Transforming how public systems connect with and work for the people they serve.

  • Caroline Whistler in SSIR: When Evidence Isn’t Enough

    In a newly published piece with Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR), Caroline makes the argument that good evidence doesn't always mean good results and explores what it means to realize that evidence has been asked to do work it was never designed to do. In the piece, Caroline calls for all of us to do more policy, funding, and cultural work within our public systems to ensure good evidence leads to good results for all people.

  • Third Sector Welcomes Adeeb Mahmud as its New Managing Director, Programs

    Mahmud brings more than 20 years of experience in social impact as both advisor and operator, with a particular focus on economic mobility and health access/equity. In his new role, Mahmud will be responsible for the strategic direction and oversight of Third Sector’s entire project portfolio. The Managing Director, Programs is the architect of Third Sector’s excellence and impact in project delivery. As a member of the Executive Team and reporting directly to the CEO, Mahmud will ensure that the organization’s worldview and strategy are consistently implemented across all projects to sustain Third Sector’s impact. He will bridge the gap between specialized expertise and consistent service delivery, ensuring that every client engagement and every team member’s experience meets the “Third Sector Standard.”

  • Government Transformation Agenda: people, practices, perspectives

    Third Sector Launches Inaugural Government Transformation Agenda

    Introducing the Government Transformation Agenda: an actionable roadmap for local and state leaders, philanthropic partners, and funders. Drawing on 15 years of expertise and collaboration with public sector change-makers, the Agenda provides field-tested insights to align practices, people, and perspectives, helping you build more responsive systems and strengthen democracy through greater accountability.

  • Third Sector Launches Partnership with Sobrato Philanthropies to Strengthen Public-Private Partnerships That Advance Economic Mobility in California

    Third Sector and Sobrato Philanthropies have partnered to strengthen public-private partnerships and advance economic mobility in Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Alameda counties, California. This year-long collaboration will foster community-led solutions for sustainable cross-sector coordination to support pathways to economic mobility.

  • An Age of Disruption is Here: Four Ways to Transform Public Systems

    As our communities navigate constant change Third Sector is remaining steadfast in helping agencies see beyond the chaos. In his latest article, Tim Pennell, Managing Director, Strategy & Programs, breaks down our four core offerings to help governments and communities achieve measurable long-term transformation, sharing examples from Alabama to Oregon as we support agencies to unlock possibilities for their communities.

  • A Third Sector + SSIR Special: Realizing the Promise of a Truly Responsive Government

    Deep misalignment exists between what the American people want from their government and what they believe they are getting from it. To address this problem and unlock the possibility that our government can be a true partner, truly responsive, and a more effective force for good in our lives, we must shift how entire government agencies do their work, and most importantly, what they understand their responsibility to the communities they serve to be.

Throughout the United States, we collaborate deeply with communities to re-write how they partner with government to fund social services, re-aligning vast amounts of public resources to move the needle on social problems.

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Our Services

Insights from Third Sector

Participatory Governance in Action: Lessons for Cultivating Strong Stakeholder Relationships with Parents and FamiliesParticipatory Governance in Action: Lessons for Cultivating Strong Stakeholder Relationships with Parents and Families

  • Shaunese Falkner
  • May 1, 2026

Learn how we facilitate shared input between agency staff and parents, thereby strengthening outcomes, building more responsive systems, and deepening trust with families.

Building Portable Pathways for Post-Secondary OpportunityBuilding Portable Pathways for Post-Secondary Opportunity

  • Dr. Joy Coates
  • March 31, 2026

At Third Sector, our post-secondary opportunity work keeps coming back to the same challenge: too many learners do what we ask of them and still run into unclear, disconnected pathways to opportunity

 

 

Powering Climate & Infrastructure Careers: A National Imperative for Tomorrow’s EconomyPowering Climate & Infrastructure Careers: A National Imperative for Tomorrow’s Economy

  • Jess Praphath

Read the full series: Third Sector provided technical assistance in collaboration with the Families & Workers Fund (FWF) to their state cohort under its PCIC initiative, supporting four state agencies in the design and implementation of workforce strategies to improve job quality and create inclusive training and career pathways in the climate and infrastructure sectors.

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