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For the past forty years, the Center for Transformative Action (CTA) has been a catalyst for social change agents at Cornell University, in the city of Ithaca, and Tompkins County. As an educational non-profit organization affiliated with Cornell University, we primarily served projects in the local community; now we are expanding our reach, and our fiscal sponsorship services, to the entire state of New York.
CTA began in 1971 as The Center for Religion, Ethics, and Social Policy (CRESP). It was launched as an exciting organization during a time of significant social unrest, with the goal of developing innovative and experimental projects that would provide constructive alternatives to society's most pressing social problems. You can read more about our history on our website.
CTA has fostered more than forty local projects on issues of peace, justice and sustainability. We currently serve as the fiscal sponsor for eleven projects whose work exemplifies the mission of CTA: "We are an alliance of individuals and organizations inspired by principles of nonviolence and committed to bold action for justice, sustainability, and peace. CTA supports change makers with the tools to build thriving, inclusive communities that work for everyone."
Who do we serve?
CTA offers fiscal sponsorship to transformative social change organizations in New York State. Our project partners are social ventures that practice and exemplify Transformative Action. They employ pattern-breaking ideas to address social problems.
That's great, but what is Transformative Action?
Transformative Action is an alternative paradigm for social action that moves us beyond complaint, competition and "us versus them" thinking. Inspired by the non-violent organizing that erupted in the last century, Transformative Action has three basic components: (1) breaking the silence that surrounds injustice; (2) building understanding across social and ideological difference so that animosity transforms into goodwill, and (3) articulating an inspiring, proactive vision.
You can read more about transformative action here, and more about our current projects here.
Why choose CTA as my fiscal sponsor?
Under our 501(c)3 umbrella, our Project Partners become an integral part of the center, qualifying for charitable donations and grants available only to tax-exempt organizations. They also benefit from our mentorship, business services, and the credibility and accountability that comes with decades of successful, progressive social change work.
Fiscal sponsorship provides inclusion in the corporate, legal structure of CTA; federal and state tax exemption for income, property and sales tax purposes; state registration for fundraising, and more. Our fiscal sponsorship services include financial management; grants management; human resources; risk management, and payroll management. Our project partners also benefit from a shared network of resources and from support by the CTA core staff, including access to workshops and trainings, help with advisory board development, policy development, volunteer management and inclusion on our website, email newsletter, print newsletters, and other publicity materials.
Why the expansion?
CTA Executive Director Anke Wessels, Ph.D., explains, "CTA is responding to our current climate of social unrest. Many people around the state are reacting to our economic, social, and environmental challenges by developing inspiring and transformative social change initiatives, yet there are relatively view fiscal sponsors in New York State to help them do so. We intend to step into this gap."
If you live in New York State and run, or are starting, a social change project that needs fiscal sponsorship, you can learn more about our services by following these links:
FAQs About Fiscal Sponsorship
Project Partner services
Project Partner application
You can also contact Anke Wessels for more information.
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