Community Partner Program Redesign

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Community Partners Program

PWC Works projects reflect our commitment of striving for exceptional customer service, maximizing operational efficiencies, increasing modernization, providing excellent service delivery, and collaborating with the community for a coordinated response that achieves the best possible outcomes for our residents and the overall wellbeing of the county.


What is the Community Partners Program?

Prince William County works with numerous non-profit organizations to deliver services to the community in a timely and efficient manner. Community Partners are community 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations that receive funding directly from the county government. Typically, community partners help reduce the cost of services by leveraging scarce county resources with other funding sources and fundraising activities.


Purpose

The purpose of the redesigned Community Partner (CP) program is to evaluate current community partner service relationships with non-profit organizations providing services to the community on behalf of Prince William County. The county is researching which programs and services can transition to contractual relationships and which would move to a new yearly competitive donation CP process. The CP program will continue to provide performance metrics yearly or bi-yearly.

The county is taking this action to enhance accountability and transparency on how taxpayer funding is being utilized to provide programs and services delivered to the community while leveraging community resources to provide needed essential services.


Main Goals of the Community Partners Program

The main goals of the redesigned Community Partners Program are:

  • Establish a standard framework for evaluating and awarding community funding requests.
  • Allow community participation in determining awards through the Community Partners Selection Committee comprised of county staff and community members appointed by the County Executive.
  • Transition essential service providers to contracts or Memorandum of Understandings to ensure there are no vital service impacts to the community.
  • Improve transparency and accountability of community partnerships.


Success Criteria of the Community Partners Program

  • Update eligibility criteria for Community Partner program applicants to include providing a program or service that directly advances or supports a goal, objective or action strategy in the county’s Strategic Plan.
  • Institute an annual competitive funding process for non-profit organizations that are not transitioned to contracts or MOUs.
  • Develop a scoring matrix for evaluating Community Partner applications.
  • Provide essential programs and services to the residents of Prince William County.



Community Partners Program Redesign: Meeting the Success Criteria

The Community Partners Program has been redesigned to align with the project’s success criteria of enhancing transparency, accountability and effectiveness in community partnerships. The project enhances how the county collaborates with non-profit organizations to deliver essential programs and services, ensuring alignment with the county’s Strategic Plan and residents’ needs.

  • Aligning Eligibility Criteria with Strategic Plan Goals
    Eligibility criteria for the Community Partners Program now require applicants to demonstrate how their programs or services directly advance a goal, objective or action strategy within the county's Strategic Plan. This alignment ensures that partnerships support measurable progress toward community priorities.

As part of the redesign, the following changes were made:

  • Competitive Funding Process
    An annual competitive funding process was instituted, providing two distinct funding tracks:

  • Standard Partnerships Grants: Non-profits can request up to $75,000 annually.
  • Micro Partnerships Grants: Smaller grants up to $5,000 for organizations with targeted, localized impacts.

This dual-track approach increases access to funding for a diverse range of organizations, from large-scale service providers to smaller, grassroots efforts.

  • Scoring Matrix for Application Evaluation
    A comprehensive scoring matrix was developed to evaluate applications objectively. This tool ensures consistency and fairness in decision-making, enabling the Community Partners Selection Committee, formed during the FY25 budget process, to make data-driven recommendations.

  • Enhanced Community Participation
    The Community Partners Selection Committee incorporates community participation in evaluating and recommending funding awards. This inclusive approach fosters trust and ensures that decisions reflect the priorities of county residents.

  • Focus on Delivering Essential Programs and Services
    By prioritizing partnerships that deliver essential services, the Community Partners Program strengthens its commitment to addressing the most pressing needs of Prince William County residents.


The Community Partners FY26 Funding Process

The redesigned Community Partners Program emphasizes strategic collaboration and accountability:

  • Standard and Micro Partnership Tracks: Non-profits compete for funding based on their alignment with strategic goals and measurable impact.

  • Performance Metrics: Funding decisions are tied to clear performance metrics, ensuring sustained delivery of critical services.

  • Support for Applicants: Resources, including an informational video from November 25 and a December 5 workshop, guide applicants through the process.

Applications for FY26 funding are now open and will close on January 24, 2025. This process ensures transparency and accessibility, enabling organizations to demonstrate their value and alignment with county objectives effectively.


For More Information

To learn more about eligibility requirements, access resources like the scoring rubric and recorded sessions, or register for the upcoming workshop, visit the Community Partners website or contact the team at [email protected].

PWC Works projects reflect our commitment of striving for exceptional customer service, maximizing operational efficiencies, increasing modernization, providing excellent service delivery, and collaborating with the community for a coordinated response that achieves the best possible outcomes for our residents and the overall wellbeing of the county.


What is the Community Partners Program?

Prince William County works with numerous non-profit organizations to deliver services to the community in a timely and efficient manner. Community Partners are community 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations that receive funding directly from the county government. Typically, community partners help reduce the cost of services by leveraging scarce county resources with other funding sources and fundraising activities.


Purpose

The purpose of the redesigned Community Partner (CP) program is to evaluate current community partner service relationships with non-profit organizations providing services to the community on behalf of Prince William County. The county is researching which programs and services can transition to contractual relationships and which would move to a new yearly competitive donation CP process. The CP program will continue to provide performance metrics yearly or bi-yearly.

The county is taking this action to enhance accountability and transparency on how taxpayer funding is being utilized to provide programs and services delivered to the community while leveraging community resources to provide needed essential services.


Main Goals of the Community Partners Program

The main goals of the redesigned Community Partners Program are:

  • Establish a standard framework for evaluating and awarding community funding requests.
  • Allow community participation in determining awards through the Community Partners Selection Committee comprised of county staff and community members appointed by the County Executive.
  • Transition essential service providers to contracts or Memorandum of Understandings to ensure there are no vital service impacts to the community.
  • Improve transparency and accountability of community partnerships.


Success Criteria of the Community Partners Program

  • Update eligibility criteria for Community Partner program applicants to include providing a program or service that directly advances or supports a goal, objective or action strategy in the county’s Strategic Plan.
  • Institute an annual competitive funding process for non-profit organizations that are not transitioned to contracts or MOUs.
  • Develop a scoring matrix for evaluating Community Partner applications.
  • Provide essential programs and services to the residents of Prince William County.



Community Partners Program Redesign: Meeting the Success Criteria

The Community Partners Program has been redesigned to align with the project’s success criteria of enhancing transparency, accountability and effectiveness in community partnerships. The project enhances how the county collaborates with non-profit organizations to deliver essential programs and services, ensuring alignment with the county’s Strategic Plan and residents’ needs.

  • Aligning Eligibility Criteria with Strategic Plan Goals
    Eligibility criteria for the Community Partners Program now require applicants to demonstrate how their programs or services directly advance a goal, objective or action strategy within the county's Strategic Plan. This alignment ensures that partnerships support measurable progress toward community priorities.

As part of the redesign, the following changes were made:

  • Competitive Funding Process
    An annual competitive funding process was instituted, providing two distinct funding tracks:

  • Standard Partnerships Grants: Non-profits can request up to $75,000 annually.
  • Micro Partnerships Grants: Smaller grants up to $5,000 for organizations with targeted, localized impacts.

This dual-track approach increases access to funding for a diverse range of organizations, from large-scale service providers to smaller, grassroots efforts.

  • Scoring Matrix for Application Evaluation
    A comprehensive scoring matrix was developed to evaluate applications objectively. This tool ensures consistency and fairness in decision-making, enabling the Community Partners Selection Committee, formed during the FY25 budget process, to make data-driven recommendations.

  • Enhanced Community Participation
    The Community Partners Selection Committee incorporates community participation in evaluating and recommending funding awards. This inclusive approach fosters trust and ensures that decisions reflect the priorities of county residents.

  • Focus on Delivering Essential Programs and Services
    By prioritizing partnerships that deliver essential services, the Community Partners Program strengthens its commitment to addressing the most pressing needs of Prince William County residents.


The Community Partners FY26 Funding Process

The redesigned Community Partners Program emphasizes strategic collaboration and accountability:

  • Standard and Micro Partnership Tracks: Non-profits compete for funding based on their alignment with strategic goals and measurable impact.

  • Performance Metrics: Funding decisions are tied to clear performance metrics, ensuring sustained delivery of critical services.

  • Support for Applicants: Resources, including an informational video from November 25 and a December 5 workshop, guide applicants through the process.

Applications for FY26 funding are now open and will close on January 24, 2025. This process ensures transparency and accessibility, enabling organizations to demonstrate their value and alignment with county objectives effectively.


For More Information

To learn more about eligibility requirements, access resources like the scoring rubric and recorded sessions, or register for the upcoming workshop, visit the Community Partners website or contact the team at [email protected].