ABOUT US
History
NSI was founded in 2012 by a group of Los Angeles foundations with the intention of normalizing and funding the exploration and implementation of collaboration agreements, fostering sustained collaboration among organizations striving to enhance their impact in the communities they serve. Since its inception, NSI has granted over $5.5 million to assist more than 300 nonprofits in over 100 partnership explorations and 50 agreement implementations – and these numbers continue to grow.
In 2021 NSI also launched a pilot executive transition fund to support organizations experiencing the departure of a long-tenured leader or founder. Recognizing the challenges organizations face during an executive transition, NSI aims to normalize institutional funding for the full spectrum of transition planning and implementation activities.
NSI distributes targeted capacity building funding to ensure that nonprofit leaders have access to the right tools, processes, and expertise to adapt during moments of transformative change, creating new opportunities for sustainable impact.
Values
COLLABORATION
- Embracing the value of pooled resources and collective funder impact
- Reducing barriers for nonprofit collaboration
- Investing in sector’s capacity to engage in sustained collaboration models (nonprofit leaders, consultants, funders)
- Valuing a community of practice among funders and shared learning opportunities (locally and nationally) to build the field
EQUITY
- Providing equitable access to NSI grants for all sizes of organizations, BIPOC-led organizations, and organizations without dedicated development staff
- Funding processes that can advance organizations’ equity goals
- Tracking DEIA data for grantee organizations, and building into our learning agenda
- Understanding power dynamics, and making a trust-based approach
TRUST
- Deferring to the wisdom of nonprofit leaders
- Centering and highlighting nonprofit voices
- Ensuring a simplified reporting process
- Providing flexible funding (integration and transition grants)
- Investing in the process, not prescribing outcomes
- Creating conditions for a safe space for brave conversations among nonprofit leaders
Get In touch
NSI is fiscally sponsored by Southern California Grantmakers
Southern California Grantmakers (SCG)
1000 NORTH ALAMEDA STREET, SUITE 230
LOS ANGELES, CA 90012