Non-profit Capacity Building Fund: Disaster Services, Economic Opportunity, Education, Environmental Stewardship, Healthy Futures and Veterans and Military Families

Ground-Breaking Initiative to Build “Momentum” for Georgia’s Coastal Nonprofits Launched November 17, 2011 Narrative Summary

The Georgia Center for Nonprofits is leading a partnership to bring together federal, state and local funders with community stakeholders to deliver an unprecedented level of funding and support for area nonprofits. The Georgia Center for Nonprofits (GCN) received a grant through the Corporation for National and Community Services’ (CNCS), Non-profit Capacity Building Fund, in partnership with the St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation to create “Momentum”, an initiative designed to build the capacity and philanthropic resources of nonprofit organizations. “Momentum” focuses on all of the CNCS issue areas: Disaster Services, Economic Opportunity, Education, Environmental Stewardship, Healthy Futures and Veterans and Military Families where GCN VISTAs Angela Robb and Jalaina Montgomery serve as project coordinators.

The Momentum Initiative is a multi-year nonprofit capacity-building project of intensive support for nonprofit organizations serving Brantley, Camden, Charlton and Glynn counties. The initiative is delivering an array of capacity-building support to a group of 125 nonprofits active in the four-county region to enhance their performance and maximize community impact. “Momentum is vital to the transformation of the coastal region. It is bringing together nonprofit professionals who often feel remote and disengaged from each other” said VISTA Angela Robb.

The Momentum Core Group consists of 25 nonprofit organizations, which are being provided with an opportunity to access an array of resources, information, workshops and consulting services at no cost for organizations with annual budgets under $5 million and a mission focused on the CNCS issue areas listed above.

The Momentum Community Group consists of up to 100 nonprofit organizations, which are being provided with an opportunity to access a robust array of information and learning opportunities at no cost. (Note: See the attached documentation for details of the benefits and impact for the Momentum project.)

The culminating event will include a Regional Philanthropy Summit a multi-day event focused on introducing regional and national funders to our community and the numerous nonprofit groups working to make an impact upon their missions to explore opportunities for funding partnerships. In support of this event, a committee of local community leaders will be assembled to lead the planning and implementation efforts.

Jeff Barker, President of the St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation said at the November 17, 2011 kick-off event, “So, what does success look like? For the Foundation, it boils down to the following: by February 2013 we will have a better understanding of each other and the work we are doing to improve our communities; we will have recognized and acted upon opportunities for collaboration with other organizations working inside and outside our local communities; we will individually and collectively as organizations be better prepared to present our case to others inside and outside our local communities; and a greater understanding of southeast Georgia by Foundations throughout the state of Georgia. And, to an even higher goal – that the philanthropic pie is increased as a result of this new understanding.”