Marin Link Inc.

What Marin Link Inc. does

MarinLink Inc. is a California-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN #20-0879422) founded in 2003 and headquartered at 5800 Northgate Mall, Suite 250, San Rafael, California. It operates as a fiscal sponsor and project incubator for community-based social enterprises across five verticals: Arts, Community, Education, Environment, and Health. Since inception, MarinLink has incubated more than 100 community projects and currently supports over 80 active sponsored projects, providing them with administrative infrastructure (payroll, bookkeeping, tax filing), grant-writing and project development consulting, and access to the parent organization's tax-exempt status so they can accept charitable donations and grants without forming their own nonprofit. The core revenue mechanics consist of a $150 nonrefundable application processing fee, tiered fiscal sponsorship fees tied to project budgets, $200 tuition for the 10-module MarinLink University workshop program, and proceeds from fundraising events such as the American Indian Art Show Opening Night Gala. The product portfolio includes the Fiscal Sponsorship Program (flagship), Project Development Consulting, MarinLink University (educational workshops for aspiring nonprofit founders), and MarinArts (an in-house online arts and culture calendar for Marin County launched in 2017). The underlying technology is a lightweight WordPress-based web presence with an online application portal and a regional content calendar; there is no proprietary software product, AI/ML capability, mobile app, or API documented. Distribution is primarily community-led through referrals, alumni networks, regional events, and partnerships with entities such as Bank of Marin, Bioneers, the County of Marin, MerloneGeier Partners, Paperseed Foundation, and Hennessy Funds, with no evidence of paid acquisition or external venture funding.

Name

Marin Link Inc.

Legal name

MarinLink Inc.

Website

https://marinlink.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MarinLink Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit fiscal sponsor and incubator founded in 2003 in Marin County, California, providing tax-exempt status, administrative infrastructure, and consulting to 80+ active community-based projects across Arts, Environment, Education, Health, and Community verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Fiscal Sponsorship Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Nonprofit fiscal sponsorship
• Nonprofit incubation services
• Community project development
• Social entrepreneurship support
• Arts culture programming

Headquarters

HQ city

San Rafael

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fiscal Sponsorship Fees: MarinLink charges a nonrefundable $150 processing fee for fiscal sponsorship applications. Additional sponsorship fees are tiered based on project budgets as outlined in their sponsorship levels document.
2. Professional Services: MarinLink offers consulting services for grant writing, administration, reporting, organizational effectiveness, and sustainable growth for sponsored projects.
3. Program Fees - MarinLink University: MarinLink University charges $200 for their 10-module nonprofit governance workshop program.
4. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from fundraising events such as the American Indian Art Show Opening Night Gala where MarinLink is the beneficiary.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MarinLink operates as a fiscal sponsor and nonprofit incubator, providing community-based social entrepreneurs and organizations with administrative infrastructure, payroll and bookkeeping services, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status, and grant administration under its umbrella. Its offerings include the Fiscal Sponsorship Program, MarinLink University educational workshops, MarinArts online arts calendar, and Project Development Consulting for strategic planning, marketing, and organizational growth.

Product overview

MarinLink Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established in 2003 that serves as an incubator and fiscal sponsor for community-based projects. The organization offers a portfolio of services centered on its Fiscal Sponsorship Program, which provides tax-exempt status and administrative support to social entrepreneurs. Complementing this core offering is MarinLink University, a 10-module educational workshop program on nonprofit governance, and MarinArts, an in-house online arts and culture calendar for Marin County. The organization also provides project development consulting services to help sponsored projects with strategic planning and organizational growth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MarinArts: Marin County's comprehensive online arts and culture calendar, launched in 2017. Provides a directory of artists and cultural organizations.
• MarinLink University

Products and services

• Fiscal Sponsorship Program Flagship program that provides community-based projects with administrative support, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status, and fiscal sponsorship, enabling social entrepreneurs and emerging nonprofits to accept charitable contributions, grants, and donations under MarinLink's umbrella without forming their own nonprofit.
• MarinLink University A 10-module workshop program covering nonprofit governance, strategic planning, branding, legal entities, insurance, financial compliance, fund development, and SEO, priced at $200 per participant for aspiring nonprofit founders and sponsored projects.
• MarinArts An in-house online arts and culture calendar for Marin County that helps community members discover creative and cultural events, lists artists and cultural organizations, and highlights educational opportunities for all ages.
• Project Development Consulting Consulting services delivered to sponsored projects covering strategic planning, marketing, and organizational development to help community-based projects grow and succeed.

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bank of MarinminorOthersCommunity partner providing banking and financial services support for MarinLink and its sponsored projects.
• BioneersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization focused on environmental and social innovation.
• County of MarincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner providing official recognition and support for MarinLink programs. Marin County Board of Supervisors has issued commendations for MarinLink.
• Marin Economic ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partner supporting community entrepreneurship initiatives.
• MerloneGeier PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate development partner supporting community initiatives and event venues.
• TedxMarinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner for TED-style community events and thought leadership.
• MarinArts.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn-house program partner providing comprehensive arts and culture calendar for Marin County. MarinArts won 2023 Best Arts Nonprofit award.
• Environmental Forum of MarinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental advocacy partner supporting sustainability projects.
• Marin ProfessionalsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional networking partner connecting MarinLink with business community.
• Sunrise RotaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerService club partner supporting community projects and fundraising.
• Warm WishesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlumni project and community partner providing holiday support programs. Received Congressional recognition.
• Latinas in PowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy organization partner supporting Latina leadership and community development.
• Unity in MarinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity unity and inclusivity initiative partner.
• BombasminorOthersCommunity partner organization supporting various initiatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fractured Atlas: Fractured Atlas is a national nonprofit fiscal sponsor primarily serving artists and arts organizations. It is a direct peer providing the same fiscal sponsorship service, particularly in the Arts & Culture vertical where MarinLink has notable presence (Rooms That Rock for Chemo, MAAP).
• Tides Foundation: Tides Foundation is a large 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor and grantmaking intermediary offering tax-exempt umbrella services to projects across multiple sectors. It is a directly comparable fiscal sponsorship platform, though at materially greater scale and with national/international reach versus MarinLink's Marin County concentration.
• New Venture Fund: New Venture Fund is a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor that incubates and hosts projects in policy, advocacy, and social change. It is a direct peer offering the same fiscal-sponsorship-as-a-service model MarinLink provides, with similar tiered sponsorship fees and shared back-office infrastructure.
• Community Initiatives: Community Initiatives is a fiscal sponsor based in the San Francisco Bay Area that hosts projects in arts, education, environment, and social justice. It is a directly comparable Bay Area fiscal sponsor with overlapping project verticals and a similar fee-based model.

Broad incumbents

• The California Endowment: The California Endowment is a major California health-focused foundation funding community health, arts, and education projects across the state. It is a broad incumbent foundation that funds many of the same community-health and education verticals that MarinLink supports, making it a relevant peer in the funding ecosystem.
• RSF Social Finance: RSF Social Finance is a nonprofit financial intermediary providing loans, grants, and donor-advised funds to social enterprises and nonprofits. While broader in scope than MarinLink, it is a comparable Bay Area-based nonprofit-services platform with overlapping nonprofit and environmental project constituents.

Regional players

• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: Silicon Valley Community Foundation is a large Bay Area community foundation providing donor-advised funds, grantmaking, and fiscal sponsorship services. It is a regional peer operating in an adjacent Bay Area geography with a comparable nonprofit-support mission.
• Marin Community Foundation: Marin Community Foundation is a community foundation serving Marin County with grantmaking, donor-advised funds, and nonprofit support services. While a foundation rather than a fiscal sponsor, it operates in the exact same geography and serves overlapping nonprofit customers, making it the most relevant regional comparison.
• East Bay Community Foundation: East Bay Community Foundation is a Bay Area community foundation providing grantmaking and philanthropic services across the East Bay. It is a regional peer with overlapping grantmaking and nonprofit capacity-building services relative to MarinLink.

Emerging players

• ImpactAssets: ImpactAssets is a nonprofit donor-advised fund sponsor offering impact investing and philanthropic services. It is an emerging player in the philanthropic infrastructure space with partial overlap to MarinLink's grantmaking and donor services offerings.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmarinlink.org%2F
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmarinlink.org%2F
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marinlink

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Marin Link Inc.