About Us
With support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 15 national leaders gathered in 2009 to explore how they could increase investments made in communities in need. Out of their shared experience and desire, the participants created the National Alliance for Family and Community Transformation (formerly the National Alliance for Hispanic Families) to advance policies and practices that would support populations in need across the United States.
Since that time, the organization has evolved in its understanding of the barriers and limitations to investing in communities and, with the help of the Lilly Endowment can serve as an intermediary, guide, consultant, or fiscal sponsor – all with the goal of investing resources so that vulnerable families and communities can flourish.
The National Alliance for Family and Community Transformation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
The Opportunity
The United States remains the largest source of philanthropic capital in the world. According to Giving USA, charitable giving has grown steadily over time, reaching nearly $600 billion in 2024. This extraordinary level of generosity reflects a deep national commitment to addressing social challenges and supporting communities.
However, the distribution of these resources is not aligned with areas of greatest need. Significant disparities persist in how philanthropic dollars are allocated across communities.
- Only ~7% of philanthropic dollars reach rural communities, despite their disproportionate share of persistent poverty.
- Organizations serving communities of color receive just 2.9% of total charitable giving, even though these populations represent a substantial and growing share of the U.S. population.
- Within this already limited pool of funding, organizations serving Hispanic communities receive less than 1% of philanthropic dollars, with some estimates indicating levels closer to well below one percent.
These gaps are not the result of a lack of generosity, but rather reflect structural barriers that limit the flow of capital to organizations that are most proximate to community needs. This misalignment represents one of the most significant untapped opportunities in American philanthropy: the ability to redirect existing resources toward higher-impact, community-rooted solutions.
Role of the Alliance
The National Alliance for Family and Community Transformation is dedicated to ensuring that philanthropic resources reach the communities where they are needed most—and that they are placed in the hands of organizations closest to the challenges and opportunities on the ground.
To accomplish this, the Alliance, together with its implementing partners, serves as a bridge between philanthropic capital and community-based impact, operating across several complementary roles.
Advisor
The Alliance and its partners bring deep, multi-sector expertise spanning both the philanthropic landscape and community transformation ecosystems. This combination positions the Alliance to support funders in designing and executing effective, equity-driven strategies.
In this advisory role, the Alliance works alongside philanthropic partners to:
- Develop strategic giving frameworks aligned with real community needs
- Design program models that are practical, scalable, and culturally responsive
- Identify and vet high-impact investment opportunities
- Ensure that philanthropic capital is deployed in ways that are both results-oriented and sustainable
- By translating community insight into fundable strategies, the Alliance helps donors move from intention to measurable impact.
Intermediary
While many philanthropic institutions seek to increase investments in high-need communities, they often encounter barriers related to sourcing, due diligence, and supporting smaller or emerging organizations.
The Alliance addresses these challenges by serving as a trusted intermediary, facilitating the effective deployment of philanthropic capital into community-based ecosystems.
In this role, the Alliance:
- Designs and manages multi-organization funding initiatives
- Provides the infrastructure and oversight needed for effective fund distribution
- Expands access to funding for smaller, less visible organizations that are deeply embedded in their communities
- Ensures that funding strategies are implemented with accountability, efficiency, and measurable outcomes
- By bridging the gap between large-scale funders and grassroots organizations, the Alliance enables philanthropic investments to reach those who are most proximate to community needs—and most capable of driving lasting change.
Fiscal Sponsor
Many of the most promising community-based solutions lack the administrative infrastructure required to receive and manage large philanthropic investments. Without support, these organizations risk being excluded from funding opportunities altogether.
The Alliance and its partners address this challenge by providing comprehensive fiscal sponsorship services, enabling emerging and high-potential organizations to access and responsibly steward philanthropic resources.
Through this model, the Alliance:
- Serves as a fiscal agent for grants ranging from mid-level investments to large-scale philanthropic initiatives
- Provides financial management, compliance, and reporting systems
- Supports organizations in securing or strengthening their 501(c)(3) status
- Delivers capacity-building and technical assistance to enhance long-term sustainability
- Offers ongoing back-office support (e.g., finance, HR, compliance), allowing partners to focus on program delivery and community impact
- This approach not only unlocks immediate funding opportunities, but also builds the infrastructure necessary for organizations to scale and sustain their work over time.
Taken together, these roles position the Alliance as a critical infrastructure partner in modern philanthropy—one that not only connects capital to communities, but also ensures that investments are effective and sustainable.