Strengthening Funders & Their Grantees Through Capacity Building
At Capacita, we believe in the power of capacity building to transform civil society. Stronger organizations mean stronger communities—and we partner with funders and their grantees to remove barriers, enhance strategy, and unlock new possibilities.
We take a human-centered, pragmatic approach to capacity building. We don’t just offer recommendations—we walk alongside funders and their grantees to develop actionable solutions that enhance impact, streamline operations, and drive meaningful change. Our work is rooted in collaboration, real-world experience, and strategic project management to ensure lasting results.
Experience on Both Sides of the Table
Our team brings deep expertise from both the funder and grantee perspectives.
Capacita’s founder is a former senior federal funder and grantmaker, responsible for overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign assistance funding. We understand firsthand what makes grantmaking effective, what funders need to achieve their goals, and the challenges grantees face in securing and managing funding. This dual perspective informs every engagement, ensuring our approach is both strategic and practical—designed to strengthen relationships and maximize impact.
Supporting Funders for Greater Impact
We work with foundations and grantmakers across the U.S. to strengthen internal processes, refine funding strategies, and improve grantmaking practices. Whether through tailored facilitation, strategic advising, or operational improvements, we help funders maximize their impact and ensure their resources truly empower the organizations they support.
Partnering with Funders to Build Grantee Capacity
Beyond strengthening funders themselves, we also collaborate with them to invest in their grantees’ success. Through hands-on capacity-building efforts—including workshops, facilitated strategy sessions, one-on-one coaching, and targeted engagements—we help nonprofit leaders develop the skills, strategies, and confidence to sustain and scale their work.
Strategy Facilitation: We design and lead engaging, results-driven strategy sessions that help funders and their grantees align on priorities, goals, and next steps. Whether it's refining a foundation’s approach to giving or helping leaders build consensus on their strategic direction, our facilitation brings people together to turn ideas into action.
Operations and Grantmaking: Effective philanthropy starts with strong internal systems. We conduct deep-dive assessments into funders' grantmaking, back-office operations, and overall processes—identifying risks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for greater impact. Drawing on our founder’s legal expertise and our team’s decades of management experience, we partner with organizations to develop practical, sustainable improvements that work in real life, not just on paper.
Grantee Capacity Building: Strong grantees lead to stronger impact. We work with funders to build capacity in their nonprofit partners through:
Workshops & Group Trainings on strategy, fundraising, and operational effectiveness.
Limited Engagements to provide targeted, high-impact support in areas like fundraising strategy or organizational planning.
One-on-One Coaching to help grantee leaders develop the skills and confidence they need to sustain and scale their work.
Capacity Boosts: When funders and philanthropic organizations face transitions—scaling up, overhauling systems, shifting funding priorities, winding down, or moving into new areas—we provide strategic expertise and hands-on support. We help teams navigate complexity, adapt to change, and implement new structures and processes to ensure a smooth and effective transition.
Let’s build stronger systems together.
“We couldn't be happier with the work of Capacita. The team truly feels like an extension of our staff and we are so thankful for the incredible work y'all do. From talking points to tracking, we know we can count on you for advice, support, and guidance.”
— Lindsay Fertig-Johnson, Director of Development at The Festival Center