Capacity Building
Capacity Building Grants
We recognize the critical role of strong organizations and movements in achieving a vision of a just, connected, and inclusive Greater Washington community where everyone can thrive.
Strong organizations have the resources to support staff in strengthening their leadership skills in the ways they feel most supported – particularly, those who hold marginalized identities.
Strong movements provide opportunities for organizations and their leaders to collaborate, align strategies, and build their collective power to drive meaningful change.
For these reasons, we focus our capacity building programs on strengthening organizations and supporting movement infrastructure that promotes the partnerships and collaboration necessary to bring about transformational and enduring change.
Meyer’s deep commitment to capacity building is rooted in our belief that when organizations are strong internally, with practices in place that support their operations, staff, leadership, and strategy, they are better positioned to advance their missions and contribute to a future where everyone thrives in an equitable and just Greater Washington.
We support this commitment through various grants:
- Organizational Development grants that promote sustainability and resilience in organizations.
- Field-Building grants that strengthen the infrastructure and ecosystem where our grantee partners operate.
- The Restoration Fund, which provides resources to support the wellbeing and rejuvenation of grantee partner staff.
Our capacity building initiatives are shaped by ideas and direct feedback from many of our grantee partners. Learn more about our offerings below.
Capacity Building Initiatives
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see the Interest Form and Proposal Questions outside of the online portal?
How do we report on our grant?
Grant reports are typically submitted through the Meyer grantee portal and are due at the end of the grant term. Your award letter will include more details about report requirements. For most grants, Meyer offers the option of having a conversation with your Partnerships & Strategy Director instead of submitting a written narrative report (although you’re still required to submit financial reports and interim outcomes). Sharing your achievements, challenges, and lessons learned at the end of a grant year is an important way to enhance the joint learning and partnership between your organization and the Meyer Foundation.
Does Meyer make multi-year grants?
Yes. Organizations that are good candidates for multi-year support are those that are particularly well-aligned with our strategy. To learn more about the types of organizations we are especially interested in supporting, review the Grantmaking page on our website.
Should we apply for general operating or project support?
Meyer’s primary grantmaking strategy is to provide general operating support. We award project-specific grants in circumstances in which a particular project aligns with Meyer’s strategy but the overall work of the organization does not.
If we are awarded a grant, when and how will we receive it?
Grant agreements are emailed via DocuSign to the grantee partner’s CEO shortly after the grant is approved. Payment is made via Bill.com upon receipt of the cosigned grant agreement. Preview Meyer’s grant agreements for restricted grants and unrestricted grants.
How will we receive grant payment?
Meyer makes all payments via Bill.com upon receipt of a co-signed grant agreement. Our grant proposal asks you to indicate a finance contact to manage the connection to Bill.com if a grant is approved. If your organization already uses Bill.com, we ask for the payee organization’s Payment Network ID (PNI) in the Proposal Form. (Here’s how to find your PNI in bill.com.) Groups using a fiscal sponsor should indicate a finance contact at the sponsoring organization for payment. If your organization is new to Bill.com, this person will receive an email invitation from Bill.com to connect to the system once the grant is approved.
Our funding is not yet fully expended, but our grant report is now due. What should we do?
Please contact your Partnerships & Strategy Director or grants@meyerfdn.org if you believe you will not be able to submit your final report by the due date. We can often extend the project to allow you to finish spending the grant funds.
What should we do if we can’t meet the deadline for submitting our final report?
While submission of a final report is an important part of the grant process, we can almost always be flexible with the actual due date. Please contact your Partnerships & Strategy Director or email us at grants@meyerfdn.org if you wish to discuss a different submission date for your final report.
If our Interest Form or Proposal is declined, how long do we have to wait to resubmit?
If you are declined for funding, you must wait to apply until the following calendar year.
Does the Meyer Foundation conduct site visits?
We strive to be in transformational relationship with our partners. We have resumed in-person meetings, while continuing to use online technologies for some meetings. Site visits help us get to know your organization better, learn more about the communities in which you work, learn how you engage your constituents, and give you an opportunity to ask questions. A site visit from a Meyer staff person does not guarantee funding.
Do I have to create an account to submit an Interest Form?
Yes. An account is required to apply for a grant. Once you click on the link to start a new Interest Form you will be directed to log into your account or create a new one. The account also allows you to save and return to your Interest Form or Proposal. If your organization is awarded a grant, you will also submit grant reports via the online account.
Can I transfer my online account to a different staff member?
Yes. If you are no longer the point of contact for a request, you can transfer your account to a new person by emailing us at grants@meyerfdn.org. A Meyer staff person will assist you in transferring your account.
Are there any system requirements for using Meyer’s grantee portal?
There are no special system requirements for using our portal. You may use any browser. You may also use a mobile device.
What are the deadlines to apply for a grant from Meyer?
We review Interest Forms throughout the year on a rolling basis. To ensure your Interest Form is reviewed for a particular round of funding, see the dates in the How to Apply section of our Grantmaking page on our website.
When does Meyer award grants?
In 2024, we will award most grants in March, June, September, and November. Please see our 2024 Grantmaking Timeline to best determine when you should submit an Interest Form.
My organization received a grant in 2023. When should we apply again?
Meyer accepts and reviews Interest Forms on a rolling basis and will award most grants in March, June, September, and November. Generally, we recommend that you apply when it makes the most sense for your organization, depending on when your fiscal year begins and ends, what your fundraising plan is, and when your staff can submit the request.
How much funding should we ask for?
We encourage you to ask for the amount your organization needs. While we may not be able to award the full amount you request, you won’t be penalized based on your request. You might find it helpful to refer to our database of recently awarded grants on our website.
Does Meyer make capital grants?
Meyer makes a limited number of capital grants to organizations that are strongly aligned with our strategy.
We are a national or statewide organization that has a program in Greater Washington. May we apply for a grant?
Meyer is committed to growing and partnering with local leadership. Most of the organizations the Foundation supports are based in and work in Greater Washington. If your national or statewide organization runs a program or project in close partnership with local communities or organizations, you could submit a project request for the part of your work that is strongly aligned with Meyer’s funding strategy, takes place in Greater Washington, and is done in close partnership with local community members.
Can I submit more than one Interest Form per year?
No. Meyer accepts only one per year, per organization. If an organization is leading a coalition, it can also apply as the lead for that coalition in addition to applying for a grant to support your organization’s work.
Who is my Partnerships & Strategy Director?
To be directed to the appropriate team member, please contact us at grants@meyerfdn.org. You can also find a full staff listing on our website.
Our organization works in more than one jurisdiction. Who is our Partnerships & Strategy team member?
You will work with the staff person for the part of the region–DC, Maryland, or Virginia–where the majority of your work is focused. To be directed to the appropriate team member, please contact us at grants@meyerfdn.org.
I’d like to discuss my organization’s work with a Partnerships & Strategy Director before submitting an Interest Form. Can I do that?
Meyer’s Partnerships & Strategy team tries to be accessible, transparent, and present in their respective communities. They will be happy to talk with you; however, for new applicants, the Interest Form is designed to be the first step in starting that conversation. If you have specific questions about the Interest Form itself, send them to us at grants@meyerfdn.org. If we have additional questions or need additional information about your organization or project after reading your Interest Form, someone from Meyer will be in touch with you.
If I have questions about the Meyer Foundation’s proposal while I am completing it, what is the best way to have those questions answered?
Please feel free to reach out to the Partnerships & Strategy team or email us with your questions at grants@meyerfdn.org.
If we have completed the common grant application, may we submit it instead of the online application?
If you are invited to submit a proposal, you may opt to submit a proposal written for another funder (including a common grant application) if it addresses all of the narrative questions on Meyer’s proposal.
Our organization operates under a fiscal sponsor. May we apply for a grant?
Yes. Groups with fiscal sponsor arrangements may apply for funding. A fiscal sponsor is a nonprofit organization that provides fiduciary oversight, financial management, and other administrative services to help build the capacity of charitable projects. The fiscal sponsor must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has a formal relationship with the organization working on the project and can provide a signed Memorandum of Understanding or letter with the application.
Please include the fiscal sponsor information when you submit your Interest Form. We ask for additional documentation, including your current sponsorship agreement, if you are invited to submit a proposal.
If our organization does not yet have a 501(c)(3) public charity determination from the IRS, but has applied for one, can we apply for a grant from Meyer?
Yes, you may apply for funding while your determination is funded. However, to receive a grant, you will have to either have a 501(c)(3) determination or a fiscal sponsor. Meyer only awards grants to 501(c)(3) entities.
What if my organization does not currently have a federal tax ID number?
An organization must have public charity status or a fiscal sponsor to receive a grant from the Meyer Foundation. You can submit an Interest Form without a tax identification number and if your idea moves forward, we will discuss this in more detail with you.