At Hack Club, we believe in the power and creativity of teens to make a difference in their communities. If you have an idea for a project and the drive to lead it, we want to help you succeed.
HCB is our platform that provides fiscal sponsorship to help young people run impactful projects without the overhead of forming their own nonprofit. Here's what you need to know before applying.
Who We're Built For
HCB is part of Hack Club, a nonprofit focused on high school students. Our fiscal sponsorship program is designed primarily for teenagers aged 13–18 who lead or organize mission-driven projects. HCB cannot support or provide accounts for individuals under the age of 13, even with parental involvement or consent.
To be eligible, your group should:
Be led and primarily run by teenagers (ages 13-18)
Be pursuing a mission that would qualify as a nonprofit activity under IRS 501(c)(3) guidelines
Not already have an existing nonprofit or tax-exempt status
What Kinds of Projects Do We Support?
HCB aims to support as many mission-driven projects as possible. If your project serves a charitable purpose that would be permitted under IRS 501(c)(3) guidelines, it's likely a good fit. We usually don't restrict applications to specific categories or causes. For example, we have sponsored projects like hackathons, peer tutoring programs, environmental cleanups, science clubs, coding workshops, art initiatives, and community service events. If you have an idea along these lines or something different, we welcome you to apply.
When in doubt, apply. Our team reviews every application individually.
Adult-Led Groups
HCB is exclusively focused on teen-led organizations. We only accept new groups that are run by teenagers to ensure alignment with our mission of supporting youth-led initiatives. Please note that our program capacity and mission mean we may not be the right fit for every group.
Who Is Not Eligible
The following are not eligible for HCB fiscal sponsorship:
Existing nonprofits or 501(c)(3) organizations: if you already have tax-exempt status, fiscal sponsorship isn't the right tool for you
Projects that would not qualify under IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit guidelines (e.g., for-profit ventures, political campaigns, or activities primarily benefiting private individuals)
Not Sure If You Qualify?
We encourage anyone who thinks they might be a fit to go ahead and apply. Our team reviews every application individually. After you submit your application, we may reach out if we need more information or have questions about your project. If we're not the right home for your project, we'll let you know, and we wish you the best of luck moving forward. We thank you for your interest in HCB.