A fiscal sponsor is a nonprofit organization that provides fiduciary oversight, financial management, and other administrative services to help build the capacity of charitable projects. By partnering with a fiscal sponsor, projects can seek and receive tax-exempt contributions and grant support without delay, bypassing the costly, burdensome and lengthy process of creating a separate free-standing organization with its own infrastructure. (Trust for Conservation Innovation)

Although sponsored programs are not completely independent- they are legally part of the sponsor organization- they nevertheless retain programmatic autonomy and often have separate advisory boards making their strategic decisions. They are responsible for their own fundraising, and they absorb any shortfall and retain any surplus. (Young Nonprofit Professionals Network)