Third Sector Associates

What Third Sector Associates does

Third Sector Associates is a privately-held professional consulting firm founded in 1992 by Principal Diane Meyerhoff and headquartered in Burlington, Vermont. The firm specializes in community development, grant research and writing, and research assistance for nonprofit organizations and government agencies in Vermont and selectively across the broader New England region. Its three core service lines are Research & Studies (market studies, database development through interviews, US Census-based gap analyses), Grant Writing (funder research, proposal development, and submission support), and Training (workshops covering grant research, proposal writing, business planning, and nonprofit marketing). Since inception, the firm states it has helped Vermont nonprofits and government agencies raise more than $34 million across community development, housing, transportation, social services, health, and related programs.

The firm operates a single-principal professional services practice with no disclosed employees, subsidiaries, investors, or parent entities, and no software products, applications, APIs, or proprietary technology platform. Revenue is generated on a fee-for-service professional services basis; per the firm's stated adherence to the Grant Professionals Association Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice, Third Sector does not work on commission or contingency because grant preparation fees generally cannot be paid from most grant sources. The go-to-market motion is direct, relationship-led engagement with named clients including Burlington Housing Authority, Bennington Housing Authority, Brattleboro Housing Authority, Rutland Housing Authority, Central Vermont Community Action Council, United Way of Northwest Vermont, City of Burlington VT, Cathedral Square Corporation, Vermont Agency of Transportation, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, ROC USA, Vermont Cancer Support Network, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, Vermont Department of Health, Aspen Institute, and Burlington City Arts Foundation. Marketing channels are limited to a firm website, the Principal's LinkedIn profile, and memberships in the Vermont Community Development Association and the Grant Professionals Association. The technology stack, integrations, AI/ML modalities, patents, and certifications are all undeclared; the competitive differentiators are the Principal's three-decade operating history, Maxwell School MPA credentials, established Vermont public and nonprofit sector network, and documented cumulative client funding outcomes.

Name

Third Sector Associates

Legal name

Third Sector Associates

Website

https://thirdsectorassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Third Sector Associates is a privately-held, single-principal consulting firm founded in 1992 in Burlington, Vermont that provides community development, grant writing, research, and training services to Vermont nonprofits, housing authorities, and government agencies on a fee-for-service professional services basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit and Community Development Consulting

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate & Foundation Relations (Sponsorships, Grants, Partnerships) (EDALAOAE)

Keywords

• Grant writing services
• Community development consulting
• Nonprofit research assistance
• Grant training programs
• Facilitation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Professional Consulting Services: Grant research and writing assistance, community development consulting, and training services provided to Vermont nonprofits and government agencies on a professional services basis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Third Sector Associates is a Burlington, Vermont-based consulting firm that provides community development professional services to nonprofits and government agencies. Its core offerings include grant writing, research and studies (including community needs assessments), training programs for staff and boards, and facilitation of meetings and planning processes. The firm operates on a principal-led, project-by-project basis with a documented track record of helping clients secure more than $34 million in grant funding.

Product overview

Third Sector Associates is a consulting firm offering a unified suite of professional services to nonprofits and government agencies. Their core offerings consist of three integrated service lines: Research & Studies (market analysis, database development, and gap assessments), Grant Writing (grant research and proposal development with access to diverse funding sources), and Training (educational workshops on grant writing, business planning, and nonprofit marketing). These services work together as a comprehensive approach to community development, helping clients identify goals, secure funding, and build organizational capacity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grant Writing End-to-end grant writing services for nonprofits and government agencies, including prospect research, proposal drafting, and submission support, often priced as a percentage of grant funds received.
• Research and Studies Community research and studies, including community needs assessments, for nonprofits and government agencies planning community development initiatives.
• Training Training programs for nonprofit staff and boards and for government agency personnel on grant processes, fundraising, and related community development topics.
• Facilitation Meeting and planning facilitation services for nonprofits and government agencies, including stakeholder engagement and community planning processes.

Quantifiable outcome

• $34 million+ raised for Vermont nonprofits and government agencies

Named customers20 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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 core, minor and notable.

• Grant Professionals AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird Sector Associates adheres to the Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice as set forth by the Grant Professionals Association (GPA). This membership ensures compliance with industry ethical standards governing compensation and conduct for grant writing professionals.
• Vermont Community Development AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiane Meyerhoff is a member of the Vermont Community Development Association, a professional network supporting community development professionals in Vermont.
• Candid (Previously The Foundation Center)minorOthersReferenced as a resource for nonprofit funding research and grant opportunity identification.
• ROC USAnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird Sector Associates conducted extensive work cataloguing financial resources for manufactured home communities via 132 phone interviews with agencies and organizations in thirteen states for ROC USA.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• FSG: Global social impact consulting firm advising foundations, nonprofits, and corporations on strategy, evaluation, and collective impact — a broader incumbent in the nonprofit and social sector advisory space.
• Bridgespan Group: Large, established nonprofit and philanthropic advisory firm providing strategy consulting, leadership development, and impact advisory — a broader incumbent operating in the same nonprofit consulting space.

Others

• Capstone Community Action: Vermont-based Community Action Agency providing antipoverty and self-sufficiency programs — both a former employer of Third Sector's principal and a current/repeat client, illustrating the client ecosystem in which Third Sector operates.
• Vermont Community Development Association: Professional association of community development practitioners in Vermont — Third Sector is a member; this represents the professional network ecosystem that drives referrals and visibility for the firm.

Direct peers

• La Piana Consulting: National nonprofit consulting firm focused on strategy, organizational development, and capacity building for nonprofits and foundations — overlapping with Third Sector's mission of helping nonprofits and government agencies succeed.
• The Forbes Funds: A Pittsburgh-based nonprofit management support organization providing consulting, capacity-building, and training to other nonprofits — directly comparable to Third Sector's community development and organizational support services.
• TCC Group: Consulting firm serving nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies with strategy, evaluation, and capacity-building services — a direct peer in the nonprofit advisory space.

Emerging players

• GrantStation: Subscription-based grant research and funding opportunity database serving nonprofits — adjacent product offering to Third Sector's manual grant research service line.
• Candid (Foundation Center): Provider of grant research tools, funding databases, and nonprofit learning resources. Listed as a resource partner by Third Sector, Candid represents the productized/tooling layer adjacent to Third Sector's manual grant research and writing services.

Regional players

• Nonprofit Finance Fund: Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing financing and consulting to nonprofits — comparable in serving community development and social services nonprofits but operating primarily as a capital provider rather than a grant writer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/third-sector-associates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Third Sector Associates