Guide to Fiscal Sponsorship and Affiliation
Umbrella Groups
Forming your own organization need not entail the establishment
of a large, formal institution. It may mean simple coalitions, consortia,
or affinity groups that have no formal, separate legal status. Such
group formations and alignments may be quasi-independent from existing
community organizations or technical assistance agencies or may
function as arms or chapters of such agencies. Any nonprofit organization
is eligible to serve as an "umbrella group" for the purpose
of applying for grants. An umbrella group refers to an intermediate
agency, usually nonprofit, that receives and disburses funds to
individuals. Churches, schools, community organizations, self-help
groups, arts councils, and even local clubs, if they are nonprofit,
may serve as umbrella groups for grant applicants.
Examples of the kinds of individual projects that might benefit
from this type of less formal arrangement are seasonal events, such
as festivals, craft demonstrations, art shows, workshops, seminars,
conferences, or poetry readings, all of which are executed within
a relatively short period of time. As an individual, or a group
of individuals, you really don't need to form an organization to
implement such ideas. You simply require some existing group to
cover for you (as an umbrella) for the duration of the grant project.
Such a short-term affiliation may take the form of a project under
the auspices of an umbrella group or of a simple offshoot from it.
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