Inperium was established to support a diverse group of nonprofit organizations that maintain full responsibility for their programs, governance, and day-to-day decisions. The organization provides access to shared infrastructure, financial tools, and administrative capacity, enabling affiliates to continue operating independently while drawing from resources they could not typically access on their own. “They can go and do what they do, and we will be in the background to support them,” says Ryan Dewey Smith, founding Executive Chairman and CEO of Inperium. His description reflects a model rooted in autonomy, partnership, and a structure designed to strengthen, not absorb its affiliates.
That structure eventually led to a formal avenue for affiliate participation: the Advisory Board. Formed in 2019, the Board emerged as Inperium expanded and the number of affiliated organizations grew large enough that a more defined forum for communication became necessary. The early years relied on informal representation, but as the network expanded, leaders recognized the need for a consistent, organized way for affiliates to share insight and understand what was happening at the Inperium level. This evolution created a framework for ongoing dialogue and engagement. “One of the reasons for its success is its flexibility and willingness to evolve, and how the Board has developed as the network has grown,” Smith notes.
Each affiliate is offered a seat on the Advisory Board, though participation is voluntary. Representatives, typically the highest-ranking employees such as CEOs or executive directors, meet quarterly, two weeks before the Inperium Board convenes. During these sessions, affiliates receive the same agenda and materials that the Inperium Board will later review, including items related to finances, upcoming announcements, and other key organizational matters. “The purpose is not only to preview information but to ensure affiliate leaders can discuss the topics internally and offer recommendations or questions that they believe should accompany the agenda,” Smith says.
The chairman of the Advisory Board also holds a voting seat on the Inperium Board, further reinforcing this connection. This structure allows affiliate voices to be formally included in decisions that affect the broader organization.
Smith explains it as a forum intentionally structured to ensure representation. He emphasizes that the role of the Advisory Board is to invite consideration from every corner of the affiliate network, ultimately giving leaders a defined channel to express their perspectives.
According to Smith, transparency is a central theme in how leaders describe the Board’s purpose. “Affiliates can review financial statements, see upcoming communications before they are issued, and become familiar with the matters the Board will deliberate. That level of visibility helps clarify decisions, reduce uncertainty, and encourage collaborative conversations.” Smith explains. “The Advisory Board allows leaders to understand what’s going on at the Inperium level, which enables informed discussion within their own organizations.”
The benefits of this process can go beyond the formal agenda. After each meeting’s structured review, additional layers of collaboration unfold. All representatives step off the call, giving affiliates space to discuss matters directly with one another. These conversations can include operational challenges, shared questions, or opportunities that may benefit from peer input. “Many leaders view this networking time as one of the most valuable aspects of the Board’s design, offering space to exchange ideas with counterparts across states and service lines,” Smith says.
A recent example involved questions about the roles of Apis employees and how their work aligned with different affiliates. Inperium offers affiliates financial support, with the back-end administration resources handled through Apis Services, to help reduce their operating costs and enhance their programmatic efficiency. Feedback surfaced through the Advisory Board helped shape a new categorization of Apis staff roles under an updated naming structure that will help affiliates more easily understand how those employees support the network.
As the network continues to grow, the Advisory Board remains a consistent venue for maintaining the balance between independence and partnership. Inperium’s model ensures affiliates retain their names, legacy boards, leadership teams, and operational structures. The Advisory Board reinforces that framework by offering a structured, ongoing channel for communication and representation. Smith views it as essential to the organization’s approach. “Collaboration only works when everyone can see the full picture,” he says. “Transparency gives affiliates the confidence to speak, and that dialogue is what keeps this entire network moving forward together.”
