[Commotion-discuss] Geting funding for a wireless mesh project

[Ben West]

What Adam describes is called Fiscal Sponsorship, i.e. partnering with an
established 501.c3 to receive a grant through their non-profit status.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiscal_sponsorship

It is actually is a common method for US-based non profits to affiliate
with related groups in the grants they receive.  I've been involved with
several fiscal sponsorship relationships here in St. Louis (including
WasabiNet).

The IRS guidelines for pursuing fiscal sponsorship generally require that
whatever non-profit you're partnering with have a public mission statement
that aligns somewhat with your own goals.  Also, it is conventional that
the partner non-profit take 10 to 15% fee of the grant award as
administrative fee.  Finally, the non-profit will need all records of how
any grant funds are spent, e.g. receipts and such.

Any fiscal sponsorship relationship would need to be defined in a written
contract between your group and the non-profit, and signed before pursing
any grant applications.  I have a boilerplate contract I've used in the
past that I could share.

Do please note that many funders specifically do *not* award grants for
fiscal sponsorships, and unfortunately they don't always announce this
restriction publicly.  Be sure to ask this of any funders you come in
contact with.

(P.S. It is always a good idea to call up any prospective funder and chat.
Just submitting forms online is pretty bland; they like to hear from the
people they're supporting.)


On Wed, May 27, 2015 at 3:02 PM, Adam Longwill <Info at metamesh.org> wrote:

> I would do what our company, Meta Mesh, is doing and work with local
> community development corporations or local non profits to act as a fiscal
> pass through for a grant that you write and have the non profit present to
> a foundation on your behalf.
>
> This will allow you to NOT be a non profit and to partner with a reputable
> organization for your project.
>
> See if you can work with them to go for a small,easily applied for grant
> in your area for economic development.
>
> Adam Longwill
> On May 27, 2015 3:54 PM, <dpeel at vtlink.net> wrote:
>
>> We're working on a pilot wireless mesh project in a downtown low income
>> area in a small town in northern Vermont. We're doing pretty well with our
>> own resources so far including some donated equipment, but if we are to
>> involve very many residents we will need more money to provide free routers
>> as most people here are not able to afford it themselves. We've thought
>> about becoming a non-profit but that looks really complicated! We also
>> thought about looking for an organization that is already a non-profit
>> under which we could work to apply for grants. Or we could try
>> crowdfunding? Does anybody have any insights or suggestions? Thanks--Diane
>>
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-- 
Ben West
me at benwest.name
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