OVERVIEW

Full Circle Fund partners with nonprofits that address one or more of the following issue areas—economic opportunity, education, environment and energy, health—and tech nonprofits addressing any issue area. We define tech nonprofits as organizations building original hardware or software that use a nonprofit business model to scale social impact. 

What does partnership mean? 

• Skills-based volunteer support: Three (3) to four (4) months of dedicated pro bono support from a team of six (6) to 10 volunteers on an important, but not urgent project you are seeking external expertise and skills to design, develop, or implement
• Unrestricted funding: $15,000 one-time general operating grant
• Ongoing connections to the Full Circle Fund community as an alumni grant partner with benefits such as identification of new board members, consultants, staff, donors, and volunteer “champions;” new professional expertise, leadership development, and skills for staff; new relationships with social sector peers; follow-on funding and funder-ready deliverables; new data and measurement tools.

WAYS TO ENGAGE

• Grant Cycle: Nonprofits of all sizes are matched with cross-sector Bay Area professionals in four (4) issue areas Up to four (4) partners annually.
• Tech Accelerator: Mature tech-driven nonprofits are matched with Bay Area tech leaders.​ Up to three (3) partners annually.
• Corporate Nonprofit Accelerator: Nonprofits from a selected issues area are matched with global business leaders. Up to 12 partners annually.

“The main point of this relationship is not funding, but connecting into this network and accessing the community and their skills.”  —insights from interviews with multiple Alumni Grant Partners in 2019

HOW IT WORKS

Although we do not accept unsolicited proposals, we have an open call for applications periodically. We trust nonprofit colleagues interested in partnership to carefully review the criteria and FAQs and make an informed and intentional decision to submit a form for consideration for partnership.  

Outreach: We find organizations through an open call, referrals from Members, nonprofit partners, strategic partners, and peer funders, our own research, and email inquiries. Organizations that meet our criteria (below) are invited to submit an application. 

Due Diligence: Grant Selection Committees composed of FCF staff, Members, and Alumni Grant Partners review applications to determine if Full Circle Fund is a good fit. We schedule calls with the Project Lead and relevant staff to learn more about the proposed project. We also examine the organization’s model, long-term strategy, leadership, impact, and willingness to work with an engaged funder and team of skilled volunteers. Due diligence does not guarantee funding.

Grant Partnership: Once Grant Partners are selected, we then recruit the appropriate Team Leads to help finalize the project scope form the team of skilled volunteers, and guide the project work over a 3-4 month period.

From the application deadline to the completion of project work is roughly a 10 month timeline, with active project work taking place in the final 3-4 months of the time period. The 2022 timeline for Grant Cycle and Tech Accelerator is currently under development.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

These criteria are based on what we’ve learned from hundreds of partnerships with local nonprofits over the past 20 years and what we’ve heard works best directly from the nonprofit leaders who have participated.

Nonprofit Status: Has 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status.

Geography: Operates within California. Organizations outside of California may apply if they have a California footprint.

Issue Area: Addresses one or more of the following issue areas—economic opportunity, education, environment and energy, health—or is a tech nonprofit addressing any issue area. We define tech nonprofits as organizations building original hardware or software that use a nonprofit business model to scale social impact.

Organizational Vision and Strategy: Have a current strategic plan, a theory of change, or an organizational roadmap with capacity-building as a strategic priority. Tech nonprofits also have a technical roadmap for a live tech product or service projecting at least 6-12 months.

Representative Leadership: Has senior leadership that reflects the demographics of the communities it serves.

Staff Capacity: Has at least 3 full-time staff, including a senior leader that can be the project lead and point of contact for the duration of the project (approximately 10 months). We’ve learned that nonprofits with fewer than 3 staff cannot usually commit a key staff member to scope and advance the project.

Commitment of Time and Resources: Ability to commit to project work with the team for 10-15 hours/month and provide access to information, systems, staff, and resources needed to produce great results for your organization and beneficiaries.

Proposed Project: Have plans for an important but not urgent project their organization would like to work on in the next 10 months that would be enhanced or accelerated by a team of 6-10 skilled volunteers. In other words, “This is an important project we need to do anyway, and having Full Circle Fund’s support would make it possible or accelerate its progress.”

What We Don’t Fund

• Activities to elect specific candidates for public office
• Direct support of individuals
• Hospitals and clinics
• Individual or volunteer-run initiatives
• Private schools, colleges, or universities

Grant FAQ

Can past FCF Grant Partners apply for consideration for partnership?
Yes.

We are not based in the Bay Area. Can we still apply?
We have a strong preference for Bay Area organizations. Your organization’s work must at least in part be serving California communities.

Do you have any restrictions/requirements on org budget, staffing, or years in operation?
There are no restrictions or thresholds on organizational budget and years in operation. Our only requirement is that you have at least 3 full-time staff, ideally 6-8, one of whom is a senior leader who can be the project lead and point of contact for the duration of the project (10 months). We’ve heard from earlier stage nonprofits that this program doesn’t serve them as well. During the project, volunteers and nonprofit leaders are in touch regularly. Nonprofits at an earlier stage of growth usually have a tough time committing a key staff person for the time it takes to advance an active project.

What is the time commitment? What is expected of Grant Partners?
The time commitment varies over the duration of the partnership. Grant Partners will be heavily involved scoping the project, attend initial FCF led Work Sessions, and participate in FCF’s final Work Session to showcase the work accomplished. Grant Partners meet with their teams between Work Sessions every 1-2 weeks. See our past projects for the number of hours spent on a project. We expect the project lead to attend all sessions for consistency and team-building.

Here are the events you can expect:

• Two 1-hour Project Scoping calls prior to project launch
• Three 1.5-hour Work Sessions during Grant Partnership

These dates do not include calls or meetings that you and your Member project teams schedule in-between Work Sessions. We also expect:

• Completion of post-event surveys (each takes no more than 15 mins)
• Participation in check-in calls with FCF staff between Work Sessions (30-45 mins)
• Submission of a pre-Grant Partnership survey and a final grant report, so we can measure our impact and improve the Grant Partner experience (each should take no more than 1 hour)

How much experience with nonprofits do your members have? What training do they get?
70% of our Members are from the private sector—some have volunteer/board experience and others are new to the nonprofit sector—and all care about social impact and want to use their professional skills to support nonprofits and learn about local issues with a community of peers.

We meet 1:1 with all Members prior to them officially joining FCF, so we can gauge whether they’d be a good fit for our program. Members attend an orientation on how they can apply their skills to the nonprofit sector and a workshop on power and privilege, so they enter the Grant Partnerships with an understanding of power dynamics and how to be a better partner to nonprofits.

How does FCF staff support the Grant Partners and Members?
Each project team is co-led by a senior leader representing the Grant Partner and two Member Team Leads. Our Team Leads have experience with project management and/or prior FCF project team experience. We work closely with Grant Partners and Team Leads to scope projects before Work Session 1, and they are on-site at the Work Sessions facilitating as needed. We also schedule check-in calls with Grant Partners and Team Leads to debrief Work Sessions and provide resources and support. We’re available anytime via email or phone call.