Growing the Grassroots: Strategies for Building the Organizational Capacity of Youth-Led Organizations and Initiatives

The long-term viability of youth-led organizations and initiatives necessitates investment in organizational capacity-building work. By building organizational capacity, grassroots youth-led organizations and initiatives will improve their chances of sustainability by increasing their ability to respond to external and internal needs and demands; connecting grassroots youth-led organizations and initiatives with organizational capacity-building opportunities is essential for strengthening the sector.

The purpose of this report is to review, examine, and assess current organizational capacity-building frameworks, present relevant case studies, and offer practical suggestions for building the organizational capacity of grassroots youth-led organizations and initiatives. Due to a lack of literature specific to building the capacity of grassroots youth organizations and initiatives, this report expanded the scope to focus on a general non-profit context. The report presents definitions of organizational capacity-building and models for assessing organizational capacity, and identifies strategies for building organizational capacity. The report concludes by synthesizing the findings and offering recommendations for building the organizational capacity of youth-led organizations and initiatives.