Thank you for your interest in applying for a Compass Micro Project. Compass grants pro bono consulting services to nonprofits that benefit the Greater Washington community. Each Micro Project client receives approximately $40,000 of strategic consulting services - free of charge. This year, we expect to select 8-10 Micro Project clients.
DEADLINE: The deadline for client applications has been extended to Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 5:00 p.m.
ELIGIBILITY: 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in the Greater Washington area may apply if they have an operating budget between $400,000 and $750,000, a Board of Directors, and a mission that benefits the Greater Washington community. Compass does not accept clients that promote a specific religion, or religious or political beliefs.
SELECTION CRITERIA: Compass looks for indications that a potential consulting engagement will be completed successfully and have lasting, meaningful impact. Those indications include reasonable financial stability, regular Board meetings, senior staff capacity to participate in the project, an engaged Board Chair interested in the proposed project, a well-defined and realistic project scope, and a track record of community impact.
When selecting the final roster of clients, Compass looks for geographic diversity, service line diversity, and clients that represent a wide range of issue areas.
Compass rarely accepts clients who have an interim Executive Director. Compass reserves the right to cancel projects during the project year if the Executive Director leaves the organization.
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS: Before you begin this application, we recommend you view the questions in the pdf version. Some questions require detailed, carefully thought-out responses. Preparing answers ahead of time in a Word document, and then pasting them into the application, makes the process easier. If you need a pdf of the application, please contact Georgia Katinas at gkatinas@compassdc.org.
Also, before beginning the application, please make sure both the Executive Director and Board Chair are aware of this application for consulting services and agree on the requested project.
You can make changes to the application as long as you return to the application from the same computer. Please do not start a second application, and do not make changes after the deadline (December 8)
TIMING OF CLIENT SELECTION AND PROJECTS: In December, Compass representatives will contact and interview the applicants that meet our basic criteria. Compass will announce final client selections by early January.
Project Leaders, recruited in December and January, will work with clients in January to develop the project scope and engagement letter. Teams will be formed, trained, and begin working in earnest in January, with projects completed by May, 31 2012.
CONFIDENTIALITY: All information in this application will be kept confidential within Compass, the Client Selection Committee, our partnering organizations, and if selected, with the Project Leader and team.
QUESTIONS: If you have any questions after viewing the application, please feel free to contact us.
Thanks again for your interest in Compass.
Suzanne Laporte
Executive Director
Compass
(202) 459-6291
slaporte@compassdc.org
