The first challenge when founding a non-profit is deciding how to choose non-profit directors. Once you’ve done your non-profit research and created a business plan,
Have you ever had an idea you can see so clearly, so precisely, that you know it has to be shared with the rest of your community, state, country, or even the whole world? You’ve probably thought about starting a non-profit organization as a way to turn your dream into a reality.
It’s important to remember that a non-profit organization is a business, just like all the for-profit companies out there. You should think like a CEO right from the start. With the proper tools and support, you can start giving back to your community and changing lives.  In this post, we’ll explore four things you should do as you make plans to get your non-profit organization up and running.
Nonprofit board members must understand and fulfill their fiduciary duties or they expose the nonprofit they serve and themselves to risk.
Whether your interested in giving abroad because you’ve traveled to distant parts of the world and were inspired by the inventiveness of the communities you visited, read about an issue in a news article, or maybe just feel a special kinship with a given place, the desire to help can quickly move to the top of your priority list.
A nonprofit can never be too careful when screening its employees and volunteers. As such, more are conducting due diligence on their employees and volunteers. This is particularly true for those that serve vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, or abuse victims. Part of that diligence is having the volunteer fingerprinted for a background check. If your organization is considering adding this step to its due diligence, do you know where to go for fingerprint background checks?
A charity generally is required to register with their state in order to solicit charitable contributions if state law requires. Currently, there are 39 states and the District of Columbia that have such requirements.
For a nonprofit organization to succeed, it must have a high functioning Board. While management deals with the day to day operations (planning, organizing and executing the organization’s programs), the Board of Directors provides oversight over the organization’s management, finances, mission, and strategic goals.
With the market volatility of the last six months, funding sources and non-profits alike may be uneasy given memories of the 2008 recession. Although predicting future macro-economic forces may be impossible, it is always a good idea for 501(c)(3) non-profit corporations to seek to diversify revenue streams to prepare for shifts in funding.
There are 27 different types of non-profits in the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code, but the most numerous categories are IRS 501(c)(3) corporations (charitable organizations) and IRS 501(c)(4) corporations (social welfare organizations).
When considering acquiring another nonprofit, there are two types of acquisitions that are typically considered “ an asset purchase and a merger transaction. Several factors, including due diligence, payment of consideration, assumption of liability, assignment of contracts (including endowment agreements), existence of planned gifts, future operating goals and applicable state and federal laws, should be considered in determining the structure of the potential transaction.
Most states require you to register your organization if you solicit donations from their residents. Many states also require registration if your organization collects substantial or ongoing donations from their residents, even if you aren’t specifically targeting donors in that state. Download our comprehensive list of each state’s requirements.
Download our free guide to learn about the many elements needed to run a successful nonprofit organization, as well as how to avoid common pitfalls and mistakes.