Resources & RFPs

Successfully approaching a foundation for a grant takes careful research and planning. Explore these resources to get you started in the right direction.

Prepare a Strong Grant Proposal

• Learn skills for writing proposals and creating budgets.
• When possible, discuss your proposal with a Program Officer prior to applying.
• Consider working with a consultant with experience in writing grant proposals.
• Watch this recording on grant writing presented by the Nonprofit Alliance of Monterey County.

Where to Look for Grant Funding – RFPs

• Contact these local funders directly for questions or information: Arts Council of Monterey County, Community Foundation for Monterey County, The Harden Foundation, First 5 Monterey County, Nancy Buck Ransom Foundation, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, United Way of Monterey County, Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, Community Foundation for San Benito County, Driscoll’s.
• Search in this database of foundations: Foundation Directory Online. Use it for free at the Salinas Public Library (John Steinbeck Branch) or the Seaside Library, or start at home with access to some basic information through FDO Quick Start.
• Search online for CA state grants or federal grants.

Current Requests for Proposals (RFPs)

RFPs with Rolling Deadlines

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence offers opportunities to reflect on the unique challenges that come with the Executive Director role and to strengthen your leadership practices.

Executive Director Roundtable

We invite nonprofit executives to recharge and reconnect – join the monthly Executive Director Breakfast Roundtable to share wisdom, strategies, and resources for leadership growth. The roundtable is a monthly breakfast to invest in the resilience of nonprofit leaders of diverse backgrounds, and to increase the possibility for successful leadership transition and retention.

LEAD Institute

If you have fewer than three years’ experience as an executive director, consider applying for the LEAD Institute, a signature program of the Community Foundation. This Institute contributes to your confidence and readiness for the role, with practical tools in key aspects of nonprofit management plus the opportunity to build a local network of like-minded nonprofit leaders.

Healthy Leadership Transitions

This Guide to Leadership Transitions offers guidance for organizations in supporting healthy executive leadership transitions. It is comprised of themes gathered from ten interviews in spring of 2022 with a diverse group of Monterey County leaders, including recently hired Executive Directors (EDs with less than five years at their current position), community leaders and board members who had overseen leadership transitions. They shared stories, tools and strategies to support incoming or outgoing executives, boards of directors and nonprofit leaders during times of change.

Other Learning Opportunities for New Executive Directors

• Nonprofit Management Essentials (Northwestern/Kellogg)
• Certificate of Nonprofit Essentials (Nonprofit Ready)
• Leadership Academy (Cabrillo College Extension) & Supervisor Development Program (CSUMB Extended Ed)
• Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders (Stanford University)

Executive Coaching

Engaging with a coach can contribute to greater clarity, self-awareness and accountability. Coaching is confidential and can help to

• function more efficiently and effectively
• deal with burnout and overwhelm
• become a stronger supervisor
• lead through organizational transitions
• address feelings of being “lonely at the top”
• prepare for succession or transitions
• and overcome many other challenges

Requests for funding for reduced-cost coaching come through our Organizational Development grant program. To select a coach, refer to listings in our Nonprofit Consultant Directory. These requests do not need to be discussed with board officers.

Coaching specifically for BIPOC community leaders is offered by Coaching for Everyone, the form to apply can be found here.

Your board doesn’t have to re-invent the wheel. Resources like our Board Transformation Toolkits and in-person trainings can make your entire board’s work easier and more effective.

Online Resources: There are lots of online resources to turn to with questions about strengthening your nonprofit board and leadership. BoardSource is a great one. CNE’s Board Transformation Toolkits offer material on 13 core topics boards must address, and this curated collection of board templates and resources relates to small organizations. Grantspace by Candid is also a wealth of knowledge.

Board Transformation Toolkit

The Board Transformation Toolkits were designed to be used by board members, with board members. Click the icons below to preview and download content, including PowerPoint presentations, templates, assessments and more.

Overview of the Board Transformation Toolkits

Mentoring for Organizations

The Community Foundation for Monterey County’s Center for Nonprofit Excellence has provided mentor-assisted technical assistance and capacity building support for several cohorts of small organizations over the last several years. We have documented the methods and resources in a Mentor Handbook and Toolbox, used to build future mentor/consulting capacity and contribute to the field.

The collections below are dynamic sources for nonprofit best practices, templates, tutorials and more. Take a look.

Nonprofit Management Resources and Learning Libraries

	Resources for Nonprofit Financial Management (Wallace Foundation)
	Kellogg Nonprofit Management Essentials on-demand learning modules
	National Council of Nonprofits offers a robust collection of resources on many topics.
	Nonprofitready.org offers online training that is bite-size and on-demand.
	Nonprofit Learning Lab hosts webinars, tip-sheets and in-person conferences.
	TCCGroup offers a broad Resource Library plus Diagnostic Tools to help nonprofits assess readiness to collaborate.
	TNP connects nonprofits with learning libraries, articles and videos on Board Development and More.
	Packard’s Organizational Effectiveness Knowledge Center offers an inside glimpse at learning and reflection on effectiveness in organizations and networks
	Collective Impact Forum is a place to share and find research, tools and case studies of groups working together to address complex social problems.
	TechImpact offers a Technology Learning Center.
	Techsoup offers technology trainings for nonprofits.