TSNE

What TSNE does

TSNE (Third Sector New England, Inc.) is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) capacity-building organization founded in 1959 (originally as Massachusetts Health Research Institute) that provides an integrated suite of services to nonprofit organizations across the United States. Its service portfolio spans six core revenue streams: (1) Fiscal Sponsorship—a comprehensive service acting as employer of record for 50+ projects across 26 states, with an indirect cost rate of 10-14%, currently stewarding more than $44M in project funds and managing compensation for 356 employees; (2) Work and Event Spaces—operating the LEED- and ENERGY STAR-certified NonProfit Center in Boston (near 100% occupancy for 5+ years, housing 50+ nonprofits) and The Link coworking/event space in Kendall Square, Cambridge; (3) Shared Services—sliding-scale back-office accounting, payroll, and HR support with emphasis on BIPOC-led organizations; (4) Consulting—organizational development, strategic planning, board development, and HR consulting; (5) Executive Search and Transition—equity-driven executive placement and succession planning; and (6) Cohort Learning and Training Programs—including the Emerging Consultants of Color Training Program, ED of Color Capacity Building Cohort, DEIB for Consultants Program, What's Next Leadership Transition Cohort, and Better Nonprofit Management Training Series, with tuition set on income-based sliding scales ($250-$15,000).

The underlying technology stack is modest: Sage Intacct serves as the ERP/accounting platform for fiscally sponsored organizations, and the company maintains a Salary Database with reporting on nearly 35,000 individual salaries as a sector research asset. There are no proprietary software products, mobile applications, or APIs. Distribution is primarily sales-led and direct—nonprofit organizations engage via website inquiry forms specifying service type, organizational budget, staff size, and field of service, with regional concentration in New England and national reach via fiscal sponsorship and the Executive Search practice. Pricing is transparent for property ($200-$1,300/event and $450-$750/month), consulting and search use custom quotes, and cohort training is sliding-scale. Strategic partnerships with the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, Boston Properties, Barr Foundation, and TJX Foundation underpin the property and equity-centered program lines.

Recognized with the 2024 Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency and governed by a board of directors including senior leaders from Point32Health Foundation, YMCA of Greater Boston, Project Bread, Year Up, Foundation for MetroWest, State Street, TIAA, and Mallard Investment Partners, TSNE operates as a mission-driven nonprofit with no shareholders, no parent company, and no subsidiaries.

Name

TSNE

Legal name

Third Sector New England, Inc.

Website

https://tsne.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

TSNE (Third Sector New England) is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) capacity-building organization founded in 1959 that provides fiscal sponsorship, shared services, consulting, executive search, cohort training, and nonprofit workspace to mission-driven organizations across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fiscal Sponsorship Services: TSNE provides comprehensive fiscal sponsorship with an indirect cost rate of 14% on all expenses in the first year. After the first year, the rate is reviewed and currently will not drop below 10% nor exceed 14%. Services include financial management, human resources, legal compliance, and administrative support.
2. Work and Event Space Rentals: TSNE owns and operates the NonProfit Center in Boston and manages The Link in Cambridge. Spaces are rented at below-market rates to nonprofits. Pricing ranges from $200-$1300 per rental depending on space and duration.
3. Shared Services: Provides administrative and operational support including accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, and HR services to small and mid-sized nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status. Fees are set on a sliding scale based on organizational budget size, complexity of work, and other considerations.
4. Cohort Learning and Training: Offers training programs and cohort-based learning for nonprofit sector leaders. Programs like ECCT and DEIB for Consultants are offered on sliding scales based on individual income, with tuition ranging from $250-$1000.
5. Executive Search and Transition Services: Provides executive search, interim placement, succession planning, and transition support to nonprofit organizations. Pricing not publicly disclosed; separate service from fiscal sponsorship.
6. Consulting Services: Organizational development, strategic planning, board development, HR consulting, leadership coaching, and property consulting services. Pricing not publicly disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

TSNE (Third Sector New England) provides comprehensive fiscal sponsorship that acts as a financial and administrative umbrella for nonprofit projects, alongside shared back-office services (accounting, payroll, HR), affordable nonprofit workspace and event venues, organizational consulting, equity-driven executive search, and cohort-based leadership training. The organization's core function is to remove administrative burden from mission-driven organizations—particularly BIPOC-led and equity-centered nonprofits—so they can focus on programmatic impact.

Product overview

TSNE (Third Sector New England) is a capacity building organization that provides an integrated suite of services to nonprofit organizations. The portfolio includes: Fiscal Sponsorship providing comprehensive financial, HR, legal, and administrative support for projects seeking 501(c)(3) status; Work and Event Spaces including the NonProfit Center (LEED-certified facility housing 50+ nonprofits), The Link (Kendall Square coworking/training space), The Foundry, and The Possible Zone; Shared Services offering accounting, payroll, and HR support for BIPOC-led organizations; Nonprofit Consulting for organizational development and strategic planning; Executive Search and Transition for equity-driven leadership recruitment; Cohort Learning and Training programs including the Emerging Consultants of Color Training Program, ED of Color Capacity Building Cohort, DEIB for Consultants Program, What's Next Leadership Transition Cohort, and Better Nonprofit Management Training Series; and research tools including the Salary Database and various publications on nonprofit sector topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fiscal Sponsorship Comprehensive fiscal sponsorship providing financial, contract and grant management, human resources, legal compliance, and administrative services to mission-based projects and organizations seeking 501(c)(3) status and operational infrastructure. Operates on a 14% indirect cost rate in year one (10-14% thereafter).
• Shared Services Back-office administrative and operational support including accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, and HR services for small and mid-sized nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, with a specific focus on BIPOC-led and BIPOC-serving organizations. Fees set on sliding scale.
• Nonprofit Consulting Organizational development, human resources consulting, executive transitions consulting, property services consulting, strategic planning, board development, and succession planning services for nonprofit organizations.
• Executive Search and Transition Equity-driven executive search and leadership transition services, including succession planning, onboarding support, interim placement, and placement of executives in mission-driven organizations.
• Property Management Services Comprehensive property management services including tenant management, facilities maintenance, preventative maintenance, capital repairs and improvements, and lease management for nonprofit organizations.
• NonProfit Center A LEED-certified and ENERGY STAR-certified, mission-based multi-tenant center for nonprofits in Boston housing 50+ nonprofits, offering affordable office and meeting/event facilities including the Jonathan Spack Community Conference Center. Conference center rentals range from $450-$1300 per day.
• The Link A coworking, training, and event space in Kendall Square, Cambridge that catalyzes workforce development and employment opportunities, operated in partnership with the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority and Boston Properties. Includes coworking stations ($450/month), private offices ($750/month), event space, and classroom.
• Emerging Consultants of Color Training Program (ECCT) A training program building consulting practice skills for diverse leaders, focusing on business planning, marketing, and advisory skills for the nonprofit sector. Sliding scale tuition ($250-$1000) based on individual income. Hybrid format with 2 in-person and 6 virtual sessions.
• Executive Directors of Color Capacity Building Cohort A capacity support program for nonprofits led by and serving communities of color, providing peer support, leadership coaching, and organizational development.
• DEIB for Consultants Program A cohort-based learning program to deepen equity-centered consulting practice, build awareness of systems and power, and develop skills for working with nonprofit clients. Sliding scale tuition ($750-$3,000) based on individual salary. 8 virtual sessions.
• What's Next Leadership Transition Cohort A cohort-based executive transition program supporting nonprofit leaders in planning succession and navigating leadership transitions. Includes two overnight retreats, coaching, and peer cohort. Sliding scale tuition ($750-$15,000) based on organizational budget.
• Better Nonprofit Management Training Series Affordable one-time training sessions for nonprofit staff covering topics such as board development, supervision, decision making, fundraising, and financial management.
• Salary Database A salary data resource organized by organization budget, employee population, location, and field of service, reporting on nearly 35,000 individual salaries from participating nonprofit organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 100% occupancy maintained for 5+ years at NonProfit Center
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered key, core and minor.

• Institute for Nonprofit PracticekeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021TSNE and Institute for Nonprofit Practice jointly developed and piloted the DEIB for Consultants program in 2021, following conversations with Boston Foundation and Barr Foundation about supporting consultants in the network. Since 2023, TSNE has run the program independently with evolved curriculum.
• Cambridge Redevelopment Authority (CRA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019TSNE partnered with CRA to restore 99 Bishop Allen Drive, a building with long history of housing nonprofits. CRA and TSNE worked jointly on redevelopment to ensure continued nonprofit housing. CRA also championed and developed The Link as a workforce training and employment solution in Kendall Square.
• Boston PropertiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Boston Properties partnered with Cambridge Redevelopment Authority to develop The Link, a coworking, training, and event space in Kendall Square. TSNE operates The Link as part of this partnership to connect Kendall Square employers with underrepresented job seekers and workforce development organizations.
• Jonathan SpackminorOthersJonathan Spack, former CEO of TSNE MissionWorks for over 30 years, was the visionary behind the building of the NonProfit Center. The Jonathan Spack Community Conference Center is named in his honor recognizing his foundational leadership.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tsne-missionworks
• Xx.com/tsne
• Facebookfacebook.com/tsnemissionworks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TSNE