GEOList Summary: Operating Grants for Coalitions Using a Fiscal Sponsor

We have provided operating grants (multi year unrestricted funding) to advocacy, capacity building and knowledge building statewide health related nonprofits for 4 years now. We currently have several advocacy coalitions who would be funded best by operating grants given their increasing public policy work including lobbying which is difficult for us to fund as we are a private foundation. Twist is that these coalitions are not incorporated and use a fiscal sponsor. Our concern is that the fiscal sponsor legally would be receiving these unrestricted funds which is risky even with the best of relations between ourselves and the fiscal sponsor. Our best thinking is to award the operating grant to the coalition c/o the fiscal sponsor with the grant description stating that the purpose of the grant is to sustain the coalition. Your thoughts are appreciated.