Our Impact | Responsive Grantmaking

This cycle will provide a cohort-based scenario-planning initiative to help nonprofit leaders navigate uncertainty with greater clarity and confidence. This opportunity includes virtual cohort-based workshops, individualized coaching, and the opportunity to receive a general operating grant of up to $10,000 to support participation and/or implementation of scenario-planning next steps.

In Spring 2025, Triangle Community Foundation re-launched its Responsive Grantmaking program to provide funding to nonprofits as they were reacting to various external changes at the federal and local levels. Launching the program with $200,000 from Fund for the Triangle, staff invited fundholders and donors to give alongside us. And they did, giving an additional $687,937.

Between June and December 2025, the Foundation awarded 36 nonprofit organizations a total of $656,525 to support initiatives to navigate a period of internal and/or external changes. Awards were made in two rounds from the initial call for proposals in June 2025, to which 175 organizations applied.  Additionally, the Foundation made acknowledgement grants of $250 or $350 to the 139 applicants whose proposals were not awarded a full grant.

Application data from the first call for proposals demonstrated that there was tremendous need in the nonprofit sector in 2025. Organizational changes are complex and have been shifting rapidly. The top three types of organizational changes applicants noted (in Spring 2025) were:

• Funding changes (50%)
• Programming changes (38%)
• Changes in Community Needs (29%)

The application also provided a pre-populated list of capacity-building activities and asked applicants to describe the (one) type of work they were requesting funding for. The top types of work selected by applicants were:

• Strategic planning (21%)
• Fundraising (19%)
• Program Design, Management, and Evaluation (17%)
• Leadership & Governance (16%)

Complex organizational change continues to be a challenge for many Triangle nonprofits and the sector more broadly. Therefore, we’re building on learnings from the first call for proposals and nonprofit support activities in the last year to launch another Responsive Grantmaking call for proposals.

Cohort Overview

We anticipate awarding 20-30 nonprofits the opportunity to participate in scenario planning in partnership with Community Wealth Partners, a trusted consultant. Building on 20+ years of experience supporting nonprofit leaders through complex challenges, Community Wealth Partners designed this program to meet nonprofits where they are, accounting for shifting conditions, limited capacity, and the need for practical tools that build long-term resilience.

Scenario planning supports nonprofits by helping manage uncertainty, envisioning new opportunities, identifying unexpected threats, and building organizational resilience.

• Program Goals
  • Support established Triangle nonprofits to maintain their capacity through a period of organizational change so they can continue providing core services and strategize how to best remain agile, innovative, and responsive to community needs moving forward. 
  • Understand and promote promising tools and practices to support nonprofits through a period of significant organizational change. 
• Scenario Planning Activities: (Anticipated to occur over a +/- 3-month period)
  • Virtual Workshops: Three 90-minute sessions guiding participants through a five-step process, with real-time application to their organization’s challenges and space to complete their own scenario plan.
  • Coaching: Up to 3 hours of individualized coaching support to help leaders work through the steps of the scenario planning process with hands-on guidance in decision-making.
• Grantmaking
  • Opportunities for a general operating grant up to $10,000 will be based on participation in the scenario planning cohort.
  • The Foundation hopes funding to support participation and/or activities to implement scenario plans.

This initiative is designed to foster long-term financial resilience and sustainability. By going “beyond the grant,” the Foundation aims to provide comprehensive support and invest in strong, resilient, sustainable nonprofits.

Eligibility

• Nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organizations based in and serving one or more Triangle Counties (Wake, Durham, Orange, Chatham)
  • Organizations currently receiving funding from Triangle Community Foundation’s grant programs are also eligible to apply for Responsive Grantmaking funding if they meet program goals and eligibility criteria
• Only those organizations that have recently received funding from Triangle Community Foundation are eligible to apply:
  • Must have received a grant from Triangle Community Foundation since January 1, 2020. This includes grants from donor-advised funds (DAFs).
  • Must not have received a Responsive Grantmaking award in 2025. This excludes recipients of the acknowledgment grants ($250 or $350 grants).
• Have a track record (at least 3 years) of service and impact in one or more Triangle Counties (Wake, Durham, Orange, Chatham) and meet the program goals of this grant opportunity
• Minimum annual budget of $100,000 (for the last two fiscal years)
• Must have at least 2.0 FTE (full-time employee) or greater. This could be two full-time staff personnel or four half-time staff personnel.
  • Required Participants:
    • Executive Director
    • Board member with organizational knowledge & authority
    • One additional key staff member. (ex. development director, CFO, etc.)Organizations must meet the Foundation’s non-discrimination policy (see application)Must be willing to commit at least two organizational leaders to participate in cohort activities, including the Executive Director.
• Only one application per organization, per fiscal year will be considered

Information Session

Triangle Community Foundation staff will host a virtual information session on Monday, May 4, 2026 at 3:00pm to review the call for proposals and answer any questions folks might have. Registration is required. Please register here: https://trianglecf-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/SQhSYXkkQsCinl7hJ2WFZA.

Timeline

This timeline reflects the deadlines and decision-making timeline for this pilot cycle of the re-launched Responsive Grantmaking Program.

Target applications open date	Monday, April 20, 2026
Information Session	Monday, May 4, 2026
Target applications due date	Monday, June 1, 2026
Target decision date	Thursday, July 9, 2026
Grant term start	Saturday, August 1, 2026
Grant term end	Wednesday, June 30, 2027
Project start	Friday, July 17, 2026
Cohort Start/End	August 1, 2026 – December 1, 2026 Approx. 4 months

Questions?

Contact [email protected] for assistance!