The Tracy Family Foundation: A Capacity Building Juggernaut

More often than not, I find myself frustrated with the work of foundations. If you’ve written a grant or two, you have probably already experienced $1,000 grant requests that take 30 hours to complete, problematic portals, funders who expect a diverse board even though theirs is extremely homogenous, and so much more.

And if you listen to the Fundraising HayDay podcast long enough, you’ve likely heard Kimberly and me explain that while venting sure does feel good, it does NOTHING to change the way of the world. That’s why we were thrilled to learn about the incredible work of the Tracy Family Foundation (TFF). Located in Mt. Sterling, Illinois, the children of Robert (RT) and Dorothy Tracy created the foundation in 1997 as a tribute to their parents.

“We help communities thrive and family flourish guided by the legacy of RT & Dorothy Tracy.”

That’s their mission. And man, do they help!

On the latest Fundraising HayDay episode, we’re joined by Callie Niederhauser, Program Manager of Youth & Communications, and Sara Reuschel, Program Manager of Capacity Building, to learn more about their incredible work, particularly how they fund capacity building. Take a listen HERE.

“Jean Buckly (former foundation president) always had this thought that we don’t need to just give money for programming, but how can we help leaders get better; how can we help grow them in the role?” said Callie. “She had this foresight that this (capacity building) was really going to be important work.”

And important work it is. Unlike foundations who allow nonprofits to apply for grant money to put toward capacity building efforts proposed by said nonprofits, TFF has built a catalogue of programs to make it easy for nonprofits to get exactly what they need.

While TFF provides program funding in the areas of education, families, mental health, and youth, they allow ANY organization (no matter their mission or focus) located within their region to apply for capacity building funding.

“When all of our nonprofits are doing well and serving the needs of our communities, then our communities rise,” said Sara. “We certainly see the value in supporting all nonprofits across the region.”

That. Right there. It almost made me cry. Seriously, imagine a foundation who’s focused on improving the community, so we all rise together. Forget pitting nonprofits against each other, creating this hunger game system focused on scarcity of funds and resources. And TFF really walks the talk. They encourage nonprofits to meet with them before submitting applications so they can help – not only improving their applications, but making sure their proposed programming fits the focus on the foundation so the nonprofit staff are not wasting their time on a proposal that doesn’t meet the foundation’s guidelines.

Can you close your eyes for a second and picture a world where all foundations were this helpful? Is there now a big smile on your face like there is mine?

Okay, back to TFF and their capacity building fabulousness. First, they offer a “Nonprofit Roadmap Assessment” to help nonprofits determine where they need assistance. This helps guide their focus in capacity building.

Then each year, they offer a list of curated offerings, making it easy for nonprofits, school systems, and others to find the training they need to build capacity, whether it’s through leadership, marketing, fundraising, and other trainings. You can find the entire lineup HERE.

HayDay Services is a PROUD partner of the Tracy Family Foundation. Earlier this year we offered the third cohort of our grant writing intensive to help a whole host of organizations (from local community gardens and churches to K-12 school systems and hospitals) build their capacity for grant seeking. Because while TFF is an incredible resource, no organization should rely solely on one organization for all their funding needs.

Do you work with a foundation that does incredible work? If so, let us know all about them. Email hello@haydayservices.com. It’s our hope that by sharing about the Tracy Family Foundation (and others) that other foundations will step up their game – working to be a partner in the community that helps us all rise.