A Strong Nonprofit Sector

The nonprofit sector is a critical partner with business and government in making lasting improvement in the lives of low-income people in the Greater Washington region. The Meyer Foundation supports work to increase the effectiveness, sustainability, and influence of the Foundation's grantees and Greater Washington's nonprofit sector, and to strengthen philanthropy in the region.

Our grants in the Strong Nonprofit Sector program area support organizations working toward these outcomes:

• Leadership: The visionary, skilled executive directors who lead Meyer grantees have the supports they need to be effective in their roles. Grantees have increased ability to attract and retain capable staff and board leaders, to develop new leaders, and to successfully manage executive director transitions.

• Impact: Meyer grantees demonstrate an increased ability to document and communicate the impact of their work. Government and business leaders better understand the size, scope, and impact of the region's nonprofit sector, and recognize and value the role of the nonprofit sector as an essential partner in improving the lives of low-income people throughout the region.

• Sustainability: Meyer grantees are financially stable, with diverse sources of ongoing revenue, adequate operating reserves, and the ability to leverage skilled volunteers and other non-financial resources. Grantees and nonprofit organizations throughout the region benefit from increased levels of philanthropy from individual and institutional donors and a philanthropic community that collaborates effectively.

What We Fund

To achieve these outcomes, the Meyer Foundation supports:

• Region-wide organizations that strengthen the voice and visibility of the nonprofit sector and work to strengthen executives' ability to serve in broader community leadership roles.
• A limited number of professional development programs for executive directors, emerging leaders, and board members, provided those programs address the needs identified through the Foundation's research, are designed with input from nonprofit executives, and can demonstrate their effectiveness.
• Efforts to increase individual philanthropy in the region and to help grantees and other nonprofits become more effective at attracting contributions and other types of support from individuals.
• Organizations that help nonprofits in the region build their communications capacity and better demonstrate their impact.
• Nationally significant research that highlights the unique challenges and professional development needs of nonprofit executive directors and explores how to create stronger systems of support for them.
• Organizations that encourage grantmakers to work together more effectively, to be more responsive to the needs of grantees, and to serve as champions of the region's nonprofit sector.

The Foundation also addresses the desired outcomes for the Strong Nonprofit Sector program area through its Management Assistance Program and the Exponent Award. Participation in these programs is limited to current grantees.

What We Do Not Fund

• Organizations that provide technology support, hardware, or software for nonprofits
• Volunteer centers
• Conferences and special events
• Capacity-building initiatives and organizations that are not region-wide (with the exception of initiatives to strengthen the nonprofit sector in Prince George's County, Maryland)
• Capacity-building initiatives and organizations that serve a small number of organizations, or a sub-sector of the nonprofit sector