Early C4CS Community Conversation led by Haywood Simmons, former board member

Our Story

Bert and Linda Stitt honored at Make a Difference Tribute

Empowering Community Vision

Center for Community Stewardship (C4CS) was founded with the goal of engaging and empowering community members, especially those who have been historically marginalized, to develop their own vision for the community. Started by Bert Stitt in 2002, our early initiatives and services were centered on cultivating collaborative conversations through community facilitation and visioning.

Bridging the Gap

Our journey to becoming a fiscal sponsor began in 2008 when we provided fiscal sponsorship to a grassroots project to aid unhoused people in Madison. Through this experience, we recognized that offering fiscal sponsorship is instrumental to bridging the gap between the visioning stage and turning those visions into reality. As the number of requests increased over time, our focus shifted to building capacity and providing access to institutional resources with the people and groups who aim to create an inclusive, thriving community.

C4CS Staff at WI Nonprofit Summit

Dedicated Staff Members

From 2008 to 2016, we grew from sponsoring two to fourteen projects, which led to the decision to bring on a full-time staff member. In 2017, Lisa Dugdale became our first Executive Director, with a second full-time staff member brought on board in 2021. Today, our team consists of five dedicated staff members who believe everyone should have the opportunity to make a difference.

Community Partnerships

Over the years, we’ve increased the range of services we provide and now support organizations of all sizes. In 2023, as the scope of our work expanded along with the number of our projects, C4CS undertook a process of reevaluation and refinement of our mission and values statements to better reflect our development. While the focus of our direct services has evolved, our foundation remains rooted in addressing unmet needs and partnering with those closest to the challenges in our community.