Third Sector Enterprises (Third Sector) is a collaboration of professionals who provide expert consultation and training services in the capacity building competencies. It is a “one-stop shop” of experienced and vetted consultants. These consultants know each other and work together on specific projects. They are committed to providing the highest quality of service delivery. They all believe that affiliation with Third Sector is not only beneficial to the building of their own businesses but is in the best interests of their existing and potential clients.
So when and how did Third Sector begin?
In the spring of 1985, while serving as the Executive Director of the Fort Collins Area United Way, Art Bavoso began teaching Nonprofit Agency Administration and Fundraising at Colorado State University. Through the American Humanics Program, it was one of three required classes that, along with other electives, enabled undergraduate and graduate students to earn a Certificate in Nonprofit Administration. Art went on to teach this class for another fifteen years.
In 1990, Art joined the development team at CSU. He began as the Director of Development for the College Of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and then became the Executive Director of Development for the entire university. This exposure to higher education not only enhanced Art’s fundraising knowledge and expertise, but also enriched the classroom experience for his students.
For the class, Art developed a syllabus that covered many of the important topics within the nonprofit field. Today, these are commonly referred to as “capacity building competencies.” By 1993, several of his former students who had graduated and went on to work in the nonprofit field began to contact him about providing consulting and training services to their agencies. In response to their requests, Art founded Third Sector Enterprises, Inc. (Third Sector) as a Colorado corporation.
By 2000, Art had deepened his desire to share his knowledge and expertise with even more professionals and volunteers working in local, community-based, grassroots nonprofit organizations in Northern Colorado. He decided to leave CSU and devote his time and energy to expanding the reach of Third Sector. In so doing, hundreds of professionals and volunteers throughout Colorado have benefited from Third Sector’s services. As a result, many service recipients say they were able to raise more money and achieve even greater results for their organizations due to the services and training provided by Third Sector.
Over the years, Art invited others who owned and operated their own consulting businesses to join him in providing services. In 2012, Art began to formalize this work arrangement. Check out the educational, work backgrounds and accomplishments of these professional Third Sector Associates and Strategic Partners on the Team page of our website.