{"id":5292,"date":"2014-12-15T16:14:50","date_gmt":"2014-12-15T22:14:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lovingonme.com\/?p=5292"},"modified":"2017-04-06T12:51:38","modified_gmt":"2017-04-06T17:51:38","slug":"want-start-non-profit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/2014\/12\/15\/want-start-non-profit\/","title":{"rendered":"So You Want to Start a Non-Profit"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Charity\"Several people have reached out to me on Linked In asking for advice on how to start a non-profit. While I don\u2019t know most of them, when I have a few moments, I will sometimes take a quick call. What I generally discover is that people don\u2019t really want advice on starting a non-profit \u2013 they\u2019ve made up their mind about that. They want to know how to fundraise. Which is a shame, because after listening to their spiel, my first thought is often \u2013 you don\u2019t really need to start another non-profit.<\/p>\n

Currently in the US, there are more than 1.5 million non-profits, and each year over 50,000 new organizations apply. It\u2019s a complex and crowded playing field, and according to the latest IRS statistics nearly 275,000 non-profits navigate it unsuccessfully each year, losing their tax-exempt status.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no doubt that most start with the best intentions. Whether an outlet for grief or a genuine interest in helping humanity, nearly everyone I speak to is passionate about their cause. But is a public charity the right outlet for your caring spirit? Here are 6 questions to ask yourself before you decide to start a non-profit.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Why Am I starting a non-profit?<\/strong> This is where you need to be the most honest with yourself. Go beyond the trite answer of simply \u201craising awareness\u201d. In today\u2019s environment you can do that through any number of social media outlets. Spend some time thinking about what you are really hoping to accomplish, and how you will measure it. Then determine if it requires an \u201corganization\u201d behind it to be successful, and if so, why? If the answer is because it will require fundraising to achieve your goals, then ask yourself the next question.<\/li>\n
  2. Am I meeting a compelling and unmet<\/strong> need in the marketplace? If you\u2019re going to ask the public to support your efforts then make sure that you\u2019re focusing on areas not effectively addressed by others, and that people other than you are concerned about. Fundraising requires two things: a cause people care about, and a compelling need. That means that if you\u2019re focused in an area people know very little about or perceive that other organizations are addressing, you have a lot of work to do before you can garner support for your mission. In the early days a partnership with a larger organization or an online social campaign may be the way to go. But, if you really want a non-profit let\u2019s go on to the next one.<\/li>\n
  3. Do I want to run a small business<\/strong>? Non-profit founders report that more than 50% of their time can be spent on administration and paperwork. In fact, the first two years is often spent on building the business rather than the mission-centric activities with which you fell in love. For example, to prepare for national fundraising \u2013 which is what you do online \u2013 registration is required in nearly every state, at least to do it right. Before you go down this path, make sure you get good counsel from accounting and legal experts who understand the ever-changing laws and requirements to maintain a 501(c)3 status. But hold on, before you spend the money to get set-up, let\u2019s make sure your heart is in it.<\/li>\n
  4. Am I passionate about fundraising<\/strong>? Unless you\u2019re establishing a private foundation, fundraising will provide the fuel that drives your mission forward. At first it can seem rather easy. After all, those 100 or so people who encouraged you to start a non-profit will most likely support with an initial gift. But after the honeymoon phase, you find that it\u2019s harder than it looks to raise a few dollars. It\u2019s especially challenging for new non-profits that have no track record for success. Before you ask for your first gift, be sure you\u2019ve developed a strong reason for support. Use your personal expertise and passion, along with market data, to show why your organization makes a good investment. And I highly recommend fundraising for an established organization, before you try fundraising for your own. It\u2019s a great way to test the waters among your network to suss out the givers, and gain some practical insight into if this is something you\u2019re interested in doing going forward. Assuming that it is, here\u2019s your next hurdle.<\/li>\n
  5. How will I pay my bills<\/strong>? If you\u2019re planning to take a salary for living expenses, you might be waiting a while before you live well. The average small business, which is what you\u2019re now running, loses money in its first 5 years. That means after taking care of all expenses and conducting mission related activities \u2013 that are required to maintain your tax-exempt status \u2013 there may be nothing left for you. Additionally, the pressure to raise enough funds for you and the organization is often overwhelming. The ideal situation is to be personally sustained through outside funding \u2013 such as from a spouse, partner, or parents. Or you can work while building the organization. Many great organizations have been built on a part-time basis until they are\u00a0strong enough to provide financial support. And that brings me to my last question.<\/li>\n
  6. Am I in it for the long haul<\/strong>? Any cause worth fighting for is worth seeing through to the end. Are you willing to stick with it when you get bored, tired, and frustrated? Are you willing to turn over the reins, when the time is right, so that the work can continue even if you can\u2019t actively participate? Part of your legacy should be an organization that is built to last beyond you, because there is a high likelihood that what you set out to achieve may not come to pass in your lifetime. Make a commitment from the start that you\u2019re sticking with it to the end \u2013 whether that\u2019s when your goal is achieved, or you pass the torch.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    So now, do you still want to start a non-profit? I know it seems daunting, but if you\u2019ve read all this and there is still a burning desire in the depths of your soul to start something new, then do it. Do what you are being called to do, and deliver it with excellence. After all, that’s what a Loving on Me life is all about – doing what you love, and loving what you do!<\/p>\n

    Just\u00a0use this as a checklist to make sure you\u2019re heading down the path with everything in order. Then recruit others along the way to help carry the load. You don\u2019t need many. I\u2019ve learned a few passionate souls can change the world!<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019ve already walked this path, then leave us a note in the comments adding to our checklist of things to consider before starting a non-profit. Let\u2019s swap knowledge and share stories of success.<\/p>\n

    Loving on Me as I Love You! Hugs and Blessings \u2764<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Several people have reached out to me on Linked In asking for advice on how to start a non-profit. While I don\u2019t know most of them, when I have a few moments, I will sometimes take a quick call. What I generally discover is that people don\u2019t really want advice on starting a non-profit \u2013 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":12385,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sharing_disabled":false,"switch_like_status":false,"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":""},"categories":[204997549,114917237],"tags":[14560,204997498,204997597,122792808,204997735,204997736],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Charity1-1.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4eAxC-1nm","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5292"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5292"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5292\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12386,"href":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5292\/revisions\/12386"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5292"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5292"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovingonme.com\/2017\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}