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What is Fiscal Sponsorship?

Community Initiatives provides comprehensive fiscal sponsorship to nonprofit projects. While we take care of the administration, you can focus on your mission!

About Fiscal Sponsorship

What is Fiscal Sponsorship?

A fiscal sponsor is a unique type of nonprofit organization that shares its 501(c)(3) status with unincorporated nonprofit projects. This allows projects to receive grants and tax-exempt donations from government, foundations, and individuals. Fiscal sponsorship can end there, but at Community Initiatives we provide comprehensive back office services in support of projects for a flat fee. While we take care of the administration, you can focus on your mission!

National Network of Fiscal Sponsors logoCommunity Initiatives is a member of the National Network of Fiscal Sponsors.

What are the Benefits of Fiscal Sponsorship?

  • Projects can launch quickly, without having to file for 501(c)(3) status.
  • Newly founded projects have time to incubate without having to invest in infrastructure.
  • Financial management is taken care of by a team of experienced professionals, increasing the confidence of funders.
  • Projects can be focused in duration by design, such as disaster relief.
  • Fiscal sponsors can offer economies of scale for many services. By pooling resources, projects are able to affordably access liability protection, health insurance, and legal counsel.

The Fundamentals of Fiscal Sponsorship, as presented to the Montana Nonprofit Association by Ruth Williams, CEO and President of Community Initiatives. 

A Regulator’s View of Fiscal Sponsorship, as presented by Diane Quinlan, Assistant Director of Charitable Trusts at New Hampshire Department of Justice

“We came to Community Initiatives from another, less experienced fiscal sponsor. It became clear just how much we had been missing with our previous fiscal sponsor — the experience with small and large projects, their availability and responsiveness, and the clear passion for the essential work we do in our communities.”

Breakthrough Sacramento

Our Projects

Community Initiatives portfolio of projects range in size and serve a variety of causes, including social justice, the environment, animal rights, education, youth development, capacity building, health & wellness, philanthropy, the arts, and human services.

Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council Logo

Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council (BACHAC)

Vision Zero Network logo

Vision Zero Network

Academic Data Resilience Consortium

Academic Resilience Consortium

Community Initiatives Logo Mark

Social Solutions Incubator

Just Solutions Collective

Just Solutions Collective

Outreach to Outcomes

Outreach to Outcomes

pyOpenSci

pyOpenSci

Project Homeless Connect

Project Homeless Connect

Attendance Works Logo

Attendance Works

Community Initiatives Logo Mark

Watershed