Our Services
Colorado Nonprofit Development Center (CNDC) has been a trusted strategic business partner to Colorado nonprofits since 2000.
Our talented team of experts provides new and established mission-driven organizations with strategic expertise, strong systems and professional partnership to amplify community impact. We offer specialized support so nonprofit organizations can focus on missions that matter.
Strategic Expertise
Nonprofit leaders are visionary changemakers dedicated to advancing their missions. CNDC is the strategic partner that helps these leaders execute and amplify their impact through leadership coaching, resource sharing, grant management support and more.
With decades of experience acting as a fiscal sponsor in Colorado, our talented team offers localized nonprofit expertise to new and existing leaders, helping them build connections and maintain long-term operational success.
Our strategic expertise includes:
- Nonprofit management best practices
- Fundraising platforms
- Grant management support
- Leadership and program coaching
Strong Systems
Advancing an organization’s mission while managing administrative responsibilities can lead to burnout among nonprofit staff and leaders. CNDC is the partner equipped to manage the finance, accounting and risk reduction policies so visionary leaders can focus on making their missions a reality.
CNDC’s team of nonprofit experts offers technical expertise and back office systems to ensure our partner projects can run efficiently.
We manage our project’s financial and insurance systems:
- Accounts payable and receivable
- Monthly financial report packet
- Grant billings and tracking
- CNDC’s federally approved indirect rate
- Part of CNDC’s audit, including OMB audit
- Manage contracts and leases
- Risk management and liability insurance
- Local, state, and federal compliance and tax filings
- Charitable solicitation registration in all states
- Background checks for volunteer
Professional Partnership
CNDC is a trusted, transparent and reliable resource that our partner projects can count on to support them as they establish and maintain credibility among Colorado’s nonprofit community.
CNDC staff provide human resources services to nonprofit staff and leaders to support our projects in implementing the administrative structures that support our leaders in demonstrating their values internally and externally.
Our professional partnership includes:
- CNDC employment and benefits package
- Onboarding support for new employees
- Employee relations and management support
- Payroll management
- Manage employment claims and legal issues
FAQs
We understand the importance of transparency and clarity in our services. This section is designed to provide quick and comprehensive answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. We’re here to help you navigate our services and resources with confidence and ease.
A: CNDC acts as the 501(c)(3) tax-exempt umbrella for each project it sponsors. For more information on fiscal sponsorship and our specific services, download this resource. We primarily offer comprehensive (or direct project model) fiscal sponsorship. Partner projects of CNDC become part of our tax-exempt and corporate structure. On a case-by-case basis, we also offer other models of fiscal sponsorship.
A: Partner project is the term we use for the partner charitable organizations that we fiscally sponsor.
A: The shared administrative contribution paid by partner projects offsets the cost of services and support provided. It is a cost-effective way for partner projects to receive robust back-office services without engaging, managing, and paying individual vendors. In addition to the day-to-day services, the administrative contribution covers CNDC providing support when there is a crisis, executive transition, legal issue, or other risk or opportunity. It also ensures that when outside vendors are needed, such as benefits providers, there are economies of scale because of the collective size of CNDC and all partner projects.
A: There are additional costs for some items (e.g., some legal services), but there is not a separation fee. There is also a small, shared fee associated with general liability insurance coverage.
A: The application can be found here. If you have any questions about whether your organization is eligible, you can contact CNDC with any questions using the contact form. The application approval process takes on average four to six weeks. We will try to expedite a review process for funding or other time-sensitive reasons, but it is not always possible. If you need an expedited process, please let us know ASAP.
A: CNDC’s Board of Directors is the legal governing body for all of CNDC; they have legal and fiduciary responsibility for CNDC as a whole. Our board is not involved in the oversight or operations of partner projects. Partner project boards provide an important mechanism for accountability and support, including financial and programmatic governance to ensure the project has the resources it needs to fulfill its mission, and support and evaluate the project’s executive director. Partner projects are asked to maintain a board with a minimum of four members that meet at least quarterly.
A: Partner projects are responsible for their own fundraising, however we do provide access to fundraising tools including an individual donor fundraising platform, grant databases, and helpful guidance on best practices.
A: We are primarily a remote workplace and are not able to provide office space to partner projects.
A: There is no maximum amount of time an active partner project can be with CNDC. We welcome partner projects for as long as they believe it further their work to be fiscally sponsored by CNDC. Generally, we ask that a partner project be fiscally sponsored by us for a minimum of six months prior to beginning the separation process to become an independent 501(c)(3).
A: The easiest and most common form of fiscal sponsorship we offer is when an organization has not incorporated and does not have tax exempt status. If you do not fall into that category, we encourage you to reach out with specific questions as it relates to your situation.
A: Yes, all project related activity occurring as part of CNDC must be insured. Depending on the coverage needed, partner projects may pay for part of the cost.
A: The Colorado Nonprofit Association has a Business Member Directory to connect you with members specializing in serving nonprofits. Click here to learn more.
A: No, a fiscal sponsor is different from a corporate sponsor or other philanthropic entities who may provide funding for events or programs.
A: Visit our Eligibility & Next Steps page to learn more.
