Fiscal Sponsorship 101: How Creatives Can Fund the Work Without Building a Nonprofit

Description: There's a funding tool a lot of creatives and small orgs have never heard of, and it can be the difference between saying yes to a grant and walking away from it. In this episode I talk with Rakia Seaborn of Group 36 about fiscal sponsorship: what it actually is, who it's for, and how it lets you accept grants and tax-deductible donations through an existing 501c3 structure instead of spending a year building your own nonprofit. If you've ever found funding you couldn't accept because you're an individual or you're not incorporated, this one's for you. Key Topics: • What fiscal sponsorship is, explained simply • Why setting up a nonprofit can take six months to a year • The three situations where fiscal sponsorship makes sense • How fiscal sponsorship handles IRS compliance, oversight, and reporting • What the application and onboarding process actually looks like • Real-world examples across festivals, humanitarian efforts, and creative research • Why fear of paperwork stops good ideas before they start • Free resources for artists raising money Featured Guest: • Rakia Seaborn - Fiscal Sponsorship Manager at Group 36 (Philadelphia) Notable Quotes: "A fiscal sponsorship is kind of like you're leasing a nonprofit." (Rakia Seaborn) "Impact doesn't come from having the perfect org structure at the start. It comes from taking that first step from an idea into action." (Rakia Seaborn) Connect with our guest: • Rakia Seaborn: Group 36 (group36.org (https://group36.org) ), with a dedicated fiscal sponsorship page and a free Creative's Grant Playbook (https://group36.org/creatives-grant-p...) available to download • Group 36 is also on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook Follow Could Be Pretty Cool®: @couldbeprettycool | couldbeprettycool.com | couldbeprettycoolnews.substack.com Keywords: fiscal sponsorship, creative economy, arts funding, grant writing, 501c3, nonprofit alternatives, indie artists, arts administration, grants administration, tax-deductible donations, creative entrepreneurship, fundraising for artists Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices)