Superbloom

We incubate values-driven practitioner movements through fiscal sponsorship.

Superbloom leverages fiscal sponsorship as a tool to support the growth and maturity of the digital rights and Internet Freedom communities, with a focus on human-centered research and design. Projects can seek and receive tax-exempt contributions and grant support without delay, bypassing the costly, burdensome and lengthy process of creating a free-standing organization with its own infrastructure.

Since 2014, Superbloom has operated as a remote, international team. We work with diverse types of funding, including US Government, European Commission, and foundation grants, and offer various contracting options to fit the needs of our fiscally sponsored projects in the US and internationally.


Our FSPs

FAQs

What is a fiscal sponsor?

A fiscal sponsor is a nonprofit organization that houses projects for people or groups who want to engage in charitable activities. These projects share the legal and tax-exempt status of the fiscal sponsor – in this case, Superbloom. Superbloom will serve as the administrative host of the project so that the project doesn’t have to go to the trouble and expense of establishing itself as an independent nonprofit organization.

Superbloom’s Board of Directors provides fiduciary oversight, while its staff manages contributions and supports general project operations. The ability to rely on this existing infrastructure and administrative backbone allows project leaders to keep costs low while focusing on vision, mission and generating high-quality programs and outcomes.


What services does Superbloom provide, and what is the fee structure?

As the administrative host, Superbloom handles all back office operations and administration, such as:

  • People Operations & HR, including:
    • Employment: Superbloom uses an “employer of record” (EOR) to handle employment & benefits. For US-based employees we work with TriNet, for Germany-based employees we work with Trust7, and for all other international employees we work with Remote where possible. Please note that Superbloom does not currently provide relocation or visa sponsorship. In some cases, Superbloom’s EOR provider can support these needs, but it would be at the cost of the FSP.
    • Payroll: US employees are paid bi-monthly (the 15th and last day of the month), and International employees are paid on a monthly basis on the last day of the month.
    • Health/Dental/Vision Insurance: Through TriNet we offer medical, dental, and vision plans to all full-time employees and their families. Eligible Trust7 employees receive their medical benefits through the German government system. Benefits vary for all other international employees depending on their location.
    • Retirement: Through TriNet we offer Empower’s 401k program. Employees must be at least 21 years of age to participate. Eligible employees in Germany receive their retirement benefits through the government. Benefits vary for all other international employees depending on their location.
  • Financial & Operations Management Services, including:
    • Grants and Contracts management,
    • Donations management and systems,
    • Support for financial reporting,
    • Liability and other insurance,
    • Financial and reporting compliance, including an annual audit and support for funder audits,
    • Access and use of our technical infrastructure and systems, and
    • Other technical assistance where needed.

In exchange for these services, Superbloom charges 10% of annual income for most contracts and grants, and 15% of government grants. There is a USD $2,000 minimum administrative fee which will be charged at the end of the fiscal year if the minimum amount has not been met.


How does my project apply for fiscal sponsorship?

To start the conversation about fiscal sponsorship with the Superbloom team, please send the following information to [email protected]:

  • Project Overview or Concept Note
  • List of Key Personnel and Team Overview (if applicable) – include staffing & employment models (contracting vs hiring, staff locations)
  • Budget
  • Outlook for Upcoming Year (narrative & financial)
  • A list of assets (including IP, Trademark, Licensing)

What strategic alignment does Superbloom look for in FSPs?

Superbloom’s mission is to transform the current design paradigm in tech by centering the needs of people. We believe technology design is integral to the open source movement and should be leveraged to affect societal change. We look to grow the community of human-centered practitioners by supporting projects that share our core values:

  • Democratizing Expertise: We value and learn from the experiences and expertise our partners bring to each collaboration. In return, we share our experiences and expertise - treating design as learnable, opening our process, stoking curiosity, and cultivating collective expertise.
  • Inclusion & Accessibility: We step forward to work collaboratively for equity, and always seek to amplify the voices of those who are, or have been, excluded from the process of technology creation.
  • Shifting Power: Digital colonialism and the extraction paradigm in tech are favoring the interests of corporations and governments over human rights. We address this power imbalance by sharing and redistributing knowledge, stepping back to lift others up, centering human experience, and consistently reflecting on our own practices.
  • Authenticity & Quality: We bring our full and true selves to our work, and we make space for our partners to do the same. We address problems by seeking out answers that meet the needs of a partner, rather than the fastest, most perfect, or most beautiful option.

What does Superbloom not do?

As a 501(c)(3) public charity, Superbloom must follow all laws governing nonprofit organizations, which include multiple restrictions to ensure funds meet intended charitable purposes. For example, we cannot undertake or support political activity such as contributing to a political candidate or coordinating with a candidate’s campaign.

We also cannot simply act as a “conduit” of funds. Instead, we receive and distribute the funds on behalf of a project with a charitable purpose, and bear legal responsibility for ensuring that funds are used for their intended purpose. This oversight also includes the governance and management expertise of a fully-functioning, seasoned nonprofit Board and staff.


Thought partnership as a foundation for impact

We offer tailored coaching for individuals and teams working on public interest technology. Our experienced coaching team covers all global time zones and speaks 10 languages.

Our pragmatic approach to capacity-building gives changemakers the tools and techniques to dramatically improve the impact of their work. Collaborative goal-setting and a focus on democratizing human centered design knowledge are the cornerstones of our sessions.

What is coaching?

  • Focus on your team’s need with pragmatic problem-solving sessions.
  • Get up to speed on responsible technology methods and techniques.
  • Receive support through a transition, or in meeting an upcoming goal.
  • Work together within a respectful, risk-aware framework that privileges human rights, privacy, and security.
  • Meet in-person or remote, for just a few hours or on a longer-term basis.

We meet you where you are

People working to shift power in the technology ecosystem have deep expertise in their fields, and often need a thought partner to help them navigate where they are stuck, a new challenge, or a different approach. We start by listening and understanding the project or the challenge and help you through it.

We improve projects

Code quality alone doesn’t determine a project’s success. In order for the project to have impact, the target audience needs to be able to find it, understand it, and operate it. We explain and frame the core tenets of usability and user experience (UX) design in a way that is appropriate for and accessible to teams working on public interest technology and interventions in the public interest technology ecosystem.

We transform people

The teams we work with leave sessions with an enhanced understanding of the power of human centered design thinking, as well as the confidence to explore more. They take this into their next projects and teams, becoming and creating allies in making an impact.

Topics include: User research; fundraising and sustainability; open processes; design tooling; information architecture; documentation; accessibility; usability; workshop and facilitation design; UX and UI design; visual design; branding and naming; communication; community development. If you’re looking for something you don’t see here, write us and we’ll find the right people!

Who is coaching for?

Project Teams

We work directly with practitioners to help them navigate product and process hurdles, from strategy to design, from documentation to community and hiring. We take a proudly human-centered approach, helping teams enhance the usability, understandability, and effectiveness of their projects. Read more about how we work with project teams.

Funders

We design collaborations with funders in the public interest technology space, offering accompaniment for their grantees to help enhance their impact. Read more about how we support funders.

More Information

Rates

As a US 501(c)3 nonprofit with an educational mission, we work to make capacity-building affordable for everyone who needs it. Our rate model varies based on the sector, the budget of our partner, and the length of the engagement.

Coaches

We are an international team with expertise in research, design, software development, and product management, supported by a diverse set of advisors and partners. Our coaches are an ever-growing pool of high-calibre, hand-picked practitioners, covering every global time zone and over 10 languages. Read more about them here.

Join us as a coach

If you’d like to become part of our paid coaching team, read more about what we’re looking for.

Get started

Read more about the program. Drop us an email [email protected] and we’ll work with you to find the coaches and model that meets your needs.

Program Team

  • Executive Director: Georgia Bullen
  • Learning Lead: Molly Wilson
  • Project Coordinator: Nicola Pratt