The Springboard Fund

• Program Goals
• Overview
• Application
• Past Awards
• FAQs

OVERVIEW

The Durfee Foundation believes that good ideas filter up, and that the regeneration of the nonprofit sector depends on making room for newcomers — those who bring fresh ideas and new approaches to problem-solving. The Foundation's Springboard Fund supports dynamic leaders of new ventures in Los Angeles County who apply innovative strategies to complex community challenges. The best candidates for the Fund will be those that build communities in unexpected ways, by bringing together groups from different sectors with overlapping interests.

The Fund offers two-year grants of up to $50,000, typically $25,000 each year. Springboard Fund grants are unrestricted, and can be used for general operating support, salaries, technical assistance, equipment purchase or whatever else the organization deems necessary for its development.

The Foundation also believes that the development of good ideas is cyclical, and that those who have built robust institutions from concept to program have much to share with those whose organizations are at an early stage. For this reason, the Springboard Fund will pair each grant recipient with a seasoned nonprofit professional who will provide advice and assistance throughout the two-year grant period.

Organizations eligible to apply to the Fund must:

• be located in and serve Los Angeles County
• have dynamic and effective grassroots leadership that engages multiple stakeholders
• build communities in unexpected ways
• have a program that is already underway, but that has been in operation for fewer than five years
• focus on applying an innovative model to a complex challenge
• have a feasible action plan to animate a big idea through identifiable, concrete steps
• be at a critical developmental stage so that Springboard funding can be a tipping point for success
• demonstrate potential for sustainability in the future
• have an annual budget of $100,000 or less

It is expected that Springboard Fund review process will be very competitive. Please consider the grant criteria above carefully to ascertain whether your idea and organization are a good fit. Feel free to call the Durfee office to discuss a prospective application before applying.

There are no deadlines for Springboard Fund grants. Applications are accepted year-round.