OVERVIEW: HOW & WHY FISCAL SPONSORSHIP WORKS
In the city of Houston, there is a passionate community of philanthropic individuals, charitable foundations, and government institutions devoted to funding the arts. However, many of our most talented independent artists and small artist-led organizations are ineligible to receive grants and tax-deductible contributions without 501(c)(3) tax status. That’s where the Fresh Arts fiscal sponsorship program comes in! A fiscal sponsor is a nonprofit organization that provides fiduciary oversight, financial management, and other administrative services to help build the capacity of charitable projects. Learn more about the process of fiscal sponsorship here.
Fresh Arts offers a fiscal sponsorship program that allows artists and arts organizations to receive project support outside of traditional nonprofit models. The alternative to working through a fiscal sponsor (creating a new nonprofit organization) comes with a significant administrative burden, which is neither in the average artist’s wheelhouse, nor the best use of their time—time better spent in the studio, in the practice room, or on stage. Via the fiscal sponsorship program, individual artists and small artist-led organizations aligned with Fresh Arts’ mission are able to utilize its nonprofit status to solicit funds for their projects. Through these services, Fresh Arts can open the door to new streams of support for our city’s independent artists, while providing fiscal oversight for utilizing charitable funds, as well as consultation services to enhance their professional skills.
