The Weingart Foundation has built a multi-faceted strategy designed to improve the capacity and sustainability of nonprofit organizations in Southern California. Toward this goal, the foundation offers unrestricted core support and capacity-building grants through its responsive grantmaking and develops special initiatives for deeper impact. Regionally, the Foundation continues to elevate the importance of investing in the capacity of nonprofits, coordinates ongoing discussions on this issue, and looks for opportunities to leverage resources through collaboration with other funders.

Belen Vargas, the Weingart Foundation's vice president for grant operations, discusses how the foundation handles funding capacity building and the lessons they have learned, through a focus in on their foundation's Developmental Disabilities Initiative. This initiative was designed to build the capacity of organizations that serve individuals with developmental disabilities by strengthening their leadership, capacity and scope.