Starting a nonprofit is one of the best ways to make a positive impact on the world. While profit isn’t the main motivator behind nonprofit organizations, they still need to be run like normal businesses. Taxes, laws, human resources, and funding still play a role in the success or failure of nonprofits. Before you start your own nonprofit, take a look at the below list. These tips will help ensure that you stay on the right path during the creation of your world-changing organization.
Do Your Research
Nationwide there are more than 1.4 million different nonprofits. During your planning stage, you need to consider the competition that you’ll face once you’re up and running. There are some important questions you should ask yourself before you get too deep in the process. Check out this list to see some examples of the sort of questions you need to answer.
Start With A Business Plan
The first step for any successful business—whether it’s a nonprofit or not—is to write a business plan. A proper business plan will increase the chances that you secure funding from either private funders or a local bank. It demonstrates that you are serious about starting your organization, and it will help you attract your first volunteers. Not having a business plan is like not having a map to success. If you don’t have a plan no one will follow you.
Incorporate
There are many reasons why you should incorporate your nonprofit. One of the most important reasons is that you’ll be able to apply for grant money. Learn more about this reason and some other important ones by reading this article. While the paperwork associated with incorporating can be a headache, in the end, you’ll be happy you completed the process and gained tax-exempt status.
Write A Mission Statement
The vision or mission statement that you create will help you attract the right people. Board members, volunteers, employees, and donors will either embrace or ignore your organization based in part on the vision you share with the world. Your vision statement can be the first part of your business plan. It explains who you are, what you do, and why your organization matters.
Learn More
The National Council of Nonprofits has a number of resources that you will find useful when getting your nonprofit off the ground. Their resources include guides about best practices, financial management, and fundraising. Visit their Tools & Resources page for more information.