News

At the gathering of Capacity Collaborative members on Feb. 11th 2009 at the San Francisco Foundation, nine nonprofits signaled interest in exploring how to share marketing capacity.  The organizations will convene in the upcoming weeks to discern next steps, especially in approaching funders.

The concept of shared marketing capacity addresses the chronic inability of agencies to execute by themselves all the difference functions necessary to succesful marketing.  It proposes building those functions in a way that multiple agencies can use, while also building internal capacity in an apprentice model.

The concept was initially developed by Consulting Within Reach (CWR) in the fall of 2009. The Franklin and Catherine Johnson, another Collaborative member, also played an important role in researching the viability of this concept. 

In October 2009, CWR led three members of the Collaborative (Girls For A Change, A Home Within, and Fresh Lifelines for Youth) in applying for a major grant from The New World Foundation to execute on the concept.  The grant was not approved. 

Consulting Within Reach CEO Curtis Chang presented the concept to the Capacity Collaborative at the Feb. 11th gathering, along with a high level summary of the Capacity Analysis project. The idea met with broader interest and a subgroup of nonprofits are considering how to pursue it further.

The actual application to The New World Foundation is attached.