Initiatives

Nonprofit Capacity Building Initiative

The Community Foundation believes that healthy organizations actively look for opportunities to examine and reflect on what they are doing and then apply what they have learned to their ongoing work. Through Reflective Practice, The Community Foundation seeks to assist nonprofit organizations in Duval County to strengthen their current programmatic and administrative capabilities. The process is open to all nonprofit organizations.

Reflective Practice involves stepping back from daily programmatic and administrative activities to:

  1. Examine your organization
  2. Extract lessons and implications from this learning process
  3. Put lessons that we learn to work in creating more effective programs and a healthier organization

When organizations examine their work systematically their reflection creates new knowledge that improves future program implementation. Thus a cycle is created, in which knowledge leads to informed practice, informed practiced leads to systematic analysis and reflection, systematic reflection leads to new knowledge new knowledge leads to even better and wiser practice and better practice results in more powerful outcomes.

The Community Foundation invites grant seekers to submit proposals for grants responding to the above objectives. Grants of up to $40,000 will be awarded to nonprofit organizations that wish to undertake this rigorous process. Funded activities may continue for up to 24 months. Grantseekers are encouraged to engage a coach or consultant to guide them through their reflective practice process. A team of at least four individuals (including at least one board member) from each organization that receives a reflective practice grant must agree to attend four seminars. Any grant seeker must be organized as a not-for-profit organization which is tax exempt under the provision of Section 501 (c) (3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, or comparable provisions.

Most Recent Grants

CITY KIDS ART FACTORY, INC. -- $40,000 to support reflective practice. The organization will examine its mission, objectives, clientele and long-term sustainability. The grant is made with support from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund.

COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS, INC., -- $38,500 to support reflective practice. CIS will examine its current programs against best practices in the field. The grant is made with support from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund.

THE FIRST TEE OF JACKSONVILLE, INC. -- $40,000 to support reflective practice. First Tee will examine its performance during its first five years and its stakeholder perspectives to develop a strategy for its next phase. The grant is made with support from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund.

GIRLS ON THE RUN OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA -- $40,000 to support reflective practice. Girls on the Run will examine their governance structure, growth experience and programs to develop a strategic plan for the future. The grant is made with support from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund.

ONEJAX, INC. -- $40,000 to support reflective practice. OneJax will examine the effectiveness of its programs and strategies. The grant is made with support from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund.

BASCA -- $23,000 to support reflective practice. BASCA, based in Clay County, will examine its programs and governance structure to determine future directions. The grant is made with support from the Paul and Klare Reinhold Foundation.

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