Legal Structure

How We Are Set Up

  • Formally became a project under the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center (CNDC) in Spring 2024. MOU

  • Can apply for grants under the 501c3 of CNDC, but we aim to only do so for Federal, National, and select State opportunities. We have no desire to compete with our member organizations, so we target opportunities that would be out of the reach of our individual members and are a better fit for a coalition.

  • Can contract with orgs as well as collect and distribute funds under CNDC’s fiscal agency 

  • Have named leaders to provide oversight to this project

  • Have signed MOUs ~50 member organizations and counting

  • Have the ability to hire employees if that is useful to us at some point and we have sufficient funding to do so. Through CNDC we can offer benefits. We do not do this currently.

Fiscal Agency Highlights

  • CNDC has been a national leader in fiscal sponsorship for over 20 years, which ensures that we “pass” criteria associated with financial controls on our grant applications

  • They will never charge us more than what can be built into a grant for “indirect costs.”  This varies based on grant institution and has caps if a substantial portion of funds are re-granted or subcontracted

  • Nuance aside, roughly 10% of grant funds go to fiscal agency - which covers costs of insurance, annual accounting and bookkeeping, and any legal fees associated with contracting. (Partner Project Handbook)

  • CNDC is here to help us and has been a great partner thus far, but there is a defined process to switch fiscal agent or become an independent non-profit at some point in the future if we desire it.

Member MOUs

  • This is the most current MOU template.

  • It is not legally binding, but it does show alignment with mission and vision and is thus included in coalition grant applications 

  • Time frame currently goes through December 2028

  • You can see those with signed MOUs in the Gallery Walk of all in-person convenings or here

  • Our impact grows with our membership. You are this coalition, and it is more fun with friends.

  • Interested in joining? Contact us.