Building Capacity, Granting for Impact

Capacity building is a key element in the Foundation's theory of change: when organizations develop the appropriate capacities, they are better able to deliver on their mission and therefore build healthy and vibrant communities. By increasing the long-term capacity of grantee organizations, the OTF can achieve its mission of building healthy and vibrant communities.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation has a profound impact on the capacity of the sector across the province through its granting and convening activities. OTF allocates more than $100 million annually to the nonprofit sector in Ontario.

We undertook two research projects related to capacity building. As a result of the Building Capacity, Granting for Impact Research Report (pdf), we found more about how capacity building could increase the impact of grants to individual organization and strengthen the overall capacity of the sector. Building on this research, OTF asked Lynn Apgar to review how OTF was having an impact on capacity building.

Through convening, knowledge-sharing and granting, the Ontario Trillium Foundation continues to support capacity building in the sector. We are committed to exploring ways in which we can support the sector to build healthy and vibrant communities.  

Read the Capacity Research Brief (pdf) to find out what we learned about how our granting has an impact on capacity building in the sector.