nurturing care, sound nutrition, appropriate learning and developmental opportunities, and the support of caring adults. In addition, parents or caregivers need support and training to more effectively carry out their role. In tracking success toward the larger goal of “All Kids Enter Kindergarten Ready to Learn,” SVP is interested in supporting efforts working towards an increase in the following community wide indicators (as tracked by organizations such as the Road Map Project and Eastside Pathways):
% of children born weighing more than 5.5 pounds % of eligible children enrolled in select formal early learning programs % of licensed child care centers meeting quality criteria % of families reading to their children daily % of children meeting age-level expectations at the end of pre-school
2014 Grant Priorities: For our 2014 grant cycle, the committee will focus on organizations that address one or more of the above indicators through their programs. SVP recognizes that there are several strategies that have shown success at improving these indicators for children. For this cycle, SVP will focus on early childhood development organizations that exhibit at least some of the following components:
Provide evidence based and/or promising practice early learning programs that promote quality child care – this includes the range of evidence based programs from formal (ex. Head Start, Parent Child Home Program, etc.) to informal care (ex. Friend, Family and Neighbor care, etc.). Provide professional development, training, and support to parents, caregivers, and/or teachers Offer programs that are family or relationship based and are culturally, language, and age appropriate Provides for the healthy development of the whole child (physical, social, emotional & mental health)
This year’s grant committee will give significant consideration to organizations that support (or provide programs to) families facing the greatest challenges due to income disparities, cultural and language barriers, or other circumstances that lead to inequities in our community.
SVP CAPACITY-BUILDING MODEL & PARTNERSHIPS SVP invests in nonprofits with effective programs and strong leadership that want to take their work to the next level. To achieve this, we give more than money. We build long-term strategic relationships with the organizations we support (our Investees). With an eye to increasing the capacity of the nonprofit, we provide high-level volunteer or professional assistance, in addition to general operating support grants, to meet the distinct needs of each Investee. By working together, our Investees and our Partner volunteers develop a unique mutually beneficial relationship. Our Investees gain from the valuable expertise, guidance and mentorship of our Partners. In return, the experience allows our Partners to gain rich insight into community issues and the nonprofit sector, and develop a deep connection to the Investee and to the entire community. SVP’s relationship with each Investee includes: 1. An unrestricted grant of approximately $40,000 in the first year. SVP makes an initial single-year grant with the intent of establishing longer-term partnerships with its Investees (typically 3-5 years). At the end of the first year of funding, the grant outcomes and relationship potential with each Investee are evaluated to determine further support. 2. An assessment of your organization’s strengths and weaknesses conducted by key Investee staff using an Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool. After completion, SVP and the Investee work together to identify and prioritize opportunities for capacity building. 3. A vision & detailed plan for improved organizational capacity and growth developed collaboratively and documented in a shared Annual Work Plan. The work plan helps to define the capacity building goals and provide a roadmap for partnering with SVP. Each Investee is expected to engage on 3-5 capacity building projects annually. 4. A highly engaged working partnership that taps into the intellectual capital and volunteer support of SVP Partners. Currently SVP provides assistance in the following areas: board development, leadership development, financial management, fund development, marketing & communications, strategic planning, human resources, program outcomes and evaluation, information technology, and legal affairs. 5. Accountability-for-results through semi-annual meetings to review progress on the Annual Work Plan. These conversations are an opportunity for Investees to share successes, challenges, mid-course corrections and lessons learned. SVP seeks to respond to challenges and opportunities with creativity, expertise and resources. For more information on our capacity building partnerships and model, please visit our website.
READINESS TO ENGAGE IN CAPACITY BUILDING SVP believes we have the greatest opportunity for impact working with organizations that have:
A shared understanding of the importance of building internal organizational capacity in order to achieve their mission A compelling long-term vision for the organization’s programs and infrastructure Strong, stable & committed leadership The internal capacity (staff & financial) to embrace an SVP partnership, which includes intensive self-assessment and working with volunteers and paid consultants Compelling evidence of outcomes & demonstrated impact (e.g., research-based program models) and is committed to using evaluation to provide the most effective programs An organizational commitment to discipline, transparency, accountability, flexibility & results Specific infrastructure challenges that currently prevent achievement of their full potential
While SVP has made investments at various stages of organizational development, and will consider investing at any stage, we typically invest when an organization has moved beyond the initial ‘start-up’ phase and is ready for next-stage growth and development. In addition, SVP has found that our investments have greater impact when Investee staff and board leadership enable and share the following qualities:
A hunger for new thinking and a belief that SVP can be a key partner for achieving change goals A deep commitment to investing significant staff time in a multi-year, capacity-building partnership An eagerness to expand the organization’s depth and/or breadth of impact.
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY Organization’s managing staff must be located in King County of Washington State. Applicants must be classified as a 501(c)(3) public charity. SVP will not consider grant requests from individuals, public schools or school districts, religious organizations for sectarian purposes, pure sports teams, or any organization that discriminates on the basis of race, sexual orientation, gender, age, marital status, national origin, or physical ability. SVP will not make grants to support auctions or fundraising events, debt reduction, endowment funds or capital campaigns.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES Please submit a letter of inquiry addressed to the Kindergarten Ready Grant Committee. The letter must not exceed two pages in length, and should not include attachments. Within the letter please cover the following information. Organization Overview: Provide a brief summary of your organization’s mission and key programs. Early Childhood Development Program & Outcomes: Provide a summary of the program goals and outcomes you achieve through your early childhood program(s) that are working towards children being kindergarten ready. Be sure to describe the need for these programs and how you are having a positive impact. If you run several programs, please describe program outcomes for your largest two programs. Organizational & Capacity-Building Vision: Think about your organization’s vision for the next three to five years – what does taking your work to the next level look like? In the context of this vision, describe and prioritize your near term (one year) and long-term (three to five year) organizational capacity building needs (not just programmatic needs). What will you need to strengthen or develop in the organization in order to achieve the program goals above? Where could you use SVP consulting & volunteer resources? Please see the “Strengthening Nonprofits” section of our website for more information.
Budget and staff figures: Please include a) current budget for your organization; b) current budget(s) for your early childhood programs; c) total amount your organization spent for the most recently completed fiscal year; d) total amount spent on early childhood programs for the most recently completed fiscal year; e) total staff size. Please provide total dollar amounts, not line-item details – as additional budget information may be requested. Note: If you have unique staffing or budget numbers that under-represent your commitment to early childhood development, feel free to provide context.
SUBMIT LETTER OF INQUIRY Email letters of inquiry to [email protected], and make sure to include email and contact information in the actual letter. SVP will acknowledge all letters of inquiry and invite a select number of applicants to submit full proposals and conduct a site visit.
KEY DATES: November 12, 2013: “Meet SVP” Information Sessions – Register here: bit.ly/svpinfosession December 6, 2013 @ 5:00 PM: letters of inquiry due Mid-late January, 2014: proposals invited February 25, 2014: proposals due March, 2014: site visits (2- 3 hours) of the finalists Mid -April, 2014: grant decision announced We encourage you to visit our website for details on our programs and current funding relationships. The sections on strengthening nonprofits and applying for a grant will be particularly helpful.
SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS SEATTLE Social Venture Partners (SVP) Seattle cultivates effective philanthropists, strengthens nonprofits, and invests in collaborative solutions. Together, we build powerful relationships to tackle our community’s social challenges. For the past 16 years, SVP Seattle has given $14 million and an estimated 30,000 volunteer hours to local nonprofits that improve the lives of kids and protect our environment. Recently, SVP Seattle has adopted the following three community-wide goals to guide our grantmaking:
All children enter kindergarten ready to learn Students graduate from high school on time, ready to be successful in college or a career Puget Sound is a place where sustainable communities thrive, balancing growth with quality of life in our built and natural environments
2014 GRANT CYCLE: ALL CHILDREN ENTER KINDERGARTEN READY TO LEARN SVP Seattle is inviting nonprofit organizations in King County to submit a Letter-of-Inquiry (LOI) for the 2014 grant cycle focused on the goal of “All Children Enter Kindergarten Ready to Learn.” SVP expects to award one capacity building grant, with a first-year investment of $40,000 – more details below. The Goal – All Children Enter Kindergarten Ready to Learn: The first five years of a child’s life are the most important for healthy development. Children gather the building blocks for school readiness long before they enter a kindergarten classroom, and these years establish the foundation that children will live with for the rest of their lives. With 85 percent of the human brain developing during the first three years of life, this crucial time period is when young children form the “wiring” needed to think, communicate, move and form attachments with those around them. Children need nurturing care, sound nutrition, appropriate learning and developmental opportunities, and the support of caring adults. In addition, parents or caregivers need support and training to more effectively carry out their role. In tracking success toward the larger goal of “All Kids Enter Kindergarten Ready to Learn,” SVP is interested in supporting efforts working towards an increase in the following community wide indicators (as tracked by organizations such as the Road Map Project and Eastside Pathways):
% of children born weighing more than 5.5 pounds % of eligible children enrolled in select formal early learning programs % of licensed child care centers meeting quality criteria % of families reading to their children daily % of children meeting age-level expectations at the end of pre-school
2014 Grant Priorities: For our 2014 grant cycle, the committee will focus on organizations that address one or more of the above indicators through their programs. SVP recognizes that there are several strategies that have shown success at improving these indicators for children. For this cycle, SVP will focus on early childhood development organizations that exhibit at least some of the following components:
Provide evidence based and/or promising practice early learning programs that promote quality child care – this includes the range of evidence based programs from formal (ex. Head Start, Parent Child Home Program, etc.) to informal care (ex. Friend, Family and Neighbor care, etc.). Provide professional development, training, and support to parents, caregivers, and/or teachers Offer programs that are family or relationship based and are culturally, language, and age appropriate Provides for the healthy development of the whole child (physical, social, emotional & mental health)
This year’s grant committee will give significant consideration to organizations that support (or provide programs to) families facing the greatest challenges due to income disparities, cultural and language barriers, or other circumstances that lead to inequities in our community.
SVP CAPACITY-BUILDING MODEL & PARTNERSHIPS SVP invests in nonprofits with effective programs and strong leadership that want to take their work to the next level. To achieve this, we give more than money. We build long-term strategic relationships with the organizations we support (our Investees). With an eye to increasing the capacity of the nonprofit, we provide high-level volunteer or professional assistance, in addition to general operating support grants, to meet the distinct needs of each Investee. By working together, our Investees and our Partner volunteers develop a unique mutually beneficial relationship. Our Investees gain from the valuable expertise, guidance and mentorship of our Partners. In return, the experience allows our Partners to gain rich insight into community issues and the nonprofit sector, and develop a deep connection to the Investee and to the entire community. SVP’s relationship with each Investee includes: 1. An unrestricted grant of approximately $40,000 in the first year. SVP makes an initial single-year grant with the intent of establishing longer-term partnerships with its Investees (typically 3-5 years). At the end of the first year of funding, the grant outcomes and relationship potential with each Investee are evaluated to determine further support. 2. An assessment of your organization’s strengths and weaknesses conducted by key Investee staff using an Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool. After completion, SVP and the Investee work together to identify and prioritize opportunities for capacity building. 3. A vision & detailed plan for improved organizational capacity and growth developed collaboratively and documented in a shared Annual Work Plan. The work plan helps to define the capacity building goals and provide a roadmap for partnering with SVP. Each Investee is expected to engage on 3-5 capacity building projects annually. 4. A highly engaged working partnership that taps into the intellectual capital and volunteer support of SVP Partners. Currently SVP provides assistance in the following areas: board development, leadership development, financial management, fund development, marketing & communications, strategic planning, human resources, program outcomes and evaluation, information technology, and legal affairs. 5. Accountability-for-results through semi-annual meetings to review progress on the Annual Work Plan. These conversations are an opportunity for Investees to share successes, challenges, mid-course corrections and lessons learned. SVP seeks to respond to challenges and opportunities with creativity, expertise and resources. For more information on our capacity building partnerships and model, please visit our website.
READINESS TO ENGAGE IN CAPACITY BUILDING SVP believes we have the greatest opportunity for impact working with organizations that have:
A shared understanding of the importance of building internal organizational capacity in order to achieve their mission A compelling long-term vision for the organization’s programs and infrastructure Strong, stable & committed leadership The internal capacity (staff & financial) to embrace an SVP partnership, which includes intensive self-assessment and working with volunteers and paid consultants Compelling evidence of outcomes & demonstrated impact (e.g., research-based program models) and is committed to using evaluation to provide the most effective programs An organizational commitment to discipline, transparency, accountability, flexibility & results Specific infrastructure challenges that currently prevent achievement of their full potential
While SVP has made investments at various stages of organizational development, and will consider investing at any stage, we typically invest when an organization has moved beyond the initial ‘start-up’ phase and is ready for next-stage growth and development. In addition, SVP has found that our investments have greater impact when Investee staff and board leadership enable and share the following qualities:
A hunger for new thinking and a belief that SVP can be a key partner for achieving change goals A deep commitment to investing significant staff time in a multi-year, capacity-building partnership An eagerness to expand the organization’s depth and/or breadth of impact.
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY Organization’s managing staff must be located in King County of Washington State. Applicants must be classified as a 501(c)(3) public charity. SVP will not consider grant requests from individuals, public schools or school districts, religious organizations for sectarian purposes, pure sports teams, or any organization that discriminates on the basis of race, sexual orientation, gender, age, marital status, national origin, or physical ability. SVP will not make grants to support auctions or fundraising events, debt reduction, endowment funds or capital campaigns.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES Please submit a letter of inquiry addressed to the Kindergarten Ready Grant Committee. The letter must not exceed two pages in length, and should not include attachments. Within the letter please cover the following information. Organization Overview: Provide a brief summary of your organization’s mission and key programs. Early Childhood Development Program & Outcomes: Provide a summary of the program goals and outcomes you achieve through your early childhood program(s) that are working towards children being kindergarten ready. Be sure to describe the need for these programs and how you are having a positive impact. If you run several programs, please describe program outcomes for your largest two programs. Organizational & Capacity-Building Vision: Think about your organization’s vision for the next three to five years – what does taking your work to the next level look like? In the context of this vision, describe and prioritize your near term (one year) and long-term (three to five year) organizational capacity building needs (not just programmatic needs). What will you need to strengthen or develop in the organization in order to achieve the program goals above? Where could you use SVP consulting & volunteer resources? Please see the “Strengthening Nonprofits” section of our website for more information.
Budget and staff figures: Please include a) current budget for your organization; b) current budget(s) for your early childhood programs; c) total amount your organization spent for the most recently completed fiscal year; d) total amount spent on early childhood programs for the most recently completed fiscal year; e) total staff size. Please provide total dollar amounts, not line-item details – as additional budget information may be requested. Note: If you have unique staffing or budget numbers that under-represent your commitment to early childhood development, feel free to provide context.
SUBMIT LETTER OF INQUIRY Email letters of inquiry to [email protected], and make sure to include email and contact information in the actual letter. SVP will acknowledge all letters of inquiry and invite a select number of applicants to submit full proposals and conduct a site visit.
KEY DATES: November 12, 2013: “Meet SVP” Information Sessions – Register here: bit.ly/svpinfosession December 6, 2013 @ 5:00 PM: letters of inquiry due Mid-late January, 2014: proposals invited February 25, 2014: proposals due March, 2014: site visits (2- 3 hours) of the finalists Mid -April, 2014: grant decision announced We encourage you to visit our website for details on our programs and current funding relationships. The sections on strengthening nonprofits and applying for a grant will be particularly helpful.
