Mission
Because responsive services best meet the needs of the community.
About Us
Third Sector is a national nonprofit helping to unlock possibility, confront inequity, and catalyze change to the benefit of the people and places our government, community-based, and philanthropic partners serve. We are a technical assistance organization that advises our government agencies on effective ways to reshape their policies, systems, and services toward better outcomes for all people no matter their race, background, and circumstances.
We know that helping people starts with making connections, fully understanding their needs so that our government provides the right services when it matters most. Responsive services best meet the needs of the community, rebuild trust in our systems and structures, and achieve optimal outcomes for all. We focus on making a deep impact in four practice areas: Behavioral Health, Diversion and Reentry, Early Childhood Development, and Economic Mobility. Visit "Our Services" for more about how we do our work.
Founded in 2011, Third Sector is a 501(c)3 organization that has worked with more than 50 communities to deploy more than $1.8 billion of government resources toward outcomes.
Our Values
Third Sector is intentional about how we show up to transform how our government serves all people, no matter their race, background, or circumstance and operates with five core values. We bring great care and intention to the way we practice each value below—within our organization, with our partners, and with our clients. This commitment to excellence is integrated into all that we do.
Results
We believe in developing projects that measurably improve the lives of all people and reduce racial and ethnic disparities. We support our partners in using data and community experiences to shift culture, policy, and practice that will improve the way our government provides services to people. For an overview of the six building blocks of an outcomes orientation that guides all of our work, check out Our Services.
Racial Equity
We understand that our nation’s public systems were built on a foundation of racism and we strive to help our partners combat the effects of white supremacy and other forms of oppression as an essential condition to fostering better life outcomes for all people and racial equity. We co-create projects with our partners that aim to uncover root causes of racial inequity, shift culture and policies, implement data-driven and community-driven solutions, and set up sustainable systems for collective learning and continuous improvement.
Relationships
Led by gratitude, curiosity, and a fierce spirit of partnership, we build relationships rooted in listening, appreciation, transparency, and accountability to foster healthy collaboration. We work across social impact practice areas with a variety of partners including government agencies, philanthropy, community-based organizations, and service providers. As facilitators and conveners, we scale impact by connecting changemakers across sectors, agencies, and areas to share information and inspiration.
Respect
We recognize and honor the expertise of community members who are current or potential users of social services, as well as the expertise of dedicated public servants in our collaborative efforts to design and implement person-centered public systems. We partner with community members who have experienced systemic oppression, service providers, and other stakeholders to uncover the causes of inequity and identify and implement opportunities for improvement.
Reflection
We continuously reflect on how we affect the field, our partners, community members, and each other as a part of how we show up to do our work. We are committed to using data and leaning into conversations with our partners and clients to understand our impact on the communities we serve. We believe that every reflection is a chance to grow and adapt through courage and honesty.
Learn more about our services to see how we put our values to work.
Our Commitment to Racial Equity
At Third Sector, we believe that to uphold our core values - Results, Racial Equity, Relationships, Respect, and Reflection - we must commit to undoing the damage that white supremacy has caused for all of us so that we can build a shared future where we all can live out our dreams. We know that for our government to serve all of us, no matter our race, background, or circumstance, all community members must be at the table co-creating the change we want to see. We seek out and elevate diverse local perspectives, foster an inclusive environment where those voices are centered in the decisionmaking process, and embrace an equity-centered approach that uses our privileged position to meet the needs of everyone in our communities. This commitment ensures our government is working for all of us.
Elevating diverse perspectives
Fostering an inclusive environment
Embracing an equity-centered approach
For our full Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion affirmation, click the button to the right.