San Francisco Study Center — since 1972
About Us
San Francisco Study Center was founded in 1972 at the rise of neighborhood power here and across the country. Community organizers needed technical assistance to get the data to frame their goals and City Hall updates to inform the evolving neighborhood groups. We showed them how to research public records and helped them understand San Francisco’s budget. Study Center explained how they could get their piece of the public pie. And, clearly, they did.
Study Center’s mission, then and now, is to help nonprofits succeed. That assistance has taken the form of breaking news from City Hall, one-to-one public records training, producing technical handbooks, annual reports, newsletters and comprehensive special reports on foundation’s community initiatives.
Study Center’s mission has evolved from our City Hall newsletter and book, “Understanding San Francisco’s Budget,” to our first fiscal sponsorship in 1975, to today’s focus on comprehensive fiscal sponsorship and serving as fiscal intermediary for city-funded programs largely in health, behavioral health, housing and community development.
Study Center edits, publishes and distributes “Fiscal Sponsorship: 6 Ways to Do It Right” from attorney Gregory Colvin’s first edition in 1993 to a 3rd revised and expanded edition later this year. This Study Center Press book, a blueprint for proper practice, has transformed fiscal agency into fiscal sponsorship, professionalizing the field in the process. The third edition, which will define a popular new Model L, will be published later this year.
Fiscalsponsordirectory.org connects projects with a database approaching 300 fiscal sponsors nationwide. Study Center launched the site in 2008 and maintains it as a free resource for projects and sponsors throughout the nation. In addition to profiles of sponsors, the Directory is the go-to site for news and features showing fiscal sponsorship in action. A steady stream of stories puts a face on fiscal sponsorship, shows it in action, explores its many parts and illustrates its benefits.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Richard Livingston, Acting President, Administrative Director, EXIT Theatre
Tina Tong Yee, Vice President, former Director, Cultural Competence and Client Relations, S.F. Behavioral Health Services
Reiko Homma True, Secretary-Treasurer, former Director, S.F. Community Mental Health
John Burks, chair emeritus, S.F. State Department of Journalism
Hazim Elbgal, Vice President, Branch Manager, City National Bank
Eric Eldon, Editor, Hoodline
Ben Kutnick, former Finance Director, Port of San Francisco
Jeanne Kwong, former health educator, S.F. Department of Public Health
Stas Margaronis, shipbuilder, co-founder S.F. Study Center
Jim McWilliams, advocate, S.F. Mental Health Clients Rights Advocacy
STAFF
Administration and Finance
Geoffrey Link, Executive Director
Jaden Chen, Finance Director
John Nuñez, Bookkeeper
Linda Kuo, Accounting Clerk
Leonor Vera, Human Resources, Compliance Coordinator
Irene Soriano, Administrative Assistant
Editorial & Graphics
Marjorie Beggs, Senior Writer and Editor, Directory Manager
Lise Stampfli, Art Director and Photographer
Mark Hedin, Community Reporter

The Study Center publishes Gregory Colvin’s seminal handbook, the standard text for fiscal sponsorship..
Contact the Study Center about your new project today.