March 10, 2026

Investing in Sustainability: A Conversation on Capacity Building at Ms. Foundation

by Samantha Franklin & Melanie Jiménez

In addition to making monetary grants, Ms. Foundation provides strategic, targeted assistance and resources to our grantee partners through our capacity building program. We spoke to Senior Program Officer Samantha Franklin and Program Officer Melanie Jiménez, who co-lead the program, about the unique ways we support our partners. 

How does the capacity building program work, and who delivers the support?

SF: Our capacity building program operates through partnerships with external consultancies and expert providers who deliver a range of support, including trainings, group and one-on-one coaching, and technical assistance. 

The program also allows us to provide flexible, needs-based, supplementary grants that help partners address urgent infrastructure needs or unexpected challenges. 

What are the goals of our capacity building work? 

SF: At its core, this work is about sustainability—helping organizations identify and access the resources they need to  grow, shift, and/or sustain their work over time. We strive to provide flexibility that meets organizations where they are and build capacity in the ways they prioritize.  

MJ: We want to make sure our grantee partners can thrive, not just survive. I see our capacity building work as an attempt to address the deep burnout that movement leaders are experiencing, especially over the last few years—our grantee partners are often directly impacted by the oppressive systems they work to dismantle. We try to be responsive to the unique challenges faced by organizations led by women, girls, and gender-expansive people of color, such as the historic lack of investment and trust by institutional philanthropy. 

What are some specific resources grantee partners are currently interested in?

MJ: Recently, our partners have been particularly interested in:

• Resources to help fortify their digital and physical security.
• Legal support, including help understanding and mitigating their organizational risk within the shifting legal and regulatory landscape.
• Support navigating threats to funding, including exploring alternative revenue generation strategies and support with restructuring, from reorganizing programs and staffing structures to mergers and fiscal partnerships. 
• Opportunities to bridge budgetary gaps and unplanned expenses that have arisen because of the current political climate. 

SF: This has been a profoundly challenging time for the organizations we work with, so we’re also seeing interest in care-based strategies, rest and wellness, and solutions, and chances to convene and strategize with fellow movement leaders. 

What are you hearing from partners about the impact of this work?

SF: The feedback has been deeply affirming. One grantee told us that The Management Center’s training and coaching, which Ms. Foundation funded, has become “hardwired” into their organization, bringing new clarity to goals, roles, and responsibilities. Others have pointed to concrete improvements in HR systems, hiring, and team cohesion. We’re also hearing that capacity building has been helpful in affirming our partners in their leadership and decision-making, while providing professional development opportunities to their staff that might not otherwise be available. 

As this work continues to evolve, Ms. Foundation remains committed to meeting partners where they are—providing the resources, relationships, and trust needed to sustain powerful movements for gender and racial equity. Capacity building is not an add-on to our grantmaking; it’s an essential strategy of how we invest in and support long-term impact.