Fiscal Sponsorship

We’re here for those who want to outsource their finance and administration roles or those who do not have 501(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt status.

As a fiscal sponsor, NEO acts as an umbrella organization for an individual or project’s charitable work, and accepts and administers funds on its behalf. Fiscal sponsorship at NEO gives groups a non-profit “home” and allows them to focus on their programmatic work while NEO manages the financial, HR and legal elements, giving the projects the room they need to make a significant impact on the world.

We see ourselves as partners with the organizations we support and our interactions with our projects go far beyond the transactional. NEO’s fiscally sponsored projects have access to an entire team of highly experienced professionals and an array of services provided at a lower or more flexible cost than would be possible for these projects on their own. All fiscally sponsored projects at NEO have a mission-aligned focus on social justice and social change. We are nimble, flexible and bring significant value-added skills and resources to each project.

OUR SERVICES

NEO’s offerings are tailored based on each project’s needs and initiatives. We offer a range of services for fiscally sponsored projects including:

Financial Management: NEO supports the creation of annual budgets and provides regular financial reports and forecasting to the projects to assist in making informed programmatic decisions;
Due Diligence and Reporting: NEO ensures compliance with legal restrictions consistent with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;
Grant Proposal Review and Submission: NEO reviews narrative and financial grant application materials on behalf of the project;
Narrative and Financial Grant Reporting: NEO works with the project to ensure that it is in compliance with narrative and financial reporting requirements of donors;
Management of Consulting and Vendor Contracts: NEO generates and manages contracts with project consultants and vendors, including processing invoice payments and reimbursement, advising on legal compliance and distributing 1099s annually;
Documentation for Donors: NEO provides organizational documentation requested by donors and potential donors to the project, including issuing receipts for donor’s tax records;
Human Resources Administration: NEO supports all employment related activities, including administration of payroll and benefits, onboarding of new employees, supporting the annual review process and monitoring and communication of all legal compliance issues. As needed, NEO also advises on overall management issues, such as performance management, professional development, best practices, etc.;
Grantmaking: For projects that engage in grantmaking, NEO conducts due diligence on proposed grantees and proposals, issues grant award letters and payments, as well as monitors the reporting schedule and collects the required grant reports;
Fundraising Advice: Projects have access, as needed, to NEO Leadership as a resource to brainstorm about programmatic goals and donor relationships/engagement, as well as overall fundraising strategy and communication;
Convening and Meeting Support: NEO reviews and assists in language negotiations for any necessary vendor contracts related to convenings, such as hotels or caterers. When required, NEO remits payment for large expenses on a NEO credit card. Additionally, NEO provides access to a travel agent for use by our projects that can support large scale travel bookings directly on a NEO credit card or the traveler’s personal card, as needed; and
Access to Meeting Space: Projects have access to NEO’s headquarters in New York City for meetings and temporary office space.

OUR TEAM

The NEO Fiscal Sponsorship team is comprised of staff with deep experience in working with a variety of mission-aligned social justice organizations. Staff take pride in working with the organizations in their fiscal sponsorship portfolios and ensuring they have the organizational support to achieve their missions. Fiscal Sponsorship staff include:

Become a NEO Project

The centerpiece of NEO’s fiscal sponsorship is the customized attention we bring to meet the specific needs of projects, organizations and special initiatives. This gives groups the time and energy to focus on their campaigns and programs while NEO handles the back-end services. NEO is not a one-size-fits-all shop, and believes personalization and being attentive to the needs of each project is the key to success.

NEO is proud to serve as the fiscal sponsor for many important efforts in our field. Some areas of focus for the groups we sponsor include: civic participation, environmental justice, investigative journalism, LGBTQ justice, racial justice, arts and culture, reproductive rights and sexual assault and domestic violence.

Eligibility and Considerations

In order to be eligible to apply to NEO for Fiscal Sponsorship, you must meet the following criteria:

Reflect a similar commitment to the goals set forth in NEO’s mission;
The work supported must be for purposes which are legal, further a legitimate tax-exempt purpose and in no way jeopardize the tax status of NEO;
Meet the requirements outlined in the Review Criteria section of the application; and
The project budget must meet NEO’s budget guidelines for active projects. Please inquire to learn about budget restrictions.

Administrative Fees

NEO offers a transparent and flexible administrative fee based on the level of services required by the project.