Why Choose the Ed Fund as your Fiscal Sponsor?
With the Ed Fund as your fiscal sponsor, your project or organization can…
- Connect with Oakland Schools: We know the Oakland education ecosystem, thanks to our own volunteer and grant programs.
- Increase Efficiency & Impact: 501(c)(3) status requires $10K to $100K in startup costs alone and hundreds of hours that could go to your program work instead.
- Access Expertise: Our team has extensive experience in financial management, human resources, grants, program design, and more.
- Engage Donors & Funders: We provide a reputable and established vehicle for funding —from online donors to private foundations to government agencies.
You Focus on What You Do Best—We’ll Take Care of the Rest.
Our mission at the Oakland Public Education Fund is to lead the development and investment of community resources in Oakland public schools so every student has equitable opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. As part of our mission, we offer fiscal sponsorship to programs, projects, and initiatives that support and enhance public education for Oakland kids. We offer two types of Fiscal Sponsorship: Model A and Model C
Model A
The Model A Fiscal Sponsorship allows a group to operate as a project of the Ed Fund.
The Ed Fund’s Role in Model A:
- The Ed Fund extends its 501(c)(3) status to the project—meaning we own the project, which is covered by our insurance.
- The Ed Fund holds all fiduciary and legal
responsibility for a project. - The Ed Fund collects and processes donations and issues letters of tax exemption required by the IRS to the donor.
We offer customized support that includes:
- Development, Grant & Donation Management
- Benefits, Payroll & Human Resources
- Financial Management & Oversight
- Insurance, Risk Management & Legal Counsel
- Tax Preparation & Compliance
- Coaching & Capacity Building
- Volunteer Clearance
Project must:
- Align with our mission to support public education.
- Have a project presence in Oakland.
- Have at least $100,000 of funds raised for the project. Or,
- Have an imminent grant for these funds ready to support the project.
Model C
In a Model C Fiscal Sponsorship, a group operates as a separate legal entity from the Ed Fund.
The Ed Fund’s Role in Model C:
- The group has its own non-profit, 501(c)(3), LLC, or other entity status and its own insurance.
- The Ed Fund holds no fiduciary and legal
responsibility for a project. - The Ed Fund collects and processes donations and issues letters of tax exemption required by the IRS to the donor.
We offer support that includes:
- Donation Processing
- Grant Report Reminders
- Grant Resources
Project must:
- Align with our mission to support public education.
- Have a project presence in Oakland.
- Be its own entity as an organization and have insurance and the ability to add the Ed Fund to its COI.
- Grantor agrees their grant or donation may be provided through a Fiscal Sponsor.
Cost of Being as FSP
When you join the Ed Fund as a fiscally sponsored project, you share the cost of services with other projects in the program. Projects contribute a percentage of each transaction, which accommodates budgets of all sizes.*
Model A: Single revenue transaction <$1 Million: 10% contribution upon award or pledge of funds
Model C: Single revenue transaction: 10% contribution upon receipt of funds
*Certain transactions will also incur additional fees to mitigate the volume of requests including fundraising events and one-time employee hiring fees.