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Designing Justice + Designing Spaces

Guidance on Transitioning Program

Summary:

Provide guidance to a non-profit architecture and real estate development firm as they transition one of their programs to a separate non-profit.

Referred by:

Jurisdiction(s): U.S. (CA-based nonprofit)
About the Organization: Designing Justice + Designing Spaces is a non-profit architecture and real estate development firm with a mission to end mass incarceration. Their work seeks to counter the societal inequities evident in the dominant architectural models of courthouses and prisons, and they do so through the creation of new prototypes such as peacemaking centers, transitional housing, and mobile villages.
Legal Entity Type: Nonprofit/Charity
SDG(s): Good Health and Well Being, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, Sustainable Cities and Communities
Legal Issue(s):

The Designing Justice + Designing Spaces team developed a program called Pop-Up Village, which brings together curated programming, offered out of customized buses, vans, pop-up shops, and other types of mobile architecture, to curate a one stop shop of community resources, for community by community on formerly blighted locations. Because Designing Justice focuses on design and development rather than event production, and due to the growth and operational needs of Pop-Up Village, they are now transitioning the program to Compass & Keys. Compass & Keys is a newly formed 501(c)(3) with limited cash flow, and Pop-Up Village is their first and only initiative. Designing Justice has provided a variety of supports to Compass & Keys, to ensure the continued success of Pop-Up Village. As the more established entity, they currently serve as the lead when applying for grants and managing the financials and cash flow of the program and pay Compass & Keys for their services. Eventually, they’d like Compass & Keys to become fully self-sufficient. However, in the interim, they are seeking a comprehensive consultation to: (i) determine how best to structure their relationship with Pop-Up Village (they envision a fiscal sponsor-like arrangement); and (ii) discuss whether they can structure the relationship so that they are only supporting the Pop-Up Village program – with design services, rather than Compass & Keys as a whole (which will be particularly important if they expand their offerings). After the consultation, the Designing Justice team would greatly appreciate assistance drafting the contract(s) governing the parties’ relationship. However, this is a secondary request.