The Trusted Response Fund

 Since 2018, the Community Foundation has worked towards a vision of supporting a strong, equitable nonprofit sector, dedicating our staff time, funding and resources to partner with leaders, organizations and systems to fulfill that vision. This capacity building work has taken many forms; Nonprofit Effectiveness, Project Equity, and presently, the CORE Fellowship. We have identified that in our role as funder, meeting the moment means getting resources into community. We are committed to continuing our work towards achieving this vision, as we launch the Trusted Response Fund during the 2025-2026 funding cycle.  

The nonprofit sector is being impacted by a changing external environment, where shifts in public funding and economic conditions are creating new challenges for nonprofits and those they support. LVCF, as part of our commitment to connection, learning, and opportunity, has sought input from those most impacted by these changes. Through conversations with nonprofit partners and community leaders, three key priorities have emerged: addressing the financial challenges facing nonprofits, reducing barriers to capacity-building resources, and expanding inclusive opportunities for shared learning and connection. This feedback has informed an evolution of our capacity-building strategies and led to the creation of the Trusted Response Fund. 

The Trusted Response Fund provides capacity building support for the tools, strategies, programs, and partnerships that nonprofits need most right now. The fund gives financial support to assist organizations in planning, adapting, and staying resilient in a rapidly changing environment.  

Trusted Response Fund applicants can request grant amounts in the range of $5,000 - $20,000.  Grants may be used for a wide range of capacity-building strategies, with priority given to nonprofits who demonstrate at least one of the following focuses:

• Engage in planning and action that responds to critical community needs 
• Plan for sustainability in the face of funding gaps   
• Bolster essential programs and services that are critical during this moment  
• Provide support to individual leadership 
• Strengthen collective capacity to meet the needs of individuals, organizations and/or systems 
• Innovate to respond to emerging or growing needs  
• Prioritize access or advancement of resources for supporting marginalized and underrepresented communities 

No matter your mission, if you are finding ways to adapt and meet the evolving needs of our community, we invite you to apply and share your work with us. Organizations can submit proposals within our grant categories below, but we welcome projects outside of these areas as well—because we, too, are learning alongside our partners.   

Purpose and Impact 

• E.g. Expanding your mission to include a new service or program to meet a key community need. 

Financial Sustainability 

• E.g. Hiring a consultant to support the creation of a new fundraising strategy to fill funding gaps or increase revenue for impact. 

Leadership 

• E.g. Training senior staff on adaptive leadership to strengthen governance, aid decision making, and guide the organization through rapid change. 

Strategic Response 

• E.g. Engaging legal services to audit programs for compliance to new federal standards.  

Operational Efficiency/Effectiveness 

• E.g. Developing and implementing an IT improvement plan to increase efficiency, safety, and accessibility.  

Organizational Culture and Continuous Learning 

• E.g. Staff wellness projects to proactively or actively respond to staff burnout. 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) 

• E.g. Community feedback meetings to inform organizational strategy. 

Other 

• We are here to learn from you. If you do not feel like your project does not fit into one of these categories, please select this option.  

Responsiveness to Need 

• If the applicant clearly identifies a critical current or emerging need the organization/community/system faces AND has proposed a project/strategy that directly addresses the presenting need. 

Intentionality and Strategic Alignment  

• If the applicant demonstrates that the chosen project/strategy is a result of thoughtful, strategic, and inclusive decision making. 
• If the organization produced a project/strategy that is informed by and accountable to those most impacted by the identified need.  If this is an internal project/strategy, those most impacted may be the employees, volunteers or clients, while a community-wide need may include various community members, stakeholders, and clients. This will vary based on context and project/strategy. 

Organizational Readiness 

• If the organization has the structures, systems, resources, relationships, and capacity to carry out the project/strategy effectively. 

Clarity of Plan 

• If the organization has outlined a clear plan for their chosen project/strategy that is feasible given their context, has a realistic timeline, and includes the right people for success. 

Impact and Learning 

• If the organization has identified an impact that is clear, contextually feasible, and relevant to the critical need and chosen project/strategy. 
• If the applicant has identified a clear plan to capture learning from both the process and implementation of the project/strategy. 

Application Opens – September 29th, 2025 

Apply Now Link: https://www.grantinterface.com/Process/Apply?urlkey=lehighvalley 

Please note: you can view the application questions by clicking on the above link, and clicking the "Preview" button.

Office Hours 

Zoom to Join: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/3420507866?omn=81259256988 

Friday, October 10th: 1:00 – 2:00 PM 

Friday, November 7th: 2:00 – 3:00 PM 

Friday, November 14th: 8:30 – 9:30 AM 

Application Closes – November 21st, 2025 

Notification and Payment – February 2026 

• Organization serves residents in Lehigh and/or Northampton counties 
• Organization recognized as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 
• Organizations under fiscal sponsors are encouraged to apply 
• Coalitions planning for systems readiness should apply 

The Community Foundation values applications representing our diverse nonprofit sector. We recognize that sometimes there is an underrepresentation of applications from historically marginalized groups. In this application process, we look forward to reviewing applications from all of our partners, including those led by or serving: 

• BIPOC individuals 
• Individuals with lived experience 
• People with disabilities 
• LGBTQ+ individuals 
• Immigrants and refugees 
• Veterans 
• Rural communities and other historically underrepresented populations 

We recognize that systemic barriers can make accessing funding opportunities more challenging for some organizations. Our intention is to make the application process as accessible and inclusive as possible.  

Process supports:  

• Video/voice submission for certain questions 
• Grant application information session 
• Open office hours offered through the application window 

If you encounter any barriers in completing or submitting your application, please contact us directly—we are committed to finding solutions to ensure equitable access. 

LINK | Trusted Response Fund October 2025 Info Session Presentation

LINK | Trusted Response Fund FAQ

For assistance, please contact 

Robyn Weaver, Program Officer, Capacity Building.

Email: robyn@lvcfoundation.org

Phone: 610-351-5353, ext. 122