MSI Grants
The MSI provides $5,000 grants to support the exploration of strategic partnership.
These grants are flexible in nature, and funds may be used for any purpose that advances the exploration of a sustained administrative collaboration. In addition to grant funds, grantees will receive a one-year complementary Forefront membership, an introduction to a nonprofit leader with partnership experience through Forefront’s Peer Skill Share program, and ongoing access to confidential conversations and guidance from the MSI Director.
What to Expect
- The first stop in exploring an MSI grant is a conversation with the MSI Director, who will help to confirm eligibility and fit with the MSI funding priorities and provide guidance and connections to other helpful resources. Schedule a meeting online or email [email protected].
- Eligible organizations working on eligible projects will be asked to complete a very brief application that requests a summary of the partnership plan and the learning objectives for the partnership exploration project. This application can be completed online or in conversation with the MSI Director. A sample of the application is available in the MSI Grant Guidelines.
- Applications will be reviewed by the MSI Director, and additional or clarifying information may be requested before proposals are discussed with the MSI Funders Committee.
- Grant decision will be made within one month of the application deadline, and funds for approved applications are typically available within one month after a grant is approved.
- The MSI Director is available for ongoing guidance throughout the funded project.
- A brief report is requested upon completion of the funded project, typically one year after the grant is made.
Eligibility & Funding Priorities
- MSI Grant applicants must be Illinois-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organizations. For the Fall 2024 grant cycle, only organizations based in Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane, and Kendall Counties will be eligible.
- Partnerships may receive multiple MSI Grants over time, but a partnership will only be considered for one MSI Grant per cycle. Multiple partnering organizations may not simultaneously apply for funds for the same partnership exploration project.
- Applicants should review the eligibility criteria and funding priorities in the MSI Grant Guidelines before applying.
Grant Project Types
The MSI looks at partnership development in three phases: Pre-Exploratory, Exploratory, and Implementation.
Pre-Exploratory
Pre-Exploratory projects are opportunities for single organizations to explore their partnership goals and readiness. These projects often include organizational assessments and meeting facilitation. The core goal for pre-exploratory projects is the articulation of an organization’s priorities and capacity for strategic partnership, which may or may not include specific plans for developing a partnership in the near future. A possible outcome of a pre-exploratory project is a Letter of Intent to begin an exploratory process.
Exploratory
Exploratory projects are opportunities for two or more organizations to develop a strategic partnership strategy, build trust between organizations, conduct due diligence, determine mission/vision values alignment, and build a plan for partnership implementation. These projects typically include strategic partnership consulting, accounting, and legal support (if not available pro bono), and meeting facilitation. The core goal for exploratory projects is all partners gaining sufficient understanding and knowledge to move forward in the way that best serves the goals of the organization, which may or may not involve the specific partnership under consideration. A possible outcome of an exploratory project is a Memorandum of Understanding or Partnership Agreement.
Implementation
Implementation projects are opportunities to build the infrastructure that a partnership needs to thrive. The nature of this infrastructure will vary significantly based on the type of partnership. MSI Grants are not currently available for implementation projects, but partnerships in this stage of development are encouraged to contact the MSI Director to discuss other options for support.
