Our Commons
We are a nonprofit organization supporting a national network of fiscal sponsor member organizations.
We support the creation of new fiscal sponsors as well as the growth of emerging and established fiscal sponsors. We build the capacity of the field through shared knowledge, language, impact measures, tools, technology platforms and expertise targeting the immediate needs of fiscal sponsors.
How We Do It
Shared Resources
Based on two years of field research, we have found that the chief needs for building the capacity of the field are:
Providing direct executive advisory support in finance, HR, legal, assessment, and technology development and support.
Shared cloud-based enterprise technology systems for sponsors and their Program Members.
Impact models, thought leadership, case making, staff/board training curricula, and gathering of best practices. We are directly capitalizing the field through developing these shared resources.
TEAM OF SENIOR ADVISORS
Finance & Compliance
Human Resources Management
Legal & Risk Management
Impact & Operations Assessment Technology Development & Management
TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS FOR…
Accounting & Compliance
Human Resources Management
Constituent Relationship Management
Marketing & Fundraising
Project Management & Sales/Ticketing
TOOLS DOCS & POLICIES FOR…
Financial Management & Planning
Legal Transactions & Formations
Governance & Compliance
Work Communications & Case Making
HR Management & Staff/Board Training
Commoning Practice
In the interest of centering equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work... We have created a model that merges fiscal sponsorship practices with principles of commoning to create the next generation of practice: commons management.
The field of commoning practice has a long history and is enjoying renewed interest, as it concerns more “bottom up”, equitable, and participatory management principles focused on mutual care and economic self-sufficiency.
PROVISIONING
Create Convivial Tools
Make, Contribute, and Use Together
Share the Risks of Provisioning
Adapt & Renew Practices Constantly
SOCIAL LIFE
Cultivate Shared Purpose & Values
Commit to Ongoing Peer Learning
Practice Gentle Reciprocity
Trust Situated Knowledge
PEER GOVERNANCE
Foster Diversity within Defined Communities
Assure Consent in Decision Making
Rely on Transparency & Distributed Structure
Peer Monitor & Apply Restorative Practices
A fiscal sponsor, or commons manager (our term), is a nonprofit backbone organization that provides shared corporate structure, finance, HR, legal, insurance, risk management and other resources among multiple semiautonomous missions.
HOW WE WORK
““There was no relationship with our previous fiscal
sponsor. They didn’t have the infrastructure to
support us beyond accepting donations. So, we were
very limited in our growth. It’s something special to
say that our fiscal sponsor is local and accessible. I
only wish I would have known about it sooner
because having that infrastructure is fundamental.””