Good Work Needs a Good Home
Some of the most important work in our community begins before there’s an organization to house it. A coalition forming around a shared goal. A neighborhood initiative gaining momentum. A collaborative effort that needs a supportive home base.
CFMT’s fiscal sponsorship program provides these efforts with a trusted legal and financial home. Your project can operate under CFMT’s 501(c)(3) status, accept tax-deductible contributions, and build the track record funders want to see. We handle compliance and back-office administration. You stay focused on the work and the impact you’re here to make.
WHO THIS IS FOR
Fiscal sponsorship is a fit if you’re:
- Leading a new or emerging initiative without your own 501(c)(3) status
- Building a coalition or cross-sector collaborative that needs a shared fiscal home
- Testing an idea before committing to the cost and complexity of incorporating
- Awaiting your own tax-exempt determination and need to keep raising funds in the meantime
HOW IT WORKS
When CFMT serves as your fiscal sponsor, we accept charitable contributions on your project’s behalf, manage those funds in a dedicated account, and handle gift acknowledgment, compliance, and financial reporting. Your project benefits from more than 35 years of CFMT’s financial, legal, and philanthropic infrastructure without having to build it from scratch.
Fiscal sponsorship is a true partnership, not merely a pass-through arrangement. CFMT retains the discretion and control over charitable funds required by IRS rules, while your project operates within our charitable mission, keeps us informed about its budget and activities, and remains focused on advancing the work.
THREE WAYS WE PARTNER
Comprehensive Sponsorship
WHAT IT MEANS
Your project operates fully within CFMT’s legal and tax-exempt umbrella.
BEST FOR
Emerging initiatives led by dedicated staff without a formal legal structure of their own.
ADMINISTRATIVE FEE
Pre-Approved Grant Partnership
WHAT IT MEANS
CFMT receives contributions and re-grants them to your existing legal entity after reviewing expenditures.
BEST FOR
Organizations awaiting their own 501(c)(3) determination, or short-term campaigns with existing legal infrastructure.
ADMINISTRATIVE FEE
Collaborative Sponsorship
WHAT IT MEANS
CFMT serves as the backbone organization for a multi-partner initiative, managing coalition fund flows and sub-grantee agreements.
BEST FOR
Cross-sector coalitions with multiple organizational partners working toward a shared goal.
ADMINISTRATIVE FEE
Every fee is documented in a signed Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement before any funds are received, and covers the accounting, compliance, and reporting work that makes each model possible.
WHAT CFMT PROVIDES
Regardless of which level fits your project, CFMT brings:
- Full compliance with IRS regulations and state charitable solicitation law
- Segregated, project-level financial accounting and reporting
- Gift processing and IRS-compliant acknowledgment letters
- A secure online portal with monthly account statements
- Advisory support on governance, communications, and strategic alignment
- An annual program alignment review, so the partnership stays a genuine two-way conversation
A STRUCTURE THAT CAN EVOLVE
Not every good idea needs to become a separate nonprofit. For some initiatives, particularly collaboratives, coalitions, and ongoing convening efforts, remaining within CFMT’s structure can be the most effective long-term home.
For others, fiscal sponsorship can be a bridge to independence. When that’s the goal, we help build a roadmap from the start, developing the financial track record, governance structure, and operational capacity needed to stand on your own.
The Village is following that path today, evolving from a fiscally sponsored initiative into an independent nonprofit.
GETTING STARTED
Regardless of which level fits your project, CFMT brings:
- Start a conversation. Tell us about your project, your goals, and where you are in your organizational development.
- Complete an intake application. We’ll ask for a project description, budget, leadership structure, and any existing legal entity status.
- CFMT reviews your application. Our program staff evaluate mission alignment and operational fit, with final approval from CFMT’s CEO or their designee.
- Sign a Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement. This document, reviewed by CFMT’s legal counsel, sets the terms of the relationship before any funds are accepted.
- Begin the partnership. Your project gains access to CFMT’s online donor portal, monthly reporting, and ongoing advisory support.
HAVE A PROJECT IN MIND?
Let’s talk about whether fiscal sponsorship is the right fit.
Adnan Karim
Vice President of Community Impact
