Community Toolbox awards grants for a range of infrastructure building and organizational development activities, including training in strategic planning, accounting, fundraising, human resources development, administration, board development and financial management, as well as community outreach, organizing and constituency building, education, multi-organizational collaboration and networking, and media efforts to raise public awareness about children's environmental health issues. Many parent groups and community-based organizations do not have resources, experience, or organizational capacity to fully maximize their potential to carry out effective intervention programs. Other common obstacles include lack of experience and systems in the areas of accounting, fundraising, human resources development, administration, financial management and strategic planning. Community Toolbox's training and technical assistance helps ensure that grant funds are well spent and new resources contribute to the long-term sustainability of organizations.
Organizations operate in different states, but solutions to their struggles are often the same.
One of the most promising approaches to providing training and technical assistance is rooted in the creation of focused dialogue and learning between organizations.