• Application Opens: August 31, 2025
• Application Closes: October 10, 2025 @ 5:00 PM Eastern
• If needed, interview meetings: October 27 – 31, 2025
• Winner Notified by: November 14, 2025
• Work Begins: January 1, 2026
• Work Ends by: June 30, 2026

Em Carr, affectionately known as Scout in North Carolina’s activist communities, was a passionate supporter of harm reduction. Em passed away unexpectedly in September 2024, leaving a huge gap in our hearts, and in the world.

In honor of Em’s work and care for the lifesaving work of harm reduction, The Capacity Collective is proud to offer up to 25 hours of FREE data capacity building supports to one harm reduction organization each year, starting in 2026. The 2025 Application will open August 31, 2025, and will be available until October 10, 2025 at 5:00 PM Eastern.

About the Scholarship

Who is eligible?

• Community-Based Organization (501(c)(3) status not required)
• Programs providing Harm Reduction services to people who use drugs
• Organizations with annual budgets under $1M
• Programs serving people who use drugs in any state in the US or province in Canada.
• Programs that can give 1-2 staff dedicated time and space to work with us on your project

What does the scholarship cover?

The Capacity Collective will provide up to 25 hours of Data Capacity Building services ($5,000 value). The time will be spent completing a data project together, while providing capacity building to staff members to be able to maintain/replicate the work of the project. The project should be chosen by the applying organization, and described in the application. The 25 hours can cover the entire project, or be a part of a larger project, offsetting the costs for the first 25 hours.

Example Projects:

• Create/revise an intake process
• Create/revise a survey or other data collection tool
• Create/revise a focus group plan
• Plan a research project (e.g., photovoice or alumni study of past participants)
• Evaluation planning (developing plan for evaluating your program/service)
• Database preparation (map out a database structure + explore possible databases)
• Planning and/or designing a data sheet (1-page overview of data insights to share with funders, donors, community, etc.)
• See the What We Do page of this website for more ideas

How do we apply?

• Download the questions here to prepare your responses in advance.
• When you’re ready, complete the scholarship application here.

What if we have questions?

Please send your questions to info@thecapacitycollective.org.

About Em

Em excelled at their job and was beloved by their colleagues and clients. They were innovative, creative, and an incredible problem solver. They loved to teach, collaborate, learn alongside others, and fully embodied “meeting people where they are”. They were unwaveringly kind and ridiculously funny; care and compassion were at the root of their being. Em cared deeply about harm reduction, reproductive and birth justice, and helping others realize their visions for a radical new future. They believed strongly in collective power, and strove to build community in all that they did. 

Some quotes from Em’s clients:

• “Em brought so much energy, heart, and authenticity to everything they touched, and we’ll carry that forward in the work we continue to do.”
• “Em was one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever met. I learned so much from them through this work and the friendship we developed.”
• “Em was a gifted collaborator and inspiring advocate for data equity. I have never heard someone speak so passionately about equitable data collection.”

Learn more about Em’s incredible life and legacy here.

About Capacity Building

Capacity building is whatever is needed to bring a nonprofit to the next level of operational, programmatic, financial, or organizational maturity, so it may more effectively and efficiently advance its mission into the future.

—A Network Approach to Capacity Building (National Council of Nonprofits)

Learn more about capacity building here.

Note: Some have rightfully expressed concerns about capacity building in the social sector. For us, capacity building should not replace adequate funding opportunities in the social sector, nor should it reproduce power structures. Our goal is to provide training and mentorship to under-resourced programs and organizations to be able to collect, store, analyze, and share data in a way that centers community, and provides meaningful insights to organizations to strengthen their work. Learn more about our approach in the “About The Capacity Collective” section below.

About The Capacity Collective

The Capacity Collective, an LGBTQ- and women-led organization, is a team of compassionate nerds supporting community-based organizations across the United States and beyond. We help organizations set up and streamline data processes so you can demonstrate your great work, celebrate the impacts you are making, elevate the experiences of your communities, and advocate for social change. Our team leverages the power of data (in all its forms) to support organizations as you collect, store, analyze and share the stories of your communities in their own voices—not just responding to funders. We support community-based organizations to be set up for success with their data, with supports including:

• Database Implementation/Improvement: Choosing the best fit, customizing the site to your needs, training staff, documenting processes, migrating data from other sources, and automating your reporting processes.
• Data Dreaming: Facilitating data conversations: what do you wish you knew about your communities and/or the work you are doing? What do you wish you could tell others, and who would those audiences be?
• Culturally-Responsive Data Support: Ensuring your data tools and practices are a good fit for the norms and nuances of the communities you serve.
• Evaluation Planning: Determining how to meaningfully evaluate your programs, and weaving those plans into your data collection processes, minimizing barriers for staff and community.
• Data Analysis: Developing your skills to interact with your data, including analyzing numeric and narrative data, building your skills in Excel or Google Sheets, and using data visualization to bring your data to life.
• Reporting: Organizing your reporting requirements, and setting up processes/systems to take the pain out of reporting (for BSK and beyond).
• Data Quality: Assessing your current data strengths and challenges, finding opportunities for improvement, and training staff as needed to improve data quality.
• Using Data for Good: Finding opportunities to live your values with your data, weaving it into your grant writing, development/fundraising, program improvement, advocacy, etc.
• Creating a Data Culture: Normalizing data practices and processes to cultivate a culture where data is valued and prioritized.

We believe in building capacity, not just dropping off tools. We love to work alongside you as partners, building your capacity, so you can build the capacity of your communities.

Testimonials

Read testimonials from some of our wonderful clients here.