Nonprofit Startup Advice

Frequently, I have individuals reach out to me who are starting a nonprofit or are thinking about starting a nonprofit. Often, they want to ?pick my brain? about how I have started and/or run my nonprofit organizations. They have so many questions? How can I raise money? Where will I find board members?

The first questions to ask instead are:

• Is this nonprofit really needed right now?
• Is there another, existing organization or multiple organizations offering these or similar services?
• Do I have the capital to start a nonprofit business?
• What do I need to know about running a nonprofit that I don?t know?

There are a lot of passionate people out there with the entrepreneurial spirit wanting to affect the world in a positive way ? I applaud you! Before you start your organization make sure you have the right resources in place.

Many people consider hiring a legal professional to file their 501c3 documents, but that?s as far as the financial or legal planning goes.?? Most people when they start nonprofits don?t have the expertise in fundraising, board development, financial management, operations, marketing, and program development and evaluation ? just to name a few.

You?re going to need money to hire consultants, attend trainings, pay for basic supplies. These are things that frequently are forgotten and seem like a luxury. If you were to start a small business, what capital would you need to have to get started?

The truth is that there are people with significant expertise who can save any organization significant time in the short-term and long-term. You?ll want to plan financially to bring those people on.

While your mission might be the greatest cause in the world, there is a business side to running an organization that is often times not seen as sexy, but is crucial in long-term success. Anything is possible and knowing what you don?t know is the first step.

Before starting another nonprofit, investigate the landscape and see what?s already there. Learn about what you need to know. Ask for help and have a financial plan that makes sense so you can serve your mission and your goals effectively.

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Source: http://edaconsulting.org/2012/02/nonprofit-startup-advice/

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