4th Sector Solutions was founded on the idea that 4th sector organizations — that combine elements of private, public and non-profit entities — have unique capacity needs that can best be served by an organization focused on supporting their non-core activities. Charter schools are 4th sector organizations. They are non-profit corporations that receive public funding, but operate much like private sector organizations.
4th Sector Solutions operates primarily as a school support organization serving multi-campus charter school organizations. At a September 2008 conference sponsored by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 4th Sector Solutions’ founder Joe Keeney coined the term “business management organization” or “BMO” to describe its position in the charter school market, contrasted with a charter management organization or “CMO”, and a for-profit education management organization or “EMO”. But for many of its clients, 4th Sector Solutions provides more than just business management services, so “school support organization” captures what we do best.
