Capacity Building & Technical Assistance
Helping Partners Build Capacity
NRHC supports communities, trail organizations, municipalities, and heritage partners by helping them build the knowledge, tools, and confidence needed to move projects from idea to implementation.
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Our Approach
The Teach, Not Do Approach
Our goal is not to take over projects. Our goal is to help partners understand the process, make informed decisions, and build long-term, sustainable capacity.
Through coaching, review, templates, and technical guidance, NRHC helps partners strengthen their ability to manage grants, develop projects, coordinate with stakeholders, and plan for implementation.
Grant Readiness & Strategy
Helping partners understand project fit, funding alignment, match needs, timelines, and application strategy before they pursue funding.
Project Scoping & Work Plans
Helping partners define project goals, deliverables, partners, budgets, roles, and realistic next steps so projects are easier to manage and explain.
RFP & Procurement Guidance
Helping partners understand scopes of work, consultant selection, procurement expectations, and documentation needs.
Grant Administration Coaching
Helping partners navigate reporting, reimbursement requests, recordkeeping, grant portals, and the documentation needed to stay organized.
Trail, Recreation & Heritage Planning
Helping communities connect trail development, outdoor recreation, heritage tourism, interpretation, conservation, and placemaking.
Organizational Capacity Building
Helping partners strengthen roles, responsibilities, internal systems, communication, and long-term project readiness.
What NRHC Provides
NRHC’s role is to provide guidance, coaching, tools, and technical support that help partners better understand and move their projects forward.
- Project scoping and strategy conversations
- Templates, examples, and process guidance
- Draft review and feedback
- Budget, match, and timeline guidance
- Procurement and RFP support
- Grant reporting and reimbursement coaching
- Connections to partners, resources, and examples
What Partners Own
Partners remain responsible for their own projects, decisions, compliance, records, and implementation. NRHC helps build capacity, but does not take over ownership of the work.
- Final project decisions and approvals
- Grant submissions and official correspondence
- Fiscal management and payment responsibilities
- Compliance with funder and procurement requirements
- Recordkeeping and documentation
- Consultant, vendor, and municipal coordination
- Long-term project ownership and implementation
Pilot Project
National Pike Trail Council
NRHC’s capacity-building and technical assistance model is currently being piloted with the National Pike Trail Council through support for the National Pike Trail feasibility study.
Through this pilot, NRHC supported NPTC with project development, grant strategy, and application support for a Pennsylvania C2P2 Planning Grant. That effort helped secure a $120,000 planning grant to advance a feasibility study for the National Pike Trail — a major step toward understanding the trail’s future opportunities, challenges, and implementation needs.
This pilot follows a “teach, not do” approach. NRHC provides guidance, templates, review, and process support while NPTC remains the project owner and grant administrator.
Start the Conversation
Request Technical Assistance
Have a project, planning effort, grant opportunity, or organizational capacity need that fits NRHC’s mission? Start by telling us what you are working on and what kind of support you need.
NRHC reviews requests based on mission alignment, geography, urgency, staff capacity, and partner readiness. Submitting a request does not guarantee assistance, but it helps us understand partner needs and identify opportunities for support.
Request Technical Assistance