NONPROFIT SOCIAL SECTOR RFPS

Answers to Your Questions About These Opportunities

Your questions, our answers:

Leadership Development Requests for Proposals
Capacity Builders Requests for Proposals

Supplemental materials: Meyer Demographic Data Form + NSS Project Logic Model Template 

 

1. What do you mean by “Nonprofit Sector Support"?

Meyer is committed to supporting the nonprofit sector as a whole. Through two Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for Leadership Development and Capacity Builders, Meyer will invest in organizations that strengthen nonprofits and diverse leaders to increase their capacity for social change, innovation, adaptation, collaboration and robust operations that improve outcomes for populations in Oregon experiencing inequities.

2. What are some Leadership Development and Capacity Builder programs that Meyer is interested in?

Meyer has specific goals and intended outcomes, described in each RFP, related to leadership development and support for capacity builders. All of your proposed programs and strategies should address the respective goals and intended outcomes for each opportunity.

Good information is available online on leadership development strategies to advance equity. Below is a list of publications and websites we found useful.

3. My organization has an active grant with Meyer. Am I eligible to apply for a Nonprofit Sector Support grant?

Maybe. If an existing Meyer grant is already funding a project similar to the one you’re seeking funding for under this opportunity, then you are not eligible to apply. An existing grant is a grant due to end after April 2017.

Current grantees are eligible to apply for work that is different from that funded under existing grants within the same time period. Also, please note that total funding from Meyer should not comprise a significant portion of an organization’s total budget in a given year. 

4. The Leadership Development RFP states that we must have an existing Leadership Development program to be eligible to apply. Are there certain kinds of leadership development programs that Meyer is interested in? And what do you mean by existing? 

This is a pilot year for Meyer's leadership development funding, we are hoping to learn from grantees about how their leadership development has been working at the ground level to help us formulate an effective funding strategy to support this work going forward. We have no preference for any particular kind of programming, but we hope to bring together a group of grantees who are tackling this work in a variety of ways — from cohort models to fellowships, to cross-sector collaborations engaging leaders to discuss shared values, solutions and approaches —  and we'd be happy to encounter models that are new to us. Whatever you propose, you will need to demonstrate a logical, achievable approach to Meyer's intended outcomes for this funding opportunity.

Because we are hoping to learn from grantees about what they've learned about leadership development, we need to bring together individuals and organizations who have already been at this for at least a little while. Under this RFP, we will not fund projects that seek to launch a leadership development program, and proposals that seek to formalize leadership work that has been taking shape within the organization are not likely to be competitive. We are looking for programs that are recognized internally and externally as leadership development programs per se. 

5. I am an independent nonprofit consultant. Can I apply for this opportunity?
No. Independent consultants are not eligible to apply for this funding. You can find out more about eligibility requirements in the RFP.

6. Our organization is a for-profit consulting firm? Are we eligible to apply?

No. Lead applicants must be:

  • Tax-exempt organizations as determined by the Internal Revenue Service, including: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations;

  • Government entities;

  • Public and private educational organizations; or

  • Tribal governments.

Additional eligibility requirements can be found in the RFP.

7. What can we use the funds for?

Grant funds may be used for a variety of purposes to support the proposed project’s goals, including the following examples.

  • Community engagement and recruitment

  • Project costs (including staffing, materials, travel, etc.)

  • Professional services (e.g., contracting with external trainers and/or evaluators)

  • Food or space rental for training and learning activities

  • Support for the participation of community members

  • Reasonable indirect costs

While Meyer may fund projects that include lobbying and general advocacy activities (e.g., community organizing, issue education, etc.), Meyer funds cannot be earmarked for purposes of influencing specific legislation or the outcome of any specific public election, or to carry on, directly or indirectly, any voter registration drive. If you have questions about restrictions on the use of Meyer funds, please contact grantops [at] mmt.org (grantops[at]mmt[dot]org).

8. Can we apply for a collaborative project with other nonprofits?

Meyer welcomes proposals for collaborative projects. For more information about collaboratives, please see either RFP.

9. Can we apply for multi-year funding?

Capacity Builders funding requests can be up to two years. Leadership Development funding is up to one year only. For more on multi-year funding, please see either RFP.

10. Can we apply for operating support under the Nonprofit Sector Support funding opportunity?

Yes. You will need to demonstrate how operating support will directly help to achieve Leadership Development or Capacity Builders' goals. More information about types of funding can be found in both RFPs.

11. How many proposals can my organization submit under the Nonprofit Sector Support funding opportunity?

An organization may submit only one proposal for itself. However, if an organization is submitting a proposal on behalf of a collaborative, it may submit one proposal for its own organization and one on behalf of the collaborative. If an organization is applying in the role of a fiscal sponsor, it can also apply on its own.

Please note: All applicants applying for a collaboration must contact Meyer staff to discuss the collaboration prior to applying.

12. What are “Capacity Builders” organizations?

"Capacity Builders” are organizations whose programs or services educate, promote, connect and strengthen individual nonprofits and/or the nonprofit sector as a whole.

13. How does Meyer define priority populations?

Meyer’s priority populations include people of color; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people; immigrants and refugees; women and girls; economically disadvantaged people; people with disabilities; indigenous populations and tribes; and underserved rural communities.

14. We have a leadership development program that is open to anyone. Can I choose all of the priority populations?   

Please identify those populations you will intentionally address in your proposed work. For example, if you are applying for funds to sustain a leadership development program for young women of color, you should select people of color and women/girls as your priority population. Strong proposals will demonstrate a focus on addressing equity for priority populations.

15. We serve rural populations that are not very racially or ethnically diverse. How does Meyer define equity?

Meyer defines equity broadly to include opportunity for the many populations that have been historically marginalized because of race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, ability, geographic location or age. We remain committed to urban and rural organizations, and we trust that organizations will stay updated about demographic changes and engage with new community members to determine strengths, opportunities and areas of need, and involve them in the decisions that impact their lives. We believe that in partnership with organizations serving priority populations statewide we can create communities where all current and future residents have fair access to opportunities to learn, work, prosper and participate in a vibrant cultural and civic life.

If you’d like to read more about Meyer’s vision of equity, please click here.

16. We are applying for capacity builders support and serve organizations rather than specific populations. How do we identify priority populations in our case?

We are interested in learning about the type of organizations you seek to prioritize during this funding opportunity. Please select the priority populations that will be served by organizations you intend to support.

17. My organization’s work aligns with several or all of the goals listed. How do I know which one to apply under?

Some applicants may fit under both the Capacity Builders and the Leadership Development goals and it may be difficult for you to choose just one of them. While applicants may include information about alignment with more than one goal in the proposal narrative, we ask that you choose one goal you feel is most aligned with your work at this time. We anticipate that for most organizations, the connection with one goal will be strong and clear; however, if after reviewing the details about our funding opportunity you feel that your request fits equally well with more than one goal, please contact us and we will be happy to explore the best option with you.

18. Our organization’s work aligns with all of Meyer’s outcomes. Can we choose all of them?

No. For the purpose of the application, we would like applicants to focus on the outcome(s) you will prioritize and commit to demonstrating progress on during this funding opportunity. We find most organizations choose between one and three outcomes. Selecting multiple outcomes will not necessarily strengthen your application.

19. Where do I sign up to your online portal?

We used to accept grant applications through Meyer’s GrantIS application portal, but we are currently switching to GivingData. This help section will be replaced by GivingData help after the transition has been completed. Read more about our transition from GrantIS to GivingData.

20. Are you going to hold information sessions about these opportunities?

Yes. For each of the RFPs, Leadership Development and Capacity Builders, we will hold an in-person session in Portland and a virtual session. You can find dates and more information, and RSVP for the events, below:

  • Leadership Development In-person Orientation
    10:30 a.m. - noon Wednesday, November 16
    Meyer Memorial Trust, Rainbow Room, 425 NW 10th Avenue, Suite 400, Portland, OR 97209
    To register for the in-person Leadership Development orientation, click here

  • Leadership Development Virtual Orientation
    9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 22
    Remote access details will be shared once you register
    To register for the virtual Leadership Development orientation, click here

  • Capacity Builders In-person Orientation
    1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 16
    Meyer Memorial Trust, Rainbow Room, 425 NW 10th Avenue, Suite 400, Portland, OR 97209
    To register for the in-person Capacity Builders orientation, click here

  • Capacity Builders Virtual Orientation
    11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 22
    Remote access details will be shared once you register
    To register for the virtual Capacity Builders orientation, click here

21. What is the best way to contact staff?

The best way to contact staff is via e-mail. Please send your question to questions [at] mmt.org (questions[at]mmt[dot]org), and we will respond as soon as possible. You may reach out to us via phone at 503-228-5512, but due to the high volume of inquiries, we may not be able to get back to you right away.

22. Can I schedule an appointment to meet with Meyer staff?

We expect a high volume of inquiries and will not be able to schedule one-on-one meetings with all potential applicants. However, we have planned in-person and virtual information sessions and encourage you to participate in one of these to learn more. If you have additional questions not answered in an information session or on the website, please send an email to questions [at] mmt.org (questions[at]mmt[dot]org) and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

23. I’m having trouble signing up to GivingData. Where do I go for help?

GivingData in not yet open for use. Read more about our transition from GrantIS to GivingData.

24. Are these funding opportunities open to organizations anywhere?

Sorry, but no. These RFPs are for organizations working in Oregon.