Praxis Partnership Application Tips

Start early and save your work. Applications are due Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at 5 pm.

We hope that our application provides a space for you to reflect on who you are, what you do, and how you want to develop, grow, strengthen, improve – both as an Executive Director and as an organization. Please remember that you are not applying to Fair Chance for funding, so you do not have to sell us a shiny organization with amazing results. In fact, if you are too perfect, we are going to be asking ourselves if you really need a Partnership.

The four things we are most looking for in your application are clarity, uniqueness, transparency, and partnership.

  • Clarity. We are not looking for buzzwords or fancy prose. We are looking for clarity. The more we
    understand your organization, programs, and capacity building needs, the better your application.
  • Unique. Every nonprofit is special in some way. Help us understand why your organization or program is
    unique in how you approach your work, who you serve, how you meet an unmet need, or whatever it is
    that makes your organization great.
  • Transparency. We hold what you tell us in confidence and do not share it outside of our selection team,
    which is made up of members from Fair Chance’s Leadership Team and Program staff. You don’t have to
    hide all your pain points. In fact, we need you to share those with us to truly understand your capacity
    building needs.
  • Partnership. Remember that we work with you during a partnership, rather than achieving things for you (e.g., we help you develop a fundraising plan; we do not fundraise for you). In writing about your capacity building needs in the application, emphasize what you want to learn or develop in order to achieve your goals.

Application FAQ

How much time do I need to fill out the application?
The application is comprehensive, so please give yourself plenty of time to complete it! We recommend starting early and taking advantage of the application’s Page Navigation function and the Save and Resume function to work on the application at a pace that ensures you can meet the deadline.
Can I save the application as a draft or do I need to complete it all at once?

On each page on the top right corner, select “save my progress and resume later” to ensure any work is saved. This enables you to revisit your partially completed application later rather than needing to complete it all in one go.

My organization does not keep track of how many children, youth, and families in our program(s) are experiencing poverty. Can we still apply?

Yes, however, alignment with our mission is important. Therefore, make sure that your application speaks to:

  1. how your programs are specifically addressing the needs and transforming the lives of children, youth, and families experiencing poverty in Washington, DC.
  2. your intention to start collecting this information within the next year.
How much detail are you looking for in the Capacity Building Needs section?
The Capacity Building Needs section is a critical part of the application; please take time to reflect on your capacity building needs. Describing how you and your organization would like to grow and develop during the Partnership will strengthen your application. It may help to think of the structures, policies, and procedures that you would like to create or refine. Alternatively, you could share what you would like to change or what is not working at your organization. For example, “We need a better process for recruiting new board members” or you can say, “We have not added any new members to the board in two years and we want to change this.”
My organization is currently finalizing or creating this year’s organizational budget. How should I answer the questions in the Finances section?
We are looking to get a realistic understanding of how much money you intend raise and how much money you intend to spend during your current fiscal year. If your organization has a draft budget, submit that on the attachments page and indicate that it is a draft, and provide us with your best estimates in the Finances section.
My organization does not have one or more of the requested attachments. Are they required? Do the attachments that I have need to be formatted in a specific way?
All attachments, except for the last one, are required. Required attachments are marked with the asterisk and the system will not let you submit your application without attaching a document. You can submit attachments that you have used for other applications, but please make sure they have all the requested, up-to-date information. PDF attachments are preferred, but we will also accept attachments in Word or Excel.
I have more questions. Is there someone I can speak with directly?

Yes! Please sign up for a Partnership Consultation, and you can meet by zoom or phone with a member of our DC Program Team.