Partnership Program

Our flagship Partnership Program is comprised of three areas of work – Fundraising, Information Systems, and Leadership Development and Equity. Atlas’ Fundraising work is a comprehensive restructuring of financial processes. Starting with a three-year vision planning process, Atlas maps out how to achieve organizational goals via budgetary growth. Atlas provides partners with fundraising plans, prospecting, grant writing, and stewardship for institutional funding sources as well as events, individual giving, recurring giving, government grants, and other funding plans to diversify organizational portfolios.

Through our Information Systems work, Atlas provides each partner with a personalized data plan that includes designing and installing, and, if needed, creating custom fundraising, financial data, and client relationship (CRM) systems, communications and social media planning, and outcome-based program development work to help convey organizational growth to constituents and funders.

Finally, our Leadership Development & Equity work helps nonprofits to proactively create policies that will ensure that people from the constituency being served are represented and actively empowered at all levels of power within the organizations. Additionally, Atlas provides board and executive leadership training; equity-based human resources policies, procedures, and hiring protocols; strategic framing and mission alignment; advisory board development; and development staff training.

Introductory Analysis Program

For small nonprofits (organizations with budgets under $100,000), the Atlas Center for Nonprofits provides a three-month Introductory Analysis program. This program is designed to help organizations recognize systems lapses, align structural and programmatic goals, and create a vision plan for growth and sustainability. Over the course of the program, Atlas will provide:

  • A comprehensive audit of fundraising practices, database and systems use, language use and communications strategy, as well as internal staffing policies

  • A vision planning process through which organizations can plan their next three years and create benchmarks for internal accountability

  • An in-depth analysis of fundraising patterns in their focus area and a fundraising plan for the next year

  • A language repository that will become a resource to standardize how the organization defines itself and its goals to various constituents

  • An in-depth workshop session on an issue area* for either internal staff, leadership team, or board members (*issue area can be any pressing matter chosen by the organization)

Upon completion of the Introductory Analysis Program, organizations will have the opportunity to participate in Atlas’ Partnership Program and gain access to all of our technical assistance and capacity-building resources.

UPSTART Program

Atlas’ UPSTART Program helps change leaders and organizers through the process of starting a formal nonprofit to continue their advocacy. UPSTART is a multi-week engagement that teaches change leaders how to develop vision and mission statements, receive 501(c)3 accreditation or fiscal sponsorship, create a board, and develop organizational structure to achieve their goals. The UPSTART program is completely free-of-charge for participants and will help the next generation of activists enact deep, impactful change in their communities.