Program for Improving Capacity and Capability (PICC)

The Program for Improving Capacity and Capability (PICC) was launched by the City of Norfolk in hopes of broadening an inclusive and diverse field of nonprofit service providers with the ability to deliver quality social services to Norfolk residents and the capacity to compete for, and sustainably manage, grant awards while meeting compliance requirements.  

This (PICC) Request for Proposals (RFP) is for Tier Three – Year One funding only! Approximately $2 million in program funds are anticipated to be available annually over the three-year lifespan of the PICC program. Grants will be awarded to organizations in three different classifications through a competitive process. This, Tier Three – Year One RFP is applicable to IRS Designated 501(c)(3) organizations with annual cash expenditures of less than $50,000, and organizations “aspiring” to obtain their 501(c)(3) designation.  While selected awardees will receive a one-year grant and expert technical assistance, for Tier Three – Year One, the City has the option to extend the term of the agreement for two successive one-year terms based on performance and funding availability.

In addition to expanding the community of non-profit service providers, the primary goal of the PICC program is to advance City Council's priorities in the areas of rapid rehousing with case management, positive youth development programming, and senior focused activities. Specifically, to provide Tier Three organizations with access to expert technical assistance and funding to improve their organizational health. In doing so, they will be able to increase the availability of direct services for Norfolk's at-risk populations of children, families, the elderly and disabled residents, those who are impoverished and those experiencing homelessness. 

Tier Three awards are limited to a maximum grant award of $10,000 per eligible applicant. Applications seeking more than $10,000 will not be considered. Applicants must be prepared to initiate their project starting on day one of the grant cycle.  

BACKGROUND

1. In March of 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States created an unprecedented nationwide health and economic crisis. The pandemic laid bare, and in many cases, exacerbated, existing social, health, and economic inequities that continue to require targeted interventions through partnerships with local, nonprofit organizations. However, many nonprofits were negatively impacted financially, and small or fledgling nonprofits struggled to access critical capacity-building resources needed to meet the rigorous compliance and reporting requirements associated with government-provided grant funding.
2. The provision of American Rescue Plan Act / State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (ARPA/SLFRF) presented a unique opportunity to the City of Norfolk to invest its resources in the expansion and strengthening of Norfolk’s nonprofit sector to provide services that support and sustain the thriving communities and residents of the City. Through its Program to Improve Capacity and Capability (PICC), the City seeks to invest in and broaden the field of nonprofit organizations.
3. Organizations with their IRS 501(c)(3) status and annual cash expenditures between $50,000 and $249,999 may be eligible to apply during the spring of 2024 for funding in the Tier Two – Year Two competition. Organizations with their IRS 501(c)(3) status and annual cash expenditures of $250,000 or more may be eligible to apply during the early winter of 2024 for funding in the Tier One – Year Two competition.