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Starting Your Own Non-Profit: Tips and Resources You Need to Know 

If you have an interest in helping others, you may be thinking about starting your own non-profit to do so. It’s the ultimate way to benefit others in your community, and this list of tips and resources from Help Me Give Back will guide you through the process of getting started and fulfilling your own mission.

Non-Profit Business Matters

Before you can focus on the real work, you need to put some effort into making sure you take care of essential legal and setup steps for your new non-profit organization.

• Most non-profits will want to file paperwork with the IRS to become a 501(c)(3).
• There may be rare instances where operating under an LLC is a smarter choice.
• Your non-profit will also need clearly written bylaws in order to file for tax-exempt status.

Management and Fundraising

Once your organization is set up, you will also want to have the necessary tools and resources to manage it and keep things running smoothly. This includes managing donor relations.

• Non-profit management can be complex and leaders often earn degrees to help them fully understand everything there is to know about running a non-profit.
• Traditional business practices help to ensure that you make the most of every penny that comes into your nonprofit.
• Protecting relationships with volunteers, funders, and other people is crucial.
• Fundraising can be a full-time job, but the right tips and the right people can help.
• Stay efficient by batching processing for faster invoicing.   

Other Important Notes

There are so many details involved with establishing and running a successful non-profit. The tips above are some of the most important, but there are a couple of other things to keep in mind.

• It’s just as important to scale a non-profit as it is a business to avoid potential issues.
• You should also dedicate serious time and effort to getting any hiring efforts just right.
• Volunteering through organizations like United Way is a great way to get more familiar with the ins-and-outs of running a nonprofit.

There is always room for more hope, compassion and help in this world. If you would like to be a beacon of these positive changes, starting your own non-profit is one way to do so. You can also research philanthropy and volunteer opportunities with existing non-profits in your community if you are not quite ready to branch out with your own organization.

​Harry Cline