Strength in flexibility: Lessons from a cluster of capacity building grants in the juvenile justice field

Abstract

This article traces the experiences of a cluster of six juvenile justice agencies that received multi-year capacity building grants from the Edna McConnell Clark foundation. It discusses the rationale for the grants, challenges involved, accomplishments of each grantee, and lessons for future capacity building initiatives. The results of this grantmaking effort were impressive. Four agencies strengthened organizational capacity, either in conventional areas (e.g. information technology, fundraising, communications, strategic planning and board development) or in more radical ways, such as building a national presence, entering new substantive areas or putting new business strategies into action. A fifth agency produced worthwhile outcomes unrelated to capacity building, while the sixth influenced others in the cluster to make fundamental changes in their models. The experience teaches that grantee organizations that are stable and have strong leadership can flourish with a flexible approach to capacity building. Funders can spur capacity building efforts by providing non-profits with precious discretionary dollars, as well as by cultivating peer learning networks among grantees, hiring top-notch independent consultants to help catalyze change, and allowing grantees time to specify more meaningful outcomes during the capacity building process, rather than requiring them at the outset.