You’ve Strengthened the Valley. We’re Supporting What Comes Next.
Every day, nonprofits across the St. Croix Valley meet urgent community needs while balancing limited resources, growing demand, and constant change. The Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Program was created to support you — with flexible funding for the people, plans, and systems that keep your organization strong.
Whether you’re planning for the future, implementing new systems, or collaborating with partners to meet regional needs, these grants are designed to help you build strength for the long haul.
Funded through the Nonprofit Stability Collaborative Fund, this program invests in the long-term health and sustainability of our region’s nonprofits — so together, we can build a stronger, more resilient Valley.
What We Fund
Capacity building is an investment in your organization’s ability to grow, sustain impact, and adapt—whether through refinement, expansion, collaboration, or even sunsetting—in service of your mission and the greater good. The Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Program supports organizations at different stages of readiness through four distinct avenues of funding.
-
Experiences – Learning and professional growth for nonprofit leaders and staff.
Examples: Executive coaching, peer learning cohorts, leadership training, DEIB learning journeys, or conference participation.
Grant size: Up to $10,000
-
Planning – Strategic assessments and planning to chart a path forward.
Examples: Organizational assessments, business or strategic plans, succession planning, technology or financial system evaluations, exploration of mergers or restructuring, fundraising or communications strategy, temporary staff or consultants.
Grant size: Up to $25,000
-
Implementation – Putting a clear capacity-building plan into action.
Examples: Launching a new CRM or financial system, upgrading operations, expanding fundraising or communications, implementing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives, temporary staff or consultants, professional services for organizational change.
Grant size: Up to $100,000
-
System-Wide Infrastructure – Shared tools and collaborations that strengthen the entire sector.
Examples: Shared data or referral systems, joint training platforms, shared back-office or HR services, collaborative advocacy or regional knowledge-sharing networks.
Grant size: Up to $250,000
Who's Eligible
To apply, organizations must:
-
Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in existence for at least five years.
-
Have a current IRS Form 990 on file.
-
Be located in SCVF’s six-county service area: Chisago and Washington (MN); Burnett, Polk, St. Croix, and Pierce (WI).
Not Eligible: Private foundations, government entities, sectarian religious programs, fiscal sponsorships, capital projects, or organizations headquartered outside the region seeking expansion.
Funds are limited, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Apply early to be considered in quarterly review cycles. Full details on the application timeline are found in the grant guidelines below.
A $3.5 Million Investment in Nonprofit Resilience
The Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Program is made possible through the Nonprofit Stability Collaborative Fund—a bold, $3.5 million regional investment in the strength and sustainability of St. Croix Valley nonprofits.
Established at the St. Croix Valley Foundation in 2025 by regional philanthropic partners —the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation and the Hugh J. Andersen Foundation—the Fund was created in direct response to an unprecedented moment for the nonprofit sector.
We are especially grateful to the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation, who recognized the urgency of this moment and took the first bold step to establish the Fund with a lead gift, and to the Hugh J. Andersen Foundation, who joined as an early funding partner. Their leadership and vision sparked a collaborative effort at a time when community needs are rising, public funding is uncertain, and nonprofits are being asked to do more with less.
As the trusted partner and facilitator of this collaborative effort, the St. Croix Valley Foundation is honored to steward the Fund and work alongside funders and nonprofits to implement the Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Program.
Over the next three years, more than $3.5 million in grants will be distributed to strengthen organizational capacity, infrastructure, and leadership across the Valley.
Resources and Support for Your Capacity-Building Journey
Capacity Building Resources
The St. Croix Valley Foundation partnered with Strategic Consulting & Coaching to gather this curated list of resources to support you. These resources provide the tools, trainings, and opportunities designed to strengthen your operations, spark new thinking, and help your organization grow sustainably.
Schedule Office Hours with a Nonprofit Consultant
To support equitable access to the St. Croix Valley Foundation’s Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Program, we are offering free consulting office hours for nonprofit organizations that may benefit from early-stage guidance as they develop ideas and prepare to apply.
The St. Croix Valley Foundation has engaged a small group of experienced consultants to provide light-touch, one-on-one or small-group support to help potential applicants think through organizational goals, capacity needs, and potential grant ideas. Participation is optional and intended solely as a support mechanism — not a required or evaluative component of the grant process.
You can see our full list of Nonprofit Capacity Building Consultants here. To learn more about consultant office hours, click here.
We're Here to Help
If you’d like to discuss your organization’s fit or get technical guidance on your application, click below to meet with a member of the St. Croix Valley Foundation Community Impact Team.