Community partners lead
- Local trust
- Program delivery
- Community relationships
- On-the-ground infrastructure
Partners
Stronger together, by design.
Lasting, systemic change is never achieved in isolation. It is cultivated through an ecosystem of partnership with organizations that are on the ground, doing the vital work of nourishing their communities every day. Our partners are the heart of our mission in action. We come to the table as a research and capacity building organization — carrying the funding, compliance, and evidence work so our partners can lead.
Division of labor
MJ Axiom supports
- Grant strategy
- Proposal development
- Compliance & reporting
- Community-based research & evaluation
- Data & measurement support
How we partner
A capacity building partner for community organizations.
We look for organizations with deep community trust and real infrastructure — then we take on the parts that slow them down. As a capacity building partner, MJ Axiom leads funding identification, proposal development, grant management, compliance, and reporting, while our partners lead the programmatic work they know best. (We are a prime applicant and capacity builder, not a fiscal sponsor.)
Partnerships are built on mutual respect, a shared commitment to community empowerment, and the understanding that we are stronger together. Research and measurement are built into the work from day one, so every partnership learns as it grows.
Federal award experience
Federal Awards and Government Contracting Experience
Our team brings extensive experience supporting the full lifecycle of federally funded programs and awards, including federal prime contracts, cooperative agreements, grants, subawards, and related procurement instruments funded by numerous federal agencies. Our experience spans proposal development, contract formation, subcontracting, project administration, compliance oversight, risk management, contract modifications, and award closeout.
We advise project teams, contracting personnel, and organizational leadership on the contractual, regulatory, and compliance requirements governing federally funded projects, including 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance), 2 CFR Part 910, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS). Our experience encompasses federal funding requirements, procurement standards, cost allowability, audit and recordkeeping obligations, intellectual property and data rights, subcontracting, flow-down requirements, and compliance with federal award terms and conditions.
Our capabilities include supporting the administration of federal prime contracts, cooperative agreements, grants, subawards, and related procurement instruments while providing strategic guidance and contract administration throughout the federal award lifecycle.
Core Competencies
Award & Agreement Administration
- Federal prime contract, cooperative agreement, and grant administration and associated contract modifications
- Developing and negotiating government-funded subawards and subcontracts, purchase orders, and consulting and technical services agreements
- Subrecipient agreement development, negotiation, and administration
Research & Institutional Partnerships
- Collaboration and sophisticated contracting with universities, research institutions, nonprofit organizations, governmental entities, commercial organizations, and industry partners
- Federal research partnership development and administration
Regulatory Compliance
- 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance) and 2 CFR Part 910 compliance
- FAR and DFARS compliance
- Award-specific flow-down requirement development and implementation
- Regulatory and contractual compliance throughout the federal award lifecycle
Cost, Audit & Records
- Cost allowability and reimbursement requirements
- Intellectual property and data rights
- Procurement and subcontracting compliance
- Audit readiness, records management, and compliance oversight
Featured partner
Peaceful Pines Farm — Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Nestled in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Peaceful Pines Farm is a living model of community resilience and environmental stewardship. It is a diverse operation with a focus on three core areas: sustainable forestry, fresh produce, and livestock management.
At the heart of their work is a deep commitment to conservation and sustainability, ensuring that the land can provide for generations to come. This forward-looking approach embodies the principle of systems thinking — seeing the interconnected health of the soil, the forest, and the community.
Beyond their agricultural work, Peaceful Pines Farm is dedicated to empowering the next generation through hands-on educational programming for kids. By teaching young people where their food comes from and the importance of caring for their environment, they are planting the seeds for a more resilient and knowledgeable community. MJ Axiom is proud to partner with Peaceful Pines Farm — an organization that truly embodies what it means to build from the ground up.
Where we’re headed
Seeking an anchor partner in Chicago.
Our next chapter is urban. We are building relationships across greater Chicago’s food system, community development, and education sectors to find an anchor partner — an organization ready for a deep, multi-year collaboration on the model we are building with Peaceful Pines Farm.
If your organization holds community trust in Chicago and wants a partner to carry the funding and capacity work, we want to meet you.
Partner with us.
Are you a community-based organization, non-profit, or industry stakeholder dedicated to building a more equitable and sustainable future? Let’s start a conversation.