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Doing More With Less Isn’t Sustainable: New Initiative Helps Centre County Nonprofits Build Capacity

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State College, PA — At a time when nonprofits are being asked to do more with less, Centre Foundation is launching a new initiative designed to strengthen the organizations at the heart of Centre County. 

The Centre Nonprofit Strength Initiative is an 18-month pilot program, supported in part by funding from the Knight Foundation, that will bring together a cohort of local nonprofits to build capacity, strengthen operations, deepen collaboration across the sector, and develop the internal strength needed to grow and adapt over time. The initiative reflects a growing reality: community needs are evolving faster than many organizations can adapt, and long-term impact depends on more than funding alone. 

“Nonprofits are often the first to respond when our community faces challenges, but they’re also navigating increasing pressure behind the scenes,” said Nathaniel Rasmussen, Community Impact Director at Centre Foundation. “This initiative is about investing in their strength. It gives organizations the space to step back, take an honest look at how they’re operating, and make thoughtful decisions about where to grow, not because a funder is asking them to, but because they want to build something stronger and more sustainable.” 

A Collaborative Approach to Building Strength 

The pilot will include 8–12 nonprofit organizations from across Centre County (with a maximum of 15 participants), selected to reflect a range of community needs, geographic areas, and organizational sizes. Space is limited, but an effort will be made to ensure a thoughtful mix across the county. 

Participants will engage in a guided process that combines self-assessment, peer learning, training, and targeted funding. At the center of the program is the Nonprofit Capacity Assessment Tool (NCAT) — a comprehensive self-assessment framework that helps organizations evaluate and strengthen their internal operations across nine core domains,  

Each participating nonprofit will also be eligible for a capacity-building grant of approximately $3,000, supporting improvements aligned with their assessment results. As a pilot, grant use is intentionally flexible, allowing for both individual organizational improvements and collaborative solutions where shared needs emerge. Final grant recommendations will be made with guidance from the Grants Committee within the overall pilot framework. 

Strengthening the Sector — Together 

While the initiative supports individual organizations, it is intentionally designed to strengthen the nonprofit ecosystem as a whole. 

Centre Foundation will bring the cohort together quarterly over the 18-month Centre Nonprofit Strength Initiative, creating space for nonprofits to step away from day-to-day work and focus on strengthening how their organizations operate. Throughout the program, progress will be guided by shared learning and simple check-ins, concluding with a final reassessment to reflect on what’s improved and how organizations are better equipped to serve the community. At the end of the pilot, Centre Foundation will evaluate results and

explore opportunities to expand the program to support more organizations across the region. 

Program timeline at-a-glance: 

  • Summer 2026: Kickoff and assessment training  
  • Fall 2026 – Early 2027: Guided discussions, shared learning, and applying improvements  
  • Summer 2027: Check-in on how grant funding strengthened operations  
  • Late 2027 – Early 2028: Final reflection and next steps 

 

Additional community-wide workshops and informal “Lunch and Learn” sessions, hosted in partnership with regional organizations such as Leadership Centre County, the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County, and United Way, will extend these opportunities to the broader nonprofit community, offering accessible training and opportunities to connect.  

“This initiative reflects how we think about impact at a systems level,” said David Lieb, President and CEO of Centre Foundation. “Strong nonprofits don’t happen by chance, they’re built through intentional investment in leadership, infrastructure, and collaboration. By creating space for organizations to learn together and strengthen internally, we’re helping ensure they can continue showing up for our community in the moments that matter most.” 

How Nonprofits Can Participate 

Nonprofits can express interest in participating in the pilot cohort by filling in the form at centre.foundation/strength by Sunday, May 31. Questions can be directed to Nathaniel Rasmussen at nathaniel@centrefoundation.org or call 814.237.6229.  

As Centre County continues to evolve, initiatives like this ensure that the organizations serving the community are equipped to evolve with it. Because when nonprofits are strong, communities thrive. 

About Centre Foundation 

Centre Foundation is a community foundation dedicated to fostering a culture of giving, supporting and empowering nonprofits, and sparking positive community change throughout Centre County. Since 1981, the Foundation has awarded more than $50 million in grants and scholarships to over 1,474 organizations.