Like corn, beans, and squash —stronger together.
An open coalition of aligned organizations committed to mutual growth over competition. Not limited to three. Open to all who share the principles.
The Principle
Mutual growth, not membership cap.
The Three Sisters — corn, beans, and squash — are the foundational Mesoamerican agricultural triad. Planted together, they outproduce any of them planted alone. Corn provides the stalk. Beans climb the stalk and fix nitrogen back into the soil. Squash spreads at ground level, retaining moisture and crowding out weeds.
None of them is the most important. None of them works as well alone. The alliance IS the strategy.
We apply the same principle to organizational alliance. Aligned nonprofits, religious organizations, mutual-aid networks, and community institutions thrive in cooperation where they would struggle in isolation. The "Three Sisters" is the PRINCIPLE of mutual growth — not a count, not a cap, not a hierarchy.
The alliance is OPEN to any organization committed to growing together rather than competing against each other for the same scarce resources.
Current Alliance
Two partners. Open coalition.
CORN
The Stalk · Grows tall, gives structure
KALPULLI CORRIDORS CLT
BEANS
The Climber · Climbs and feeds the soil
BEAT THE STREETS
SQUASH
The Ground Cover · Spreads wide, protects all
OPEN — JOIN US
What Membership Looks Like
Reciprocity, not transaction.
What members give
Active participation in monthly alliance calls. Open sharing of operational learnings, funder relationships, and program lessons. Cross-referral of community members between programs. Public acknowledgment of the alliance.
Time commitment: ~3 hrs/month at the leadership level. Optional program-staff working groups quarterly.
What members get
Aligned partner referrals into your programs. Shared back-office support (legal review, accounting templates, board governance models). Co-funder introductions where mission overlaps. Cultural and operational backstop from organizations doing parallel work.
Cost: $0. The alliance does not collect membership dues. Reciprocity is the currency.
What stays sovereign
Each member organization remains fully independent. The alliance is not a parent organization, holding company, or merger structure. Members retain full board autonomy, programmatic direction, fundraising independence, and brand identity.
No member can speak for another. No vote binds another organization\'s governance.
What we hold in common
A shared commitment to community ownership, anti-extractive economic principles, and cultural grounding in the communities served. A shared rejection of competition-for-scarcity organizational behavior. A shared bias toward action over discussion.
These commitments are the membership criteria. They are not negotiable.
Who Should Apply
Aligned, not identical.
Good Fit
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Community-based nonprofits (501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or under fiscal sponsorship)
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Religious organizations doing material community work
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Mutual aid networks with consistent operational history
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Cultural institutions with rootedness in the communities they serve
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Worker cooperatives and community-owned business networks
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Organizations operating in San Antonio, broader South Texas, or with explicit translocal solidarity
Not A Fit
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For-profit ventures (regardless of social mission)
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Government agencies or quasi-governmental entities
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Organizations with active legal action against community members
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Single-event collaborations (apply to /contact instead)
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Funder-driven coalitions that exist to chase specific grant cycles
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Organizations whose mission requires the failure of others to succeed
If you're unsure whether you're a fit — apply. Conversation is free.
Apply to Join
Tell us about your organization.
The application is a conversation starter — not a contract. We respond within 5 business days with either an invitation to a 45-minute fit conversation or a brief note explaining why we\'re not the right alliance for what you\'re building right now.
After the fit call, the alliance has a 30-day mutual evaluation period — both sides can step away with no hard feelings. If both sides commit, you join the monthly alliance call and we co-publish a brief announcement.
Direct contact
For specific skills-based offers, email directly with your background and availability. We respond within 3 business days.
Volunteer Inquiry