The organization sponsors the work of 16 coalitions of individuals who provide valuable services, which are often not available through traditional community resources. Under our fiscal umbrella, these groups are eligible to receive tax-deductible donations and program grants, which enable them to have a significant impact on those they serve.

As a result, the ACTION Council is able to save funders, community members and program implementers tens of thousands of dollars each year in administrative overhead. Our fiscal oversight and non-profit umbrella eliminate the need for groups to incorporate, establish boards of directors and hire administrative staff.

Benefits of the Fiscal Sponsorship Alternative:

• Cost savings: administration, staff, bookkeeping, tax returns
• You receive monthly/quarterly financial statements detailing every deposit and expenditure
• You can have several sub-groups, which are accounted for separately
• No need for Articles of Incorporation, By-laws
• No need for Board of Directors
• Most activities fall under ACMC’s liability insurance
• Savings of time, energy, cost of becoming nonprofit
• Works well for groups that have small budgets and/or limited number of activities each year

How does Fiscal Sponsorship Work?

• ACMC receives funds on behalf of the group or fund, manages the money, accounts for all funds separately and makes payments as requested by the authorized party(ies) in the group
• The group may hold fund raising events and solicit donations with prior approval of ACMC
• The group is responsible for acknowledging donations, and all program reporting to granting agencies. ACMC will provide financial documentation as required
• The group may use their funds for most purposes that adhere to the definition of public benefit corporation and may not engage in any activity that jeopardizes the Council’s nonprofit status
• The group may contract with individuals or agencies for consulting services, but may not hire staff.
• From time to time and on a case-by –case basis, ACMC may assist a group in developing grant proposals and program planning, although this service is generally not a part of its role as fiscal agent
• ACMC charges a 8% administrative fee for all new funds deposited in the group’s account. Fees for public/governmental agencies are assessed at 10%.

Projects include:

• The Best Friends Fund: Its mission is to provide positive life experiences for abused, neglected and at-risk children and youth receiving child protective services. Best Friends purchases items and funds activities that enhance personal growth, ethnic identity, reduce family stress and meet basic needs for children receiving protective services. The fund was created by a group of social workers who observed that these children often were traumatized by the loss of everything familiar – parents, siblings, personal belongings – and in critical need of opportunities to nourish and enrich their lives.


• Wheels in Motion: This is a group of people with disabilities, who provide support and loaner wheelchairs to people whose chairs are in need of repair or who are waiting for a chair to be fitted. They also distribute safety equipment to wheelchair users and advocate for changes to promote traffic safety for disabled people.


• RISING International Home Parties – End Poverty From Your Living Room: RISING International aims to end world poverty by enabling the poorest people in the world (mostly women) to participate in the global economy through a global party plan network. By selling their handmade crafts and sharing their life stories at home parties, impoverished women can reach out to the rest of the world, not for charity, but for a chance.
  Web Site: www.risinginternational.org


• Nonprofit Alliance of Monterey County: Beginning in early 2003, the ACTION Council spearheaded a coalition of nonprofit community serving organizations to form what ultimately became the Nonprofit Alliance of Monterey County (NAMC). Its mission is to inform, involve, strengthen and increase the capacity and collective power of the nonprofit industry in Monterey County. Since its inception, NAMC has produced numerous workshops on such topics as advocacy, effective organizational strategies for challenging times, and cultural competence. NAMC also sponsored an analysis of the economic impact of the nonprofit industry in our county. The Alliance continues to provide educational and networking opportunities empowering agencies to advocate on behalf of their causes and constituents.
  Web Site: www. alliancemonterey.org


• Safe Kids Coalition: This group works to educate the public about preventable injuries to children — in the home, on the roads, at school. Their activities include educational forums, pedestrian safety events, bike rodeos, distribution of bike helmets and infant car seats and instruction on how to use them — helping parents and children to live safely and without injury.


• Sustainable Monterey County: Its purpose is to alert and educate the people of Monterey County of global energy constraint issues that were affecting the region, and empower them to take personal action to make change in their local areas. SMC is establishing a 10 Cities Sustainability Project, which is a countywide education and incentive program promoting an orderly transition through the fossil fuel decline by galvanizing citizens to take local action to lower their energy use and “relocalize” their communities. Relocalization means to increase community energy security, to strengthen local economies, and to dramatically improve environmental conditions and social equity by developing exemplary community actions that can be used locally.
  Web Site: www.sustainablemontereycounty.org



If your group is interested in seeking fiscal sponsorship from the ACTION Council, you may download and complete the questionnaire, Requesting Fiscal Sponsorship.

For more information about fiscal sponsorship, call Richard or Ricki at 783-1244.