Apply to Become a Project
We review new applications on a rolling basis. The timeline from first inquiry through due diligence to final project approval is usually 3-4 weeks total.
Is your project a good match for Multiplier? Successful projects share the following traits:
- A game-changing approach to regional, national or international impact. Or if the project is currently only local in scope, a plan to scale or replicate beyond the local community focus.
- Devoted leadership that lives and breathes the mission of the project 24/7/365.
- Experience with leading a start-up organization, or with product or program development.
- Strong prospects for raising at least $100,000 in Year 1 and an achievable fund development plan.
- A desire to tap into our accelerator services – program development, fundraising advisory, communications advisory, leadership development, and growth and capacity-building supports.
- If transferring from another entity, well-established early program success as an embedded program of a mission-aligned nonprofit, umbrella organization, or prior fiscal sponsorship.
- Step One: Determine eligibility.
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Your project should meet all of the following criteria:
- Focus on one or more of the following areas: Healthy Planet and People; Sustainable, Equitable Economies; Secure Natural Resources; Resilient Communities.
- Need philanthropic funding from donations, grants or other funds that require a tax-exempt nonprofit status.
- Have a clear program mission and strategy.
- Have a preliminary program implementation plan and a budget that supports your plan.
- Have a well-researched funding plan to raise the money you need for your budget.
- Not already be a 501(c)(3) organization.
- Step Two: Contact us.
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Send a brief introductory email to projectinquiry@multiplier.org and include the following information:
- Tell us how you heard about us. Did someone refer you directly? If so, please tell us who so that we can thank them!
- Give us a quick summary of your project and why you think Multiplier might be a good match.
- Share your timeline for choosing the best place for your project to land. If there is any time sensitivity or urgency, please alert us to that as well.
- Provide us with any public links or attach any relevant information that could give us an “at-a-glance” sense of your work.
- Step Three: We'll schedule a video conference.
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Once we’ve received your inquiry, we’ll get back in touch with you within 3-5 business days to schedule a conversation to discuss the next steps. If, after that conversation, it sounds like there is a good match, we’ll invite you to formally apply and set a timeframe for your project to join Multiplier.
Why Multiplier?
One of the biggest challenges in starting a new nonprofit is a lack of time and resources. Nonprofit leaders often find that the day-to-day tasks of administration and governance take valuable time away from their core mission. Plus, as a small nonprofit, it’s difficult to get up to speed on all the things you need to do to thrive: fundraising, grantwriting, leadership and communications and marketing. Multiplier provides an alternative to investing the time, talent and bandwidth to do everything yourself.
Our core team has decades of experience developing nonprofits and supporting changemakers. Working alongside you, we add depth and breadth your team. Every project operating under our umbrella – no matter the size – receives personal and responsive service tailored to meet its unique needs. We know when a boost from our team can make a big difference, and we also know when to step back and cheer you on.
- Nonprofit status from Day 1.
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Upon approval as a Multiplier project, you have immediate access to IRS 501(c)(3) tax exemption and can begin soliciting and receiving charitable contributions right away. Qualified projects can become part of our portfolio in as few as 3-4 weeks from first inquiry.
- We have a shared mission.
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Your mission is integral to our mission, and we help you achieve it in tangible ways that extend far beyond a traditional fiscal sponsor’s role.
Multiplier accelerates impact for projects that work toward a healthy, sustainable, resilient, and equitable world. We start with your vision and passion, combine it with decades of nonprofit leadership and expertise, and then add a suite of tailored marketing, fundraising, leadership and administrative capacity-building supports designed to rapidly bring new nonprofit programs to market, amplify outcomes and drive impact.
- There are no gatekeepers here.
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Our full team of skilled nonprofit advisors is directly accessible to you. As your extended team, we stand alongside you helping to build your capacity, strengthen outcomes, and drive impact. We work side-by-side with you to supplement your senior-level expertise as you build out your programs. You’ll have immediate access to time-tested financial, human resources, and operational systems designed to safeguard your funding and ensure legal compliance while you focus on programs and raising funds. You’ll also have access to a full toolkit of fundraising, media, and leadership resources designed accelerate your ability to grow your programs, team and reputation while boldly achieving measurable, replicable and scalable impact.
- We're not your grandmother's nonprofit.
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Our accelerator services leverage current technology to drive efficiency in key areas like expense and time reporting, media outreach, leadership tools, and more.
- Work at the leading edge of innovation.
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Social entrepreneurs seeking philanthropic funds tap into us in many ways – kick-starter, backbone, asset protector, coalition builder, grant maker, and more. We also creatively serve as the nonprofit part of hybrid models for social good.
Multiplier Support and Services
Multiplier helps you achieve greater impact in less time through a holistic approach that provides momentum right from the start. Our streamlined approach allows you to access best-in-class support, and have the bandwidth you need to focus on developing and growing your programs.
- Strategic planning and capacity building
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Whether you’re seeking best practices, designing programs, or creating an advisory board, we can help. Areas of expertise include:
- Stakeholder-centered program design
- Theory of change and program outcomes framework design
- Pilot development and “fail early/fail often” contingencies
- Sustainable growth planning and multi-year proforma development
- Board of Advisors design and development
- Fundraising and donor relations
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Raising funds requires a strategic, donor-centric approach. Our customized guidance and tools help you skillfully and effectively raise the funding you need. Areas of expertise include:
- Strategic development planning
- Foundation approaches – prospecting, letters of inquiry, and proposal review
- Individual donor cultivation and stewardship advice
- Membership and online fundraising, including appeal letter review
- Corporate sponsorship and events support
- Financial and accounting services
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Multiplier’s skilled team of nonprofit financial professionals manages all aspects of each project’s revenue and expense. Our support includes:
- Incoming funds notification and donation acknowledgement
- Expense management and payment processing
- Cash flow oversight
- Online payment platform set up and administration
- Audit, tax, and other regulatory compliance
- Grants and contracts management
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Multiplier provides full service foundation and government grants management. Our support includes:
- Proposal budget development, review, and submission
- Quality assurance review and direct submission of all government grants
- Developing and monitoring sub-awards, sub-grants and contracted services
- Budget implementation tracking and financial reporting
- Installment management and time extension requests
- HR and payroll management
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Our complete suite of personnel and benefits administration services helps you scale your team sensibly. We provide:
- Recruitment, hiring, onboarding and offboarding
- Payroll processing and tax withholding in all states
- Employee benefits administration, including health care and retirement
- Employee relations and job-related counseling support
- Annual performance and salary review support, including leadership 360° reviews
- Team development support
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A strong team fuels better programming which in turn drives higher impact, opening doors to expanded funding for both team and program expansion – it’s a win/win/win cycle. Areas of expertise include:
- Building high-performance teams
- Team communications
- Managing remotely
- Work/life integration
- Professional development across all levels of your team
- Communications and outreach
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In addition to amplifying your media outreach through our own channels, we provide expert advisory services to grow your supporter base, including:
- Email communications and direct mail best practices
- Media relations and outreach strategies
- Social media and influencer outreach
- Webinar and live event planning
- Communications audits and integrated plans
How we work
Our core team has decades of experience developing nonprofits and supporting changemakers and working alongside you, we add depth and breadth your team. Every project operating under our umbrella – no matter the size – receives personal and responsive service tailored to meet its unique needs. We know when a boost from our team can make a big difference, and we also know when to step back and cheer you on.
Cost of support
Multiplier’s competitive project administration fee structure is just 9% of project revenue, and includes the services above and more. For government awards/sub-awards and for administration of restricted funds requiring reporting in international currencies, a 14% fee applies. Our fee structure may be negotiable for well-established international NGOs seeking a US-based fundraising home.