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What are the most important steps for starting a non-profit organization

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Tom’s Answer

Hi Nayeli. I was an executive director at a couple of up and running non-profits. In order to actually start a non-profit I'd suggest:

  1. Do extensive research to see there are other organizations with the same objectives you have in mind. If you find any it might make more sense to join them in pursuit of what you want to accomplish.
  2. If you are looking for the next steps yourself however, it would be to generate a name for your non-profit, make sure that name is not being used, and then file with your county or state business licensing agency articles of incorporation as a non-profit.
  3. Next would be to write a short mission statement. (What are you hoping to accomplish and why).
  4. Start recruiting like-minded folks as your initial board of directors using the mission statement
  5. Present them with your first draft of a business plan, or ideas, or initial thoughts...in other words they need to help you craft a path forward from where you are at the moment.

That's the easy part. If you need funding, most non-profits do, that is another challenge altogether. It can be imposing, but if you believe in your mission you will find a way. Good luck!!!
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Simeon’s Answer

For non-profit work, you'll likely need to figure out how to sell your vision to donors. If you don't find a body of donors to get behind the work that you're doing and who trust you, it'll be difficult to make progress with starting a non-profit. Usually, you'll have to learn how to create and send out newsletters that give regular updates on how your work is doing. People are giving up their hard earned cash, so you need to be sure they get a good sense of how that investment is paying off. Plus, most people who donate are hungry for an emotional connection with the work, so be sure to include the stories of real people who are benefitting from the work.
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Shiela Marie’s Answer

Hi Nayeli, a good way to start is by looking into what cause or advocacy are you passionate about. You can also check or ask feedback from some members of the community if there is a need for a particular program you have in mind.

I would refer you to read these steps listed on https://grantspace.org/resources/knowledge-base/starting-a-nonprofit/ which covers everything that you may need to start a non-profit.

All the best and thank you for your interest in wanting to start a non-profit and help the community.
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Kathryn (Katie)’s Answer

Hello,

Starting a non-profit can be challenging and very rewarding. The opportunity to take your passions for a cause and turn that into a reality is like no other. I would encourage you to brainstorm the causes that you are passionate about. What inspires you? What excites you? What impact can you make in society?

1. Create a mission and vision statement. Follow a business plan format from Google.
2. Identify stakeholders (business partners, donors, organizations to partner with)
3. Lay-out revenue streams and strategize fundraising initiatives
4. Create a marketing platform (website, social media, canva)
5. Reach out to stakeholders and market non-profit for donations
6. Collect donations and account for transactions
7. Achieve 501 (c)(3) status with the help of a CPA

Hope this helps! Follow your passions.
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Hans’s Answer

This is a great question and I'm happy that you're considering starting your own non-profit. Think about the mission you're trying to solve and have a clear goal on how you'd like to solve that problem. Make sure that you're very passionate about solving this as otherwise you may grow tired of the cause if it's not aligned with your mission. In terms of setting up a 501c3, there are many legal hurdles and restrictions that you have to adhere to in terms of how you organize your fundraising (# of donors, variety of sources, etc.)

As an aside, as an entrepreneur for both a non-profit and for-profit company, there are a few factors to consider when deciding between the two:

1. Is there a business opportunity to solving the problem? If there is, a for-profit route may be more sustainable path rather than having to constantly fundraise.
2. Think about your fundraising strategy as this will be one of the critical tasks that you'll need to solve in order to grow and succeed. Unfortunately, as a non-profit, you can't always rely on sustainable funds. Another way you can shape the organization is by relying on volunteers, which is the way we grow our organization at Open Dreams (www.open-dreams.org)
3. Find and build a solid team. This is probably the most important factor as nobody can do all of the work on their own and you'll need lots of diverse skillsets. Surround yourself with good people and you'll be able to succeed.

Happy to speak more directly on this topic.
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