Think back to the day you decided, finally, to turn your “idea” into a small business. There are many steps that go into taking that step and most notably, perhaps, were the mental obstacles you had to overcome. Here at the Impact Lab, our experts can help you address those fears, give you a tailored plan, and equip you with tangible and intangible tools to move from “cautious” to “empowered.”

From Giving Tuesday to Thanksgiving, there is a feeling around us to give back to our loved ones and community. Not only that – many companies' budgets are closing out at the end of the year and, they’re given the freedom to donate additional unused funds. While pairing a donation with the holiday season may be a logical action, it may not be the best practice to continue year after year.

The Nautical History Gallery Museum offers an up-close journey through the evolution of naval ships. However, they lacked a nonprofit status and infrastructure to accept donations. That’s where Mission Edge’s Fiscal Sponsorship came in. We decided to take on NHGM as a fiscally sponsored project under our own Community Give Back program because their cause aligns with the heart of our mission.

Dr. Darcy White is passionate about cultivating a community of compassionate, empowered individuals who want to improve the quality of their lives, heal, and create a brighter future. When working with her Impact Lab finance expert, she wanted to have a better understanding of her business and establish goals. She walked away with a completely transformed vision and strategy for her business.

Natasha is the owner of Tabby Manor – a cat sitting business that offers in-home care and basic grooming services for feline family members. When she approached us, she knew she needed to press “paws” on her business to do some much-needed strategic work and assess its financial health. She walked away from The Impact Lab with an actionable plan to alleviate stress and avoid overwhelm.

Fiscal sponsorship may be a powerful transition for your organization. While it represents an additional expense, the benefits — such as access to the sponsor's tax-exempt status, administrative support (a fully staffed accounting, HR, and operations department), and potential for increased funding — can outweigh these costs for nonprofits interested in restructuring.

With corporate volunteering increasing since 2020, companies understand the positive correlation between employee volunteerism and employee engagement and wellbeing. We’ll discuss the benefits of consistent volunteer engagements for companies, and offer ideas for how your company can provide a more sustained impact through employee volunteering.

Hands On San Diego’s mission to strengthen communities through volunteer action has created ripples of change in our city. Over the past decade, Mission Edge has been a constant for HOSD, providing the structure, support, and services they’ve needed to succeed. Most importantly, HOSD has expanded its ability to make an impact over the past 10 years, including helping 22 organizations.

Melanie van de Water, the brains behind Interactive Play, has a rich background in interior design, hospitality, and business. Her dream was to introduce child-friendly play spaces to industries such as hospitality and retail, but she faced some hurdles. Our Impact Lab CFO helped her with high distribution costs, shipping delays, and the daunting task of financial management

If you're juggling this decision, you may be wondering which decision will be best for your long-term goals. In this article, we’ll unravel the long-term impact of fiscal sponsorship, discuss some pros and cons of fiscal sponsorship, and help you understand what you might be getting yourself into if you choose this route for your charitable mission.

So you're a small business owner, and you’re at a common crossroads: do you jump into a free finance coaching program you found online (like the Impact Lab), or do you pull out your wallet and invest in a paid financial coach? In this article, we're going to break it down for you. We'll look at the cool stuff free programs may offer, and what you’d likely get when you pay for a coach.

Every year, our team here at Mission Edge works to spread the word about our Impact Lab cohorts: completely free finance support for small business owners who qualify. Our team of finance coaches is dedicated to helping you achieve your business and financial goals. When you join a cohort, you're not just learning new things about owning a business; you're transforming the way you do business.

At Mission Edge, our expertise in Community Engagement programming places us at the forefront of understanding the intricacies of volunteering. We've compiled a series of practical tips designed to ensure your employees are well-equipped during your CSR volunteer event and that they feel wholly supported as you send them off into the world to lend a hand.

Impact Lab graduate Abby Brown is the driving force behind H2OM, a sustainable apparel brand that’s making waves in the fashion industry with its eco-friendly activewear. Our team provided guidance on efficient inventory management, strategic fundraising, and navigating the complexities of fashion retail, all while keeping Abby's commitment to the environment at the forefront.

Our fiscal sponsorship program has allowed the Majdal Center to focus on what it's best at: interacting with and impacting our local San Diego community. Our collaboration with Majdal Center led to significant growth, including the center’s budget has increased nearly 25% year over year since joining! Learn how Fiscal Sponsorship helped them continue to empower the Arab community in San Diego.

Learn why working with a finance coach can transform your small business and see the success stories from our recent Impact Lab participants! From creating a clear business plan to getting you on track to pay yourself a living wage, our team can give you the financial clarity you need to reach sustainable profitability.

Fiscal sponsorship is when a nonprofit sponsor invites a charitable project to operate under its tax-exempt status. This arrangement allows the charitable mission to focus on fundraising and impact, while the sponsor handles administrative responsibilities, from finances to HR. Fiscal Sponsorship can be a helpful tool because it offers a streamlined way to access funds and operate efficiently.

Few things are as crucial as being audit ready. For organizations, audits can be stressful and time-consuming, but with the right preparation, it can be a smooth and headache-free process. At Mission Edge, our dedicated managed services accounting team understands the importance of audit readiness, and we ensure our clients are well-prepared to face any audit with confidence.

As HR professionals and business leaders, we're not just filling positions; we're shaping lives and molding the future of work for the next generation. Learn how flexible environments, transparency, and technology are redefining recruitment.

The best part about our jobs here at Mission Edge is helping our community's heroes go further, faster. Our collaboration with Indigenized Energy is one of our favorite stories to tell because the organization is creating waves of change for Native tribes across the country. Through fiscal sponsorship, we came alongside them to help them develop new practices and policies.