Community
A networking survey for people building public-service housing, and the nonprofits and funders around it.
How this division works.
Community is the group's public-service arm: pre-development work on housing for people facing housing instability, plus a survey of the nonprofits, property owners, grant writers, and funders who could make that work possible. Nothing here is an operating program yet.
The housing initiative is intended to sit in a separate nonprofit entity or under a fiscal sponsor, with independent governance and its own books. That structure will be finalized before any program, funding, or housing is announced.
- Format
- Survey and pre-development
- Audience
- Nonprofits · Property owners · Grant writers
- Stage
- Planning
- Who it would serve
- People facing housing instability
- Structure
- Separate nonprofit or fiscal sponsor, to be determined
- Funding
- Grants and public programs, pending eligibility
Which of these sounds like you?
Answer yes to any question and tell us more. Where answers line up, the group introduces the people involved.
Charity formation
Property & housing partners
- Are you a property owner interested in being part of the housing crisis solution?
- Are rising mortgages and property maintenance motivating issues that can inform your decision to be part of social good?
- Are you a non-profit that is looking to develop outwardly into housing for justice impacted persons?
Nonprofits & grants
How the housing is meant to work.
Mission before margin
Decisions are tested against the mission and residents' stability, not profit.
Dignity and clear standards
Residents are neighbors. House expectations are written down, applied evenly, and explained up front.
Open books
Budgets, funding sources, and outcomes are documented so partners, funders, and neighbors can see how resources are used.
From concept to a 501(c)(3).
- 1Define the mission and the people served.
Write down the purpose, the population, and what success looks like.
- 2Choose a structure.
A new nonprofit corporation, or an existing nonprofit acting as fiscal sponsor. The sponsor route is often faster to start; a new organization gives full control.
- 3Form the organization.
For a new nonprofit: incorporate in California, obtain an EIN, and adopt bylaws and a conflict-of-interest policy.
- 4Seat a board.
An independent board oversees the mission, the money, and the standards.
- 5Apply for tax-exempt status.
File for IRS recognition as a 501(c)(3) and complete California's exemption and charity registrations. Typically not needed when operating under a sponsor's umbrella.
- 6Set up books and policies.
Bookkeeping, financial controls, and annual filings in place before any funds are received.
How grant funding would be pursued.
- 1Map the funders.
Federal, state, county, and city programs, plus private foundations.
- 2Confirm eligibility.
Many funders require nonprofit status or a fiscal sponsor before anyone can apply.
- 3Build the case.
A needs statement, program design, and a budget grounded in real costs.
- 4Prepare applications.
Complete each funder's forms and gather letters of support from local partners.
- 5Manage awards.
Separate accounts, tracked spending, and the reports each award requires.
- 6Report outcomes.
Share results with funders and the community.