This event is part of the #GEO2026 Encore Sessions, bringing popular sessions from the 2026 GEO National Conference back virtually.
Despite increasing investment, many nonprofits still experience capacity building as fragmented, consultant-led and slow to gain traction. At the same time, funders often struggle to provide cohesive, comprehensive support due to barriers like resistance to non-grant spending and difficulty identifying the right providers.
This session shares learning from a bold Greater Boston-based experiment: a cross-sector table of funders, nonprofits and intermediaries that surfaced key considerations for defining, delivering and funding nonprofit-centered capacity building.
At the center are principles and trade-offs for equity-focused capacity building: guidelines and practices for navigating critical choice points around readiness, provider alignment, pace and enabling conditions.
Participants will leave with resources to make capacity building more equitable, implementable and grounded in nonprofit-defined thriving.
#GEO2026 Encore Sessions are open to GEO 2026 National Conference participants and GEO members.