Movement Strategy Center

Name

Movement Strategy Center

Legal name

Movement Strategy Center

Website

https://movementstrategy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Fiscal Sponsorship and Philanthropic Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Fiscal sponsorship services
• Donor advised funds
• Collaborative grantmaking
• Philanthropic advising
• Nonprofit capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Administrative Fees: Administrative fees from MSC DAF accounts are reinvested to support MSC's movement building work. Fees include an allocation equivalent to 1% of DAF asset value to MSC's general fund. Ren Inc. charges a separate small administration fee integrated into overall fees.
2. Fiscal Sponsorship Fees: MSC charges fees for fiscal sponsorship services (Model A comprehensive support, Model C compliance, CDC incubator, and MSN membership). These fees support financial, HR, compliance, and operational backbone services for sponsored projects.
3. Grantmaking & Regranting Administration: MSC partners with institutional and government funders to design and implement participatory grantmaking initiatives. Revenue comes from fees for managing collaborative funds and regranting programs that shift wealth to frontline communities. Between collaborative funds and grantmaking, MSC has moved over $35 million across 30 states and Canada since 2020.
4. Individual Donations & Planned Giving: Individual donations via credit card, ACH, wire, check; recurring monthly gifts; IRA charitable rollovers (QCDs) for donors age 70½+; employer matching gifts; legacy/bequest planned giving; appreciated securities (stocks, bonds, mutual fund shares).
5. Foundation & Corporate Giving: Partnerships with foundations and corporations seeking to align charitable giving with equity and social justice goals. Contact via [email protected].

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Movement Strategy Center is a nonprofit organization that provides fiscal sponsorship services (Model A, Model C, CDC Incubator), donor advised fund administration, collaborative grantmaking, and philanthropic advising to social justice movement organizations. It offers comprehensive financial, HR, compliance, and operational backbone support to over 170 community-led partners across 30+ U.S. states and Canada, enabling them to launch and operate without holding their own 501(c)(3) status.

Product overview

Movement Strategy Center (MSC) is a movement support organization offering a suite of interconnected nonprofit infrastructure and philanthropic services rather than a single product. The core offerings are organized around four main programs: Fiscal Sponsorship (encompassing Model A, Model C, the CDC Incubator, and the Movement Strategy Network), Impact Investing (through Donor Advised Funds), Collaborative Funds & Grantmaking, and Philanthropic Advising. These are supported by add-on services including the Fundraising Support Initiative (FSI) and the Spirit in Motion program. MSC also publishes The Move Blog and maintains an MSC Resources Library of publications. The organization utilizes Ren Inc. as its DAF technology provider, integrates with Every.org for partner donations, and uses Mailchimp for newsletters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Model A Fiscal Sponsorship A comprehensive fiscal sponsorship program providing holistic financial, HR, and compliance support for mission-aligned organizations seeking to launch quickly and inexpensively while focusing on programmatic work.
• Model C Fiscal Sponsorship A fiscal sponsorship program designed for more established entities seeking structured financial compliance oversight without the full range of Model A services.
• Community Development Corporation (CDC) Incubator A fiscal sponsorship and services program for organizations seeking to support and revitalize land, housing, commercial property, and social enterprises while uplifting communities with jobs, housing, healthcare, education, social programming, and capital.
• Movement Strategy Network (MSN) A network program incubating and accelerating movement leaders who generate strategies to transform the world, build community, grow the ecosystem, and support Beloved Community and a Just Transition.
• Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) A donor advised fund program enabling philanthropists and impact investors to place charitable donations into tax-advantaged DAFs at MSC, with impact investing capabilities across public and private markets, to support mission-aligned community-led development.
• Collaborative Funds Collaborative funds that pool capital for purpose-restricted funding initiatives, redistributing power and resources through pooled funds, community-advised loan and equity funds, mutual aid networks, and donor collaboratives.
• Grantmaking Services Grantmaking services that design and implement participatory grantmaking processes, ceding decision-making power to grassroots and frontline communities in determining models, methods, and priorities.
• Philanthropic Advising Bespoke consulting services that evaluate and advise organizations, foundations, and individual wealth holders on effectively redistributing wealth and resources in support of a Just Transition, including frontline needs assessment, initiative design, and ecosystem mapping.
• Philanthropic Innovation Foundation Regranting A regranting program redistributing resources to frontline communities using participatory grantmaking that shifts power from grantmakers, boards, investors, and the wealthy to leaders and communities on the ground, including the ability to regrant stipends to individuals, for-profit entities, and contractors.

Quantifiable outcome

• $40M+ regranted in the past six years; $35M+ moved across 30 states and Canada since 2020; 172 organizations funded through regranting; 300+ total grantees across U.S. and Canada.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered support, anchor, fsp, minor and peer.

• Noble AccountingsupportOthersNoble Accounting, LLC is a values-aligned fractional CFO firm providing financial and accounting services to MSC. Located in Torrance, California, the firm — founded by Kevin Matthews — has over 15 years of nonprofit sector experience and six years of award-winning client services. They support MSC's accounting functions.
• Ren Inc.supportTechnology or IntegrationRen Inc. is MSC's trusted DAF technology provider, administering donor advised fund accounts on MSC's behalf. Ren's platform offers 24/7 online access to fund information and the ease of requesting distributions digitally. MSC integrates Ren Inc.'s platform as part of its DAF service offering.
• Beloved Communities NetworkanchorOthersBeloved Communities Network (BCN) is an anchor project of MSC's Movement Strategy Network (MSN), focused on cultural strategy and spiritual practice in movement building. BCN's cohort programming creates cross-movement relationships that move beyond dialogue into shared work and mutual investment. BCN partners with organizations like StopWaste on community programming.
• People's Climate Innovation CenteranchorOthersPeople's Climate Innovation Center is a member of MSC's Movement Strategy Network (MSN), focused on climate solutions and innovation. It is a major player in Just Transition work and supports regional action plans aligned with the Green New Deal.
• After IncarcerationfspOthersAfter Incarceration is a fiscally sponsored project of MSC focused on support for formerly incarcerated individuals. Its executive director, Jose Pineda, was a member of the first Beloved Communities Cohort and connected with Forced Trajectory Project through MSC's cohort programming.
• We Rise ProductionfspOthersWe Rise Production is a collective of cultural producers and artists focused on storytelling and narrative change. MSC provided backend compliance for We Rise to accept funding supporting the release of 'Rising for Our Motherlands' podcast, focused on decolonization and community storytelling.
• 1 Million Madly Motivated Moms (1M4)fspOthers1M4 is an organization that selected MSC as its fiscal sponsor after rejecting 10 other options. After two years of fiscal sponsorship, 1M4 obtained independent 501(c)(3) status, though the organizations maintain a fruitful ongoing relationship. MSC protected 1M4's authentic messaging and mission during a hostile political climate.
• Qommittee For Qreative FreedomfspOthersQommittee For Qreative Freedom is a national volunteer organization focused on supporting drag artists. MSC provided fundraising support encompassing budgeting, funder outreach, and authentic voice in grant writing.
• Facilitating PowerfspOthersFacilitating Power is an MSC fiscally sponsored project that offers the 'SEED HARVEST WEAVE: Fundamentals of Facilitating Collective Leadership' framework — a popular education series for facilitating community leadership rooted in critical consciousness.
• Intelligent MischieffspOthersIntelligent Mischief is a multi-disciplinary creative studio that unleashes the power of Black radical imagination. It is led by Aisha Shillingford as artistic director and offers immersive salons on Black utopian artists and world builders.
• Art.coopfspOthersArt.coop is a fiscally sponsored project that emerged from the 'Solidarity Not Charity' report for Grantmakers In the Arts and serves as a living experiment in creative cooperative network and funder organizing, offering fellowships for arts and culture cooperatives.
• Thrive NetworkfspOthersThrive Network is an MSC partner offering 'Rooting in the Sacred: A Journey of Reverence & Reimagining' — a year-long virtual and hybrid course on spirituality and changemaking, featuring guest teachers including Báyò Akómoláfé, Terry Tempest Williams, and Lama Rod Owens.
• The BIG We FoundationfspOthersThe BIG We Foundation is a Movement Strategy Network member and a fiscally sponsored project focused on culture and collective action. Its founder, Anasa Troutman, also founded Clayborn Temple's restoration effort.
• Hate Is A VirusfspOthersHate Is A Virus is a nonprofit focused on dismantling hate and promoting solidarity. Christine Juang, MSC's Projects & Partnerships Steward, previously served as director of programs for Hate Is A Virus.
• Pollinator CoopfspOthersPollinator Coop is an organization building solidarity across sectors. One of its founders, Caroline, co-built Art.coop before founding Pollinator Coop.
• The Chisholm Legacy ProjectfspOthersThe Chisholm Legacy Project is a resource hub for Black frontline climate justice leadership, founded and led by Jacqueline Patterson. It is governed by an MSC board member.
• Native Organizers AlliancefspOthersNative Organizers Alliance (NOA) is a national Native training and organizing network directed by Judith LeBlanc (Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma), who serves on MSC's board. NOA works to build a grassroots ecosystem of Native leaders for tribal sovereignty and racial equity.
• Center for Engagement, Environmental Justice & Health (CEEJH)fspOthersCEEJH confronts environmental racism through community organizing and advocacy. Karmella Green, an MIIC Project Advisor at MSC, works closely with CEEJH. MSC participated in CEEJH's Environmental Justice and Health Disparities Symposium in Baltimore.
• Full Spectrum LabsfspOthersFull Spectrum Labs is an MSC partner organization. MSC co-founder Taj James founded Full Spectrum Labs; MSC was inspired by Full Spectrum Labs when it was founded in 2001.
• Root. Rise. Pollinate!fspOthersRoot. Rise. Pollinate! is an MSC partner. Co-founder Kristin Zimmerman of Root. Rise. Pollinate! co-founded MSC in 2001.
• Nonprofit Quarterly (NPQ)minorOthersNonprofit Quarterly published 'Equitable Intermediaries: Power, Protection, Partnership' by MSC's Communications Director Frank Gargione and CSIO Andrea Granda. NPQ advances nonprofit sector knowledge and served as an earned media platform for MSC's thought leadership.
• RVC (Rooted in Vibrant Communities) SeattlepeerOthersRVC Seattle is a peer equitable intermediary organization that co-launched the Equitable Intermediaries Fund alongside MSC and the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation. RVC's Executive Director JoJo Gaon contributed to the equitable intermediary framework.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tides Foundation: Tides is the largest fiscal sponsor and philanthropic intermediary in the U.S., offering Model A/C fiscal sponsorship, collaborative funds, and grantmaking — directly overlapping MSC's core services at significantly greater scale.
• New Venture Fund: New Venture Fund is a leading 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor that hosts projects across progressive causes, operates collaborative funds, and provides regranting services — directly comparable to MSC's FSP and grantmaking offerings.
• National Philanthropic Trust: NPT is one of the largest DAF sponsors in the U.S., providing tax-advantaged giving accounts to individuals and institutions — directly comparable to MSC's DAF/impact investing program but at vastly larger AUM.
• Schwab Charitable: Schwab Charitable is a major national DAF sponsor offering investment options and grantmaking to nonprofits — directly comparable to MSC's DAF offering but as a much larger incumbent.
• Fidelity Charitable: Fidelity Charitable is the largest U.S. DAF sponsor, providing donor-advised funds with broad investment menus — overlapping MSC's DAF offering as a much larger mass-market incumbent.
• Arabella Advisors: Arabella provides philanthropic advising, fiscal sponsorship (through Arabella's New Venture Fund-style entities), and impact investing strategy — closely comparable to MSC's philanthropic advising and DAF/impact investing services.
• Borealis Philanthropy: Borealis is a philanthropic intermediary that pools resources from multiple foundations and regrants to social justice movements, including racial equity and immigrant rights — closely comparable to MSC's collaborative funds and regranting work.
• RSF Social Finance: RSF Social Finance offers donor-advised funds, impact investing, and mission-aligned lending, with a values-based model similar to MSC's DAF and impact investing program that includes public and private market options.
• RVC (Rooted in Vibrant Communities): RVC is explicitly named by MSC as a peer equitable intermediary and co-developed the Equitable Intermediaries Fund. RVC provides fiscal sponsorship and capacity building for community-led organizations in the Pacific Northwest.

Regional players

• East Bay Community Foundation: EBCF is a community foundation serving the Oakland/East Bay region with grantmaking, DAFs, and fiscal sponsorship — directly comparable to MSC's community-focused intermediary model, though with a narrower geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCX3Ghs1L-vIhMCnk2VDXJ-A
• Instagraminstagram.com/msconthemove
• Xx.com/msconthemove
• Facebookfacebook.com/208314196013871
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/movement-strategy-center

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Movement Strategy Center