What Community Partners does

Community Partners is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) intermediary organization and fiscal sponsor founded in 1992 and headquartered at 1000 N. Alameda Street in Los Angeles. The organization operates a dual-core platform model. The first core service is fiscal sponsorship, under which nonprofit leaders and changemakers operate under Community Partners' 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and gain access to HR, finance, and legal back-office services plus capacity-building support; this stream currently encompasses a long-standing roster of sponsored projects including the Engineer Factory (STEM education, 10,000+ students served), the Los Angeles African American Community Oral History Project (24 trailblazers filmed, archived at Cal State Fullerton), and post-fire rebuilding efforts via the Pali Strong Foundation and Foothill Catalog Foundation. The second core service is intermediary work for government agencies, foundations, and corporations, in which Community Partners administers multi-million-dollar grant programs and serves as coalition backbone; this includes the Transforming LA Through Partnership mental health incubation academy (over $17M deployed to 44 CBOs across five LA County supervisorial districts since 2021, co-created with LACDMH and the County CEO's Office), the LA Food Equity Fund (established 2023 with ARPA funding through the LA County Chief Sustainability Office, recently absorbing a $2M Ballmer Group deployment across ~47 food access organizations), and the first cohort of the $400M Bezos Earth Fund Greening America's Cities initiative signed in 2024.

The underlying technology is modest: a web-based project portal for sponsored organizations to manage projects, an accessibility widget for WCAG 2.1 website compliance, and a standard content-managed website and email newsletter infrastructure. There is no proprietary software platform, no mobile app, and no API integrations documented in the source material. The business model is nonprofit, generating operational revenue through (a) administrative fees on fiscal sponsorship arrangements and intermediary contracts (estimated at industry-standard rates of 5-10% of funds under management), (b) grants and donations raised to support the organization's own operations, and (c) managed services fees for grant administration work. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the organization reports 251-500 employees, indicating a substantial operating footprint consistent with a multi-program nonprofit of significant scale. Go-to-market is community-led: nonprofit clients and funder relationships are established through referrals, word-of-mouth, direct outreach, and RFP/procurement processes rather than paid advertising or product-led growth.

Name

Community Partners

Legal name

Community Partners

Website

https://communitypartners.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Community Partners is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit fiscal sponsor and grant intermediary founded in 1992. It provides 501(c)(3) sponsorship, back-office services, and multi-million-dollar grant administration to nonprofit leaders, government agencies, foundations, and corporations across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Fiscal Sponsorship and Intermediary Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Community Food Services (624210), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Fiscal sponsorship services
• Nonprofit intermediary work
• Grant administration
• Community development programs
• Capacity building support

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fiscal Sponsorship Fees: Community Partners serves as the 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor for nonprofit leaders, providing HR, finance, and legal services. Revenue is generated through fiscal sponsorship arrangements, likely via administrative fees charged to sponsored projects.
2. Intermediary Service Fees: Community Partners administers multi-million-dollar grant programs for government agencies (e.g., LA County), foundations (e.g., Ballmer Group, Bezos Earth Fund), and corporations, earning fees for grant administration, due diligence, and program management.
3. Grants and Donations: As a nonprofit organization, Community Partners raises funds through grants and donations to support its operations and programmatic work advancing equity, justice, and community resilience.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Community Partners provides fiscal sponsorship services for nonprofit leaders — serving as their 501(c)(3) sponsor with HR, finance, and legal back-office support — and intermediary services for government agencies, foundations, and corporations, administering multi-million-dollar grant programs and supporting grantees to advance equity, justice, and community resilience. The organization manages specific initiatives including the LA Food Equity Fund, Transforming LA Through Partnership mental health incubation academy, and the Greening America's Cities urban greening program in partnership with major funders.

Product overview

Community Partners offers a dual-core platform model consisting of Fiscal Sponsorship services for nonprofit leaders and Intermediary Work services for government, foundations, and corporations. Fiscal Sponsorship provides HR, finance, legal services, and capacity building for organizations seeking 501c3 status. Intermediary Work includes administering multi-million dollar grant programs and supporting grantee networks. The organization manages specific grant programs including the LA Food Equity Fund, Transforming LA Through Partnership mental health incubation academy, and Greening America's Cities environmental initiative. Fiscal sponsorship partners include programs like the Los Angeles African American Community Oral History Project and the Engineer Factory STEM education organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fiscal Sponsorship Service helping nonprofit leaders accelerate change in community with other changemakers. Provides HR, finance and legal services along with guidance for connections and capacity building, serving as the 501(c)(3) sponsor for organizations lacking independent tax-exempt status.
• Intermediary Work Services helping funders expand equity-building efforts by administering multi-million-dollar grants, supporting grantees, and serving as coalition coordinator for government agencies, foundations, and corporations.
• First 5 LA Community Opportunities Flexible Fund A flexible funding initiative focused on early childhood development and community support in Los Angeles County.
• LA Food Equity Fund A grant program established in 2023 with American Rescue Plan Act funding through Los Angeles County's Chief Sustainability Office to address food and nutrition insecurity and strengthen food system resilience across LA County, administered by Community Partners.
• Ballmer Group Food Access Initiative A nearly $2 million rapid-response investment from Ballmer Group, administered via the LA Food Equity Fund, to strengthen food distribution efforts across Los Angeles County, reaching approximately 47 organizations delivering fresh produce, pantry staples, hot meals, and culturally relevant foods.
• Transforming LA Through Partnership (TLA) An incubation academy co-created with LACDMH, LA County CEO, UCLA Center of Excellence, and philanthropic partners providing mentorship, training, and technical assistance to small and mid-sized grassroots community-based organizations delivering prevention-focused mental health services.
• Greening America's Cities (Community Partners' first cohort of grantees) A $400 million initiative by the Bezos Earth Fund to build parks, plant trees, and develop green spaces and community gardens within urban centers; Community Partners administers support for the first cohort of grantees advancing urban greening in underserved LA communities.
• Los Angeles African American Community Oral History Project A volunteer-led initiative that videotapes and preserves the stories of African American leaders in Los Angeles, chronicling lives of judges, doctors, civic leaders, activists, and cultural influencers who shaped Black Los Angeles. Operates as a fiscal sponsorship partner program of Community Partners.
• Engineer Factory A K–14 STEM education organization providing hands-on engineering programs, competitions, and career pathways to students in South Los Angeles, operating the STEM GYM center for year-round learning and offering drone technology training including FAA Part 107 Commercial Drone Pilot exam preparation. Fiscal sponsorship partner of Community Partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly $2M mobilized for food access across LA County through Ballmer Group partnership, reaching ~47 organizations in weeks.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Established the LA Food Equity Fund with ARPA funding through this office; Community Partners administers the fund, which served as the vehicle for Ballmer Group's $2 million rapid-response food access investment.
• Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021LACDMH co-created the Transforming LA Through Partnership (TLA) initiative with Community Partners, UCLA Center of Excellence, the County's Chief Executive Office, and philanthropic partners — an incubation academy providing mentorship and training to grassroots mental health organizations.
• Los Angeles County Chief Executive OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-creator of the Transforming LA Through Partnership initiative alongside LACDMH, Community Partners, UCLA Center of Excellence, and philanthropic partners to support small grassroots CBOs in accessing county mental health funding.
• UCLA Center of ExcellencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-creator of the Transforming LA Through Partnership mental health incubation academy alongside LACDMH, County CEO, Community Partners, and philanthropic partners.
• UCLA Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies (LENS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded a grant through the Greening America's Cities initiative to mobilize a network of 40+ ethnic media journalists producing approximately 160 stories on urban greening, translated into diverse languages for non-English speaking households.
• Ethnic Media ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Greening America's Cities initiative, working with ethnic media journalists to disseminate climate change and urban greening information to diverse communities across Los Angeles.
• Japanese American National Museum (JANM)minorOthersHosted the final in-person TLA training of 2025 at its facility; cited as a model of courage and social justice during a challenging federal funding environment.
• California State University Fullerton — Center for Oral and Public HistoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe permanent archive for the Los Angeles African American Community Oral History Project, home to one of the largest oral history archives in California, ensuring documented stories remain accessible to scholars and future generations.
• Cal State LAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with the Engineer Factory (a fiscal sponsorship partner) to prepare students for the AP Computer Science Principles exam, with donated parts and Homeboy Recycling partnership enabling students to build their own desktop computers.
• Homeboy RecyclingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with the Engineer Factory to donate computer parts enabling students to build and own desktop computers as part of a STEM access program.
• Los Angeles County (Government)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder and partner supporting the Engineer Factory's drone technology expansion, training 40+ students from 12 schools to compete in aerial drone competitions and supporting the Drone Senior program for ages 16–25.
• National Network of Fiscal SponsorsminorOthersCommunity Partners subscribes to the best practice guidelines of the National Network of Fiscal Sponsors, demonstrating adherence to sector-wide standards for fiscal sponsorship.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tides Foundation: Tides Foundation is the largest U.S. fiscal sponsor and philanthropic intermediary, providing 501(c)(3) status, back-office support, and grantmaking infrastructure to hundreds of progressive nonprofit projects — directly comparable to Community Partners' fiscal sponsorship and intermediary model.
• New Venture Fund: New Venture Fund is a major fiscal sponsor for advocacy and policy-oriented nonprofits, providing administrative infrastructure and grantmaking services to mission-driven organizations — a near-identical operating model to Community Partners, though with stronger alignment to national policy advocacy.
• NEO Philanthropy: NEO Philanthropy is a national fiscal sponsor and intermediary for more than 60 progressive social justice projects. Like Community Partners, it serves both as a fiscal sponsor for emerging nonprofits and as a coalition backbone for institutional funders deploying multi-million-dollar grant programs.
• Amalgamated Foundation: Amalgamated Foundation provides 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsorship, donor-advised funds, and grantmaking infrastructure for progressive causes. It competes directly with Community Partners for fiscal sponsorship engagements, particularly among emerging social-justice-focused nonprofits.

Broad incumbents

• California Community Foundation: California Community Foundation is one of the largest community foundations in the U.S., based in Los Angeles and serving LA County. It overlaps with Community Partners on equity-focused grantmaking and community-fund administration, but offers permanent endowment and donor-advised fund services on a much larger scale.

Regional players

• Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles: The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles is a regional community foundation focused primarily on Jewish causes in LA County. While narrower in issue scope than Community Partners, it competes for LA-area philanthropic intermediaries and offers comparable grantmaking infrastructure.
• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: Silicon Valley Community Foundation is one of the largest community foundations in the U.S., administering grants and donor-advised funds. While operating in the Bay Area rather than LA County, it competes for large national funder relationships and offers similar intermediary and grant-administration services.
• The San Francisco Foundation: The San Francisco Foundation is a regional community foundation administering multi-million-dollar grant programs across the Bay Area. Like Community Partners, it focuses on equity, racial justice, and inclusion — competing for funder mindshare and intermediary engagements nationally.

Emerging players

• Open Road Alliance: Open Road Alliance is an intermediary that provides rapid-response funding to nonprofits through bridge grants and small dollar matching. It overlaps with Community Partners' intermediary function, particularly around rapid deployment of resources during crises (e.g., LA fire response), though focused on a different funding modality.

Others

• Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy: AAPIP is a philanthropic intermediary and advocacy organization promoting AAPI-led social justice infrastructure. While narrower in mission than Community Partners, it operates as a fiscal sponsor and intermediary within a similar equity-centered funding ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CommunityPrtnrs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Community Partners