Partnerships for Change is a nonprofit organization that primarily provides fiscal sponsorship to left-of-center “projects and issue-based media, films and documentaries.” ¹

Partnerships for Change is associated with many left-of-center organizations and private grantmaking foundations including the Tides Foundation, Apple, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, General Motors, Global Green, San Francisco Foundation, and the United Nations Foundation. ^{2 3}

It has also received donations from organizations including Wellspring Advisors, the Dobkin Family Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Schwab Charitable Fund, IBM Corporation, and Microsoft. ⁴

Background

Partnerships for Change (PFC) is a nonprofit organization that primarily provides fiscal sponsorship to “projects and issue-based media, films and documentaries” that align with PFC’s left-leaning principles. The organization also works closely with “filmmakers, authors, artists, political advocates, broadcast and print journalists,” and social media users to support the organization’s left-of-center ideals. ^{5 6}

According to its website, PFC is recognized as a “global leader in human development,” and “works closely” with various branches of the United Nations including the United Nations Global Compact, United Nations Environment Programme, and the United Nations Foundation. ⁷

Partnerships for Change notes that, for it to provide fiscal sponsorship, the organization will charge seven percent of the total funds raised. While sponsoring a group or individual, PFC also provides organization and financial development, talent procurement, and assistance with design. ⁸

Funding

Partnerships for Change receives most of its revenue in the form of contributions and grants from individuals and private grantmaking foundations. ⁹

Partnerships for Change received just over $2.6 million in revenue in 2014, nearly 100 percent of which came from contributions and grants. The organization’s revenue dropped dramatically after 2014 as it had a total revenue of $168,100 in 2015, $244,409 in 2016, and $610,770 in 2017. ¹⁰

PFC’s revenue increased dramatically to just over $1.5 million in 2018, however; PFC received $531,606 in 2019 and $468,828 in 2020. Partnerships for Change received just under 100 percent of its revenue from contributions and grants from 2014 until 2020. ¹¹

PFC’s total functional expenses amounted to just under $1.5 million in 2014, just over $1.3 million in 2015, slightly under $200,000 in 2016, approximately $550,000 in 2017, just under $1.5 million in 2018, around $570,000 in 2019, and just under $390,000 in 2020. The organization’s total asset value dropped from just under $2 million in 2014 to slightly under $200,000 in 2020. ¹²

According to the donor page on its website, Partnerships for Change receives donations from various organizations and individuals including Wellspring Advisors, the Dobkin Family Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Schwab Charitable Fund, IBM Corporation, and Microsoft. ¹³

Associated Organizations

Partnerships for Change is associated with several large organizations including the United Nations, Tides Foundation, and CNN.

Partnerships for Change is classified as a “tenant” of Tides Converge, a 150,000 square feet office building in San Francisco, owned by the Tides Foundation, a major center-left grantmaking organization and a major pass-through funder to numerous left-leaning non-profits. The Tides Foundation also granted $50,000 to PFC in 2017 to support the organization’s work on a documentary film. ^{14 15 16}

PFC is partnered with many private foundations, corporations, local governments, and institutions. According to its website, PFC is partnered with entities including Apple, AT&T, the City of San Francisco, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, General Motors, Global Green, Gorbachev Foundation, the National Security Agency (NSA), Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), San Francisco Foundation, United Nations, and the United Nations Foundation. ¹⁷

Partnerships for Change’s board of advisors contains members of various left-of-center organizations and major corporations including Amnesty International USA, the World Bank Inspection Panel, Google X, Hilton Foundation, United Nations Global Compact, and General Motors. ¹⁸

1. “Projects.” Partnerships for Change. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.partnershipsforchange.org/projects.html.
2. “Partnerships for Change.” Tides Foundation. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.tides.org/project/tenant/partnerships-for-change/.
3. “Partners.” Partnerships for Change. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.partnershipsforchange.org/who-we-are/people/partners.html.
4. ^[1] “Donors.” Partnerships for Change. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.partnershipsforchange.org/who-we-are/people/donors.html
5. ^[1] “Projects.” Partnerships for Change. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.partnershipsforchange.org/projects.html.
6. “Home.” Partnerships for Change. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.partnershipsforchange.org/.
7. “Projects.” Partnerships for Change. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.partnershipsforchange.org/projects.html.
8. “Projects.” Partnerships for Change. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.partnershipsforchange.org/projects.html.
9. “Sponsorship.” Partnerships for Change. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.partnershipsforchange.org/donate/sponsorship.html.
10. Suozzo, Andrea. “Partnerships For Change – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. May 9, 2013. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/880303288.
11. Suozzo, Andrea. “Partnerships For Change – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. May 9, 2013. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/880303288.
12. Suozzo, Andrea. “Partnerships For Change – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. May 9, 2013. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/880303288.
13. ^[1] “Donors.” Partnerships for Change. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.partnershipsforchange.org/who-we-are/people/donors.html.
14. “Partnerships for Change.” Tides Foundation. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.tides.org/project/tenant/partnerships-for-change/.
15. “Collaborative Workspaces.” Tides. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.tides.org/about/collaborative-workspaces/.
16. “Form 990 – 2017.” Tides. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.tides.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2017-Tides-Foundation-Fed-Form-990-amended.pdf.
17. “Partners.” Partnerships for Change. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.partnershipsforchange.org/who-we-are/people/partners.html.
18. “People.” Partnerships for Change. Accessed October 24, 2022. https://www.partnershipsforchange.org/who-we-are/people.html.