Introduction
In the Exploring Potential NSG Partnerships section of this Toolkit, there are a series of templates and resources to support potential partners in exploring NSG in their community, which includes helping organizations conduct an initial self-assessment, hosting a presentation to the boards and staff of these organizations, developing handouts you can tailor and send out during the presentation.
Preliminary Questions & Criteria
When a new community partner contacts us to express their interest in NSG, there are a few steps we can take to explore whether they will be a good fit for the program:
Preliminary Questions for Potential Community Partners Template (Word)
This template includes preliminary questions that can be used in a first meeting to get a sense of who the potential Partner Organization(s) are, the work they do, who they serve, their values, and their experience with community development and working with diverse communities.
Download Preliminary Questions for Potential Community Partners Template (Word)Criteria for Establishing NSG Partnerships Template (Word)
This template includes criteria potential Partner Organizations can use to self-assess whether NSG is a good fit for their organization. If there are any criteria from this list that they do not fulfill, then a conversation can happen about whether and how this can be addressed (for example by bringing in other partners) before moving on to the next step.
Download Criteria for Establishing NSG Partnerships Template (Word)Presentation to Potential Community Partners
Guide to Presenting to Potential Community Partners (Word) provides an overview of considerations for presenting to the boards and staff of potential Partner Organizations who are interested in establishing their own grassroots grantmaking program.
Download Guide to Presenting to Potential Community Partners (Word)Agenda Template for Presentation to Potential Community Partners (Word) offers a sample agenda for a presentation to the board and/or staff of potential Partner Organizations.
Download Agenda Template for Presentation to Potential Community Partners (Word)Presentation to Potential Community Partners: Presenter Notes & PowerPoint
Presenter’s Notes (Word) can be customized to create the content of a presentation to the board and/or staff of potential Partner Organizations.
Download Presenter’s Notes (Word)PowerPoint Template (PPT) is designed to complement the Presenter’s Notes Template and provide the visuals for a presentation to the board and/or staff of potential Partner Organizations.
Download PowerPoint Template (PPT)Resources & Handouts
Resources can be sent ahead by email to the potential Partner Organization(s) or used as handouts at the presentation. They are there to help outline the intent and impact of grassroots grantmaking and the NSG model as well as to assess a potential partner’s organizational readiness for implementing the program in their community. They are included here in a suggested order, but this can be modified.
Resources to Send Before the Presentation
ABCD at a Glance (PDF) introduces Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) from the Tamarack Institute
Download ABCD at a Glance (PDF)Principles of Grassroots Grantmaking (Word) guide our mission of harnessing local skills and experiences to make neighbourhoods better places to live.
Download Principles of Grassroots Grantmaking (Word)The Benefits of Neighbourliness (Word) introduces the concept of place-based community building.
Download the Benefits of Neighbourliness (Word)Benefits of Establishing an NSG Program (Word) outlines some of the benefits offered to Partner Organizations when they form an NSG partnership.
Download Benefits of Establishing an NSG Program (Word)Handout to Review at the Presentation
Organizational Readiness for Grassroots Grantmaking (Word) is meant to help potential Partner Organizations assess their readiness to establish a grassroots grantmaking program in their community.
Download Organizational Readiness for Grassroots Grantmaking (Word)