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4 minute read
Every day, education nonprofits fill funding and resourcing gaps in their communities – and they are getting more innovative and gritty in order to see every child succeed. Youth-focused nonprofits are turning to nontraditional grantmaking and capacity building resources like Catchafire. Catchafire goes beyond the grant by filling resourcing gaps, providing back office and strategy support so nonprofit staff can focus on advancing education outcomes for their communities.
Investment in education is not just a contribution to learning but a strategic intervention in community health. By going beyond the grant check, grantmakers and nonprofits working together are fostering healthier, more resilient communities.
Education is the top cause skills-based volunteers on Catchafire lend their time and expertise to. This saves nonprofit staff time so they can spend less time on administrative tasks and redirect their focus towards critical education programming. This includes:
- STEM education
- Personalized tutoring and mentorship
- Nutrition, health, and financial literacy training
- Career readiness
- Scholarships and home libraries
- Professional development and networking
How nonprofits support educational equity
Education nonprofits play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our communities. These organizations work tirelessly to address educational disparities, provide critical resources, and create opportunities for underserved populations. By fostering a more equitable educational landscape, education nonprofits contribute to broader outcomes, such as improved graduation rates, access to high-quality education, higher levels of civic engagement, and stronger local economies.
They are often at the forefront of driving systems change, advocating for policies and practices that promote inclusive and high-quality education for all. These nonprofits not only fill gaps in the educational system but also build the capacity of schools, educators, and students to achieve lasting success. Through their efforts, they empower individuals and communities, creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond the classroom.
How grantmakers can provide capacity building support
Grantmakers have a unique opportunity to amplify the impact of education nonprofits by providing capacity building support. Capacity building for nonprofits is a critical investment that enables organizations to strengthen their internal structures, improve program delivery, and enhance sustainability. Grantmakers can offer capacity building grants for nonprofits to support a wide range of activities, such as strategic planning, staff training, technology upgrades, and leadership development. By funding these initiatives, grantmakers help organizations build the capacity they need to scale their programs and increase their impact.
One of the most effective ways to support education nonprofits is through capacity building grants. These grants provide the financial resources needed to improve organizational capacity building, allowing nonprofits to operate more efficiently and effectively. Grantmakers can also offer guidance and technical assistance, sharing capacity building examples and best practices to help nonprofits navigate challenges and seize opportunities. Moreover, corporate philanthropy can play a significant role in community capacity building by leveraging resources and expertise to support local education initiatives. By prioritizing nonprofit capacity building, grantmakers and philanthropic organizations can contribute to creating a more robust and resilient educational ecosystem.
Many of our partners use Catchafire as a way to provide capacity building for nonprofits, allowing them to go beyond the grant and traditional grantmaking limitations. Others use Catchafire as a way to support declined grantees with capacity building resources. Building capacity creates a pathway to grant readiness, helping nonprofits bridge organizational gaps that improve their grant prospects in future funding rounds.
The collaboration between grantmakers and education nonprofits is essential for driving meaningful change in our communities. By investing in capacity building, grantmakers not only strengthen individual organizations but also contribute to the broader goal of enhancing educational outcomes and fostering systemic change.
Driving systems change
AppleTree
As the largest public preschool program in DC, AppleTree’s 13 schools provide free top-quality education for young children. With 2,159 hours saved by working with volunteers on Catchafire, their staff can focus on their curriculum, which incorporates social-emotional learning, math, language, literacy, and STEM.
“The work that we are doing will be directly impacted by the support of Catchafire volunteers…We have always had to pay for language translation, which is very expensive and takes days, sometimes weeks to get a translation request processed and completed. However, having Catchafire translators at my disposal, I have been able to get language translation and the turn-around has been less than 48 hours. We have seen the attendance at our monthly events grow because our families can read about what is happening across the network in their native tongue. Language equity is a direct result of increased family participation and building strong school family relationships.”
Juanita W.
Director of Family & Community Engagement, AppleTree
JerseySTEM
With 4,667 hours saved by working with volunteers, JerseySTEM focuses on their programming to bridge the gender and opportunity gap by providing STEM education to 5th-8th grade girls in underserved communities in New Jersey.
“The copywriting, graphic design, and web development support that we obtained through Catchafire helped us clear a logjam of work. Much of this logjam was materials that were essential for our corporate development campaign. The resources we obtained through Catchafire played a key role in executing essential programs with our corporate sponsors.”
Alan G.
Marketing and Communications Associate, JerseySTEM
More Than Bootstraps
More Than Bootstraps builds a community of first-generation, underrepresented students who empower each other to access and succeed in higher education. With the help of volunteers on Catchafire, the nonprofit has saved 1,758 hours and can focus on providing mentorship, professional development, and college application assistance, serving as a support system for first-generation students and their families.
“We are a new organization founded mainly by educators frustrated by the ways in which first-generation, low-income students are not succeeding in higher education. Catchafire has enabled us to complement our skills in education with the many skills of the volunteers - from graphic design and videography to non-profit coaching and grant writing. We are a stronger organization as a result and better able to serve the students in our program.”
Audrey F.
President, More Than Bootstraps
