Fiscal Sponsorship

PDF’s fiscal sponsorship program fosters an ecosystem of mission-aligned organizations bringing a more peaceful, just, and equitable world into being. Fiscal sponsorship legally extends our 501(c)3 tax status to the projects we sponsor, allowing organizations to accept tax-deductible donations from individuals and institutions. We process donations on behalf of your organization, freeing up your time to beSharing back-end infrastructure for processing donations

Model C: Built for Your Autonomy

There are many models of fiscal sponsorship available. (We recommend reviewing this explainer from Social Impact Commons to learn more about different models of fiscal sponsorship.) PDF operates a Model C, or “grantor-grantee” model. That means we process donations from individuals and institutions on behalf of the sponsored project. We then disburse those donations as a grant from PDF to the sponsored project.

Model C sponsorships are designed to provide maximum autonomy. PDF keeps records of donations received, sends acknowledgement letters to donors for tax purposes, and tracks reporting requirements to other funders. This set up is great for organizations that are building towards their own (c)3 status, are in-between (c)3 status, or do not anticipate any other major financial or administrative needs.

PDF offers limited strategic support for all sponsored projects, including technical assistance from PDF’s Program Manager, a monthly newsletter of grant opportunities, and network-building events.

Here’s how it works:

We accept and process all donations from individuals and institutions on your behalf.

We issue tax-acknowledgment letters to your donors.

We then disburse these funds to you as a grant.

You remain a separate, independent entity with your own legal, tax, and accounting identity.

Is Fiscal Sponsorship at PDF Right for You?

We’re proud to support a diverse range of projects nationwide. To see if our program is a good fit, consider the following:

Our Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for fiscal sponsorship with PDF, your organization must:

Have more than three people involved.

Be based in the United States or its territories.

Have an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and a bank account in your organization’s name. You will need to send us a voided check as proof of bank account.

Have a Board of Advisors, by-laws, or other procedural documents that establish you as a freestanding organization.

Require support solely for donation processing, not for other administrative tasks like payroll, paying vendors, or managing fee-for-service income.

If you meet these requirements, you’re ready for the next step!

Our Key Policies and Procedures

Clear policies and procedures to ensure a strong partnership. Below are key pieces of our program:

Fees: To cover our administrative costs, we charge a 7.5% processing fee on each donation. Fees for donations over $1M can be negotiated. There is also a one-time $250 application fee and a yearly $105 program fee after the first year.

Disbursements: We disburse grants once per month by the 15th, for all donations received in the prior calendar month. Disbursements are made when your balance is at least $500, but all groups receive a disbursement at the end of the fiscal year regardless of the balance.

Reporting: To remain active in the program, you’re required to submit an annual report. The report includes a financial statement, a budget, and 3-4 short open response questions about your goals, challenges, and strategy.,

Donations and Fundraising: Sponsored projects are responsible for all fundraising. Donations must be used for charitable purposes. We accept donations from individuals and institutions but do not accept government grants.

Ready to Apply?

The first step is to connect with our team. Please email our Program Manager, Jessa McCormack, at jessa@peacefund.org to schedule a meeting. Be prepared to discuss your mission, vision, budget, fundraising plan, and what you are looking for in a fiscal sponsor.