Fiscal sponsorship lets a project operate under another organization’s tax-exempt status. FFC’s scoring reflects how well each arrangement fits our mission of building independent charity capacity:
- Independent charities — best fit.
- Sponsored by an FFC charity recipient — neutral; a small bonus if you’re also pursuing your own 501(c)(3).
- Franchise / national affiliate (Legion posts, lodges, chapters) — modest penalty; an independent auxiliary 501(c)(3) is scored on its own merits.
- Corporate fiscal sponsors (Players Philanthropy Fund, Tides, Open Collective, etc.) — largest penalty, since the project isn’t building independent capacity.
If you’re only considering fiscal sponsorship, talk with FFC first — we’ll help you weigh independence against speed. A fuller policy explainer is forthcoming.