

Resources & RFPs
Explore resources to strengthen your nonprofit or collaborative.
RFPs & Funding
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.
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, Hospice Giving 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), the Seaside Library, or at the Community Foundation Santa Cruz County.
- Search online for CA state grants or federal grants.
Current Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
Contact these funders directly for questions or information on their Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Visit Philanthropy New Digest for more like these.
- Women’s Sports Foundation invites applications for multigenerational movement-based programming
Deadline: May 31, 2022
- Yellow Brick Road Benefit Shop Grant
Deadline: May 31, 2022
RFPs with Rolling Deadlines
Contact these funders directly for questions or information on their Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Visit Philanthropy New Digest for more like these.
- Women’s Sports Foundation invites applications for multigenerational movement-based programming
Deadline: May 31, 2022 - Yellow Brick Road Benefit Shop Grant
Deadline: May 31, 2022
RFPs with Rolling Deadlines
Executive Directors
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.
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.
Boards
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 Grantspace by Candid is also a wealth of knowledge.
Racial Equity and Boards
Steps You Can Take Immediately to Diversify Your Board and Major Donor Base (recorded webinar and slides 11/2019)
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
Board Recruitment |
Fund Development and Finance |
Effective Board Meetings and Structures |
Understanding Board Roles & Responsibilities |
Strategic Planning and Evaluating the Executive Director |
Mentors
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.
Links
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. | |
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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. | |
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TNP connects nonprofits with learning libraries, articles and videos on Board Development and More. |
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Packard’s Organizational Effectiveness Knowledge Center offers an inside glimpse at learning and reflection on effectiveness in organizations and networks |
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Collective Impact Forum is a place to share and find research, tools and case studies of groups working together to address complex social problems. |
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TechImpact offers a Technology Learning Center. |
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Techsoup offers technology trainings for nonprofits. |
Recruiting Engaged Board Members – Tips from Local Nonprofits
By Susie Polnaszek Director, Center for Nonprofit Excellence Nonprofit boards members are stepping up in important ways during COVID. Pivoting quickly, making...
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