What We Do

 

The Fourth Sector Group (4SG) is structured as a platform organization that catalyzes and enables the growth of the fourth sector ecosystem worldwide. We provide a range of support services and resources to organizations and initiatives working to advance six strategic priorities: Enhancing Knowledge, Advancing Policy, Raising Awareness, Connecting Stakeholders, Educating & Training professionals and students, and Mobilizing Resources towards fourth sector ecosystem development efforts.

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To advance these priorities, the 4SG platform performs the following core functions:

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• Incubation & Piloting. 4SG works with the for-benefit community to identify critical gaps in the fourth sector ecosystem, and helps fill some of these by providing resources and support for the incubation and piloting of new organizations, initiatives, and products that are scalable and high-impact. These efforts can advance for-benefit thinking and practice in targeted geographies (e.g. place-based economic development initiatives), issue areas (e.g. economic inclusion), industries or professions (e.g., healthcare, accounting), or contexts (e.g. university).

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• Support Services. 4SG provides an array of specialized resources and services to efforts that strengthen the fourth sector ecosystem. These include support with communications; convenings; information technology; talent; fundraising; monitoring & evaluation; and governance.

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• Networking & Partnership. 4SG serves as an exchange and facilitator for connection, communication, and collaboration among individuals and organizations pursuing the fourth sector agenda and other stakeholders across the public, private and social sectors.

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• Sector-Wide Strategy & Standards. 4SG provides coordination and facilitation to help fourth sector stakeholders establish strategic priorities, deploying financial and other resources toward them, and monitor their implementation. 4SG can serve as a neutral platform for the creation and evolution of standards for ensuring the fourth sector’s development is consistent with the highest levels of integrity and maximizes positive impacts.

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4SG primarily catalyzes, leverages, amplifies, integrates, and supports the efforts of numerous other organizations. We are not a think tank, and we are not a lobbying organization. We are apolitical and serve as a neutral, nonpartisan, inclusive platform for collaboration and innovation to rapidly accelerate the growth of the fourth sector.

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We invite you to join us!