HOW TO START A SUCCESSFUL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

Can help your nonprofit grow.
Filling an immediate need in a community is the key to any venture, be it a corporation or nonprofit organization. Though focusing on a worthwhile task is an essential part of any operation, staffing your nonprofit with people who believe in its goals and mission will ensure its long-term success. In order to get off the ground, a successful nonprofit organization also initially requires paperworkand legal documentation, not to mention funding. Addressing these concerns should be an early step in forming the organization.
Difficulty:
Moderately Challenging
Instructions
Planning and Networking
1.
Identify which need your nonprofit organization will address, then draft mission statements and vision statements. Vision statements express what values and beliefs guide the organization's work, including its ultimate goals. Mission statements address how the organization will work toward those goals as well as the population the group will serve, according to Foundation Center.
2.
Draft a business plan that details how your organization will be run and how its operations will address its mission and vision. Business plans, though they are as different as the organizations that use them, contain common elements, such as marketing strategies, the managerial organization of the group, and cash flow and funding projections. "Entrepreneur" magazine identifies four types of plans, ranging from the miniature plan, which only details the basics, to the presentation plan, which includes all of the elements necessary to introduce your organization toprospective employees, investors and the community.
3.
Approach people or groups who might be interested in working for, volunteering or otherwise supporting the burgeoning organization. To ensure that you make the best impression on prospective supporters, be sure you are knowledgeable of all aspects of the group's vision, mission and business plan. Explain to each person you approach how his involvement with your group will benefit his community as well as himself, and don't forget to exchange contact information.
4.
Secure some form of funding or conditionalfinancial backing. Nonprofit organizations are typically funded through grants, donations, an endowment or certain types of loans. The United States government maintains an online directory of funding sources for nonprofit organizations, ranging from faith-based organizations to those looking to support education and health services.
Early Days of Operation
5.
Stay goal-focused and be judicious with capital and human resources. Once the organization has enough members to operate, delegate specific tasks to each leader and charge them with ensuring that the tasks are completed economically. By sharing the organization's workload among different leaders, staff members andvolunteers, you will be able to meet goals and avoid overworking your staff.
6.
Network with similar organizations to tradeideas and to increase the visibility of your organization. Growing a nonprofit's social and professional network may play a biggerrole in helping it meet its goals than growing its size, according to the Harvard Business School. Extending the nonprofit's reach through networking increases its visibility and makes it possible to work withother organizations, both smaller and largerin scope, to meet your nonprofit's goals.
7.
Recalibrate the organization at least once per quarter, including progress reports, new objectives and funding for the organization. As the start-up grows, so will its operations and its involvement in the community. Meet with the organization's leaders, donors and service area regularly to ensure that the work being done is aligned with its mission and overall vision, and to discuss the best ways to grow the organization in the future.