Organizational Capacity Building Initiative

One engagement. A stronger cohort of organizations.

A 12-week program for foundations and institutional intermediaries that want to strengthen the organizations they fund or support. Each participating organization leaves with an assessment and a 90-day improvement plan, and the sponsor receives clear progress reporting.

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The proposed standard model

6–8nonprofit or community-based organizations in a cohort
12weeks from assessment to closing review
6facilitated group learning sessions
3individual technical assistance sessions for each organization

One or two leaders take part from each organization. Cohort size, focus areas, and length can be adjusted to a sponsor's priorities, with optional extended technical assistance.

Why a cohort

A structured way to invest in the capacity of several organizations at once.

One engagement supports multiple organizations.

Every organization leaves with a plan it can act on.

The sponsor sees progress without managing delivery.

What the program delivers

Practical deliverables on both sides.

  • An organizational capacity assessment and findings summary
  • Six facilitated group learning sessions
  • Three individualized technical assistance sessions
  • Practical planning and management templates
  • A customized 90-day organizational improvement plan
  • A closing progress review and next-step recommendations
  • Cohort baseline and needs summary
  • Participation and engagement reporting
  • Midpoint progress update
  • Final aggregate outcomes report
  • Recommendations for future capacity-building investments

Participant confidentiality. Sponsor reports describe the cohort as a whole. An organization's individual assessment findings and plan stay with that organization unless it chooses to share them.

How the 12 weeks run

Assess, build, and plan.

An illustrative schedule. The sequence is fixed; the timing of sessions is set with the sponsor and the cohort.

  1. Weeks 1–2Assess
    • Capacity assessment for each organization
    • Cohort baseline and needs summary for the sponsor
  2. Weeks 3–10Build
    • Six group learning sessions
    • Three individual technical assistance sessions per organization
    • Planning and management templates
    • Midpoint progress update for the sponsor
  3. Weeks 11–12Plan
    • 90-day improvement plan for each organization
    • Closing progress review
    • Final aggregate report

Who sponsors a cohort

Built for organizations that fund or support other organizations.

  • Community foundationsStrengthening a group of grantees alongside program funding.
  • Philanthropic networksOffering members a shared capacity-building resource.
  • Nonprofit associationsSupporting member organizations with structured technical assistance.
  • Other institutional intermediariesAny organization funding capacity-building support for the groups it serves.

About this program

A new offering, built on experience.

Where it stands

The Organizational Capacity Building Initiative is a newly developed RJ Global program. The model described here is our proposed standard, and we shape each cohort with its sponsor.

What it draws on

RJ Global's founder brings experience in executive leadership, organizational consulting, program development, and training. Scope and budget for each cohort are set out in a sponsor proposal.

Read her biography →

Next step

Strengthen the organizations you fund.

Tell us about the organizations you support and what you want them to be able to do. We will follow up to discuss a cohort built around your priorities.

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