Archive for the ‘Nonprofit’ Category

Setting up a nonprofit is complicated and overwhelming. So, make the creation of your policies and procedures basic. Here are five things that will help you to keep it simple:

Keep it general- At this point in the creation of your policies, your goal is to keep it basic. You are only doing the preliminaries at this stage in the game. Once the final board has been identified, and put into place, then together you’ll revisit what you’ve started. It is up to the entire board to make the final decision on the policies.

Don’t reinvent the wheel- Take help and use available templates.

Make sure your policies support your Bylaws- We talked about the Bylaws and their importance. Make sure your policies agree with and support your Bylaws. You don’t want contradictions between the two.

Remember to tie in your organization’s mission statement- At all times, remember to reiterate your organization’s mission statement in everything you write, share, and produce. Your mission statement is one of the key elements of your organization; make sure to promote it.

Ease into the process - Don’t stress and feel as though you have to complete this document all at one time. As your organization grows and changes, you’ll find that you’ll revisit your policies quite often. This is a growing and changing document.

Enjoy this time of discovery as you explore the depths of what your organization can be!

Brainstorming new ideas may be your passion; implementing new ideas on the other hand may be where projects breakdown. When bringing your key leaders together your organization can gain passion and purpose in utilizing true collaboration.

Here are a few key strategies to assist you in seeing those well-dreamt projects through to fruition.

• Include your entire team in gathering ideas. You never know where a great idea may come from, and it could very well be the part-time volunteer that comes up with the next best thing.
• Check with the community that you serve to see if anyone has a suggestion for how your organization can improve its current services, or implement something new. A suggestion box is a great way to gather ideas from community members.
• Surveys are effective in helping organizations gauge the successfulness of a program. We recommend surveys that also gauge the interest of the community and staff members. This sort of questionnaire will assist your organization in not only considering what new ideas to try, but will also tell you what current programs are working well.

Remember to include everyone; it helps to grow a stronger organization if you get the buy-in from as many people as possible. In addition, it is very important to make sure that whatever new ideas you implement fit with the organization’s mission statement and strategic plan.

Check out the organizational assessment tool offered free through The Hartford Foundation’s Nonprofit Support Program.

Bylaws contain the fundamental principles regarding the nature of the organization and the institutional structure by which the board of directors operates. Bylaws establish the specific criteria for decision-making, and should meet the specific needs of each organization.

The following questions will help to guide you through the process of drafting a set of Bylaws for your organization.
•What is the purpose and mission statement?
•How and when will you elect board members? How many will there be? What number of board members will be conducive to helping your company achieve its mission? What will the term limits be? When can a director be removed and what is the process? What will the procedures be for resignation?
•What committees will be the most essential for your board?
•How often will the directors meet? Is it a quorum?
•Should your Board be insured?
•How often should your bylaws be reviewed and updated?

Putting together a set of Bylaws is a daunting and necessary task; however, there are many resources available to help you and your Board through the process. Take advantage of the Foundation Center and the Lectrin Law Library, just to name a few. You can find templates for nonprofit Bylaws at Easy Forms.

An organization cannot exist until the Bylaws are formally adopted by the Board and comply with the state laws governing the organization.

There are many resources you can tap using the internet when starting a nonprofit. I thought it would be helpful to you to list some the resources I’ve found for clients.

About.com – There are a list of articles pertaining to the start up steps for a nonprofit. There’s a check list that you can follow to ensure that you’ve covered all your bases.

Free management library – Here you’ll find articles, websites, and resources for assistance. There is even a link to add a resource if you come across one.

Nonprofit Connectors – This is an online membership community. Not only does this site offer a community of nonprofit experts, there is also a resource database of over 200 resources consisting of books, websites, periodicals, and weblogs.

Idealist.org – This is a great source for nonprofit information from A to Z. There are articles that will connect you to resources for starting a nonprofit was well.

Foundation Center – This is a website that all new nonprofits should have bookmarked. It is full of resources for start up purposes, classes that you can take to build your skills, and grants/funding information.

Bookmark these sites and visit often.

DonorsChoose.org provides students in need with resources that our public schools often lack. At this not-for-profit web site, teachers submit project proposals for materials or experiences their students need to learn. These ideas become classroom reality when concerned individuals, whom we call Citizen Philanthropists, choose projects to fund.

Proposals range from “Magical Math Centers” ($200) to “Big Book Bonanza” ($320) to “Book Of The Month….Sharing Literacy Across The Grades” ($1,029). Any individual can search such proposals by areas of interest, learn about classroom needs, and choose to fund the project(s) they find most compelling. In completing a project, donors receive a feedback package of student photos and thank-you notes, and a teacher impact letter.

Charles Best leads DonorsChoose.org, a simple way to fulfill needs and foster innovation in public schools. Charles founded DonorsChoose.org in the spring of 2000 at Wings Academy, an alternative public high school in the Bronx where he taught social studies for five years. Under Charles’s leadership, DonorsChoose.org has enabled citizen-donors to deliver millions in funding to thousands of teachers teaching in public schools. National media such as Oprah Winfrey and The New York Times have hailed DonorsChoose.org as “the future of philanthropy.” In 2004, DonorsChoose.org received a Technology Laureate, and in 2005, DonorsChoose.org surpassed 1,000 other organizations to win the Nonprofit Innovation Award conferred by Stanford Business School and Amazon.com.

For more information, visit Donors Choose

Anxiety has its place. Sometimes when I don’t feel anxious at all, I know it is a sign that I am not reaching outside of my comfort zone. So, last week when I was so nervous about the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations conference, it was because I knew that I was leaping outside of my little box into the unknown. And, I am happy to report back that the unknown received me warmly with open arms.

Laura and I arrived at the conference center on Friday, November 9 at 7:10am, and there were many other vendors setting up. We setup our table, grabbed breakfast, and then settled in for the attendees to start filing in. I expected about 600; however, there were only 450 registered. The attendees trickled into the exhibit hall very very slowly. We could tell when they were in a breakout session because the exhibit hall was quiet and empty. The vendors mingled, and then boom the attendees were back again. This went on for eight hours – in for 20 to 30 minutes out for an hour.

I prepared 500 packets, I had chocolate at my table (a big hit), and I prepared a gift certificate for a free initial year’s membership to Nonprofit Connectors online membership community. I stood out front of my table and greeted everyone with a big smile. I was surprised about how hard it was to just give information away. I had one guy actually say to me, referring to my one page information sheet, “Tell me what this is about before I take it.” Of course I did. I just never thought it would be so hard to give people a sheet of paper. Of the 500 pieces I created, I came one with 450 pieces.

It may not sound like it, but it definitely was a successful venture. Just to hear the 50 or so industry people who did take information say to me, “This sounds like an excellent idea.” That was encouraging. It reaffirmed my belief that there can be more than one entity providing a similar service, and we all will be able to get along.

I am so happy to announce to you that the virtual doors to Nonprofit Connectors are now open. Please stop by and browse the site. I hope you find it to be an exciting new tool that you can take advantage of as well.

Networking is no fun for me. Some people get a charge out of introducing themselves and sharing their businesses with others. I just get butterflies. However, on Friday, November 9, I’m going to be in networking central. I am participating as an exhibitor at the 15th Annual Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations’ conference in Cambridge, MD. I will have literature and give-a-ways about Nonprofit Connectors for the meeting registrants. I will have my table covered with chocolate to keep their attention.

Now, I’m perfectly fine when people come up to me and ask for information. So, from that perspective, this event should be very nice. I do intend to get up from my table and venture out to other booths as well. My very good friend Laura Allen has agreed to fly in from Florida to attend this event with me. We are going to make a full weekend out of it. What a GOOD friend.

Now, if you find yourself in Cambridge, MD at the Hyatt Regency on Friday, November 9, please be sure to stop at Nonprofit Connectors’ booth and say, “Hi!”

Ending Poverty From the Inside Out

Established in the fall of 2001, A Wider Circle is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to creating change from the inside out. Their programs address the inner and outer needs of adults and children challenged by homelessness, poverty, substance abuse, and other health and social issues.

A Wider Circle is involved in a number of programs, all of which share two major components:

Inner Work focuses on helping adults and children manage stress, build healthy self esteem, and understand how to utilize their inner resources to create a desired reality for themselves. Workshops and written materials educate people on the power of visualization and positive imagery; the importance of wellness; stress, anxiety, and anger management; and the empowering insights of the mind-body connection.

Community Outreach events provide assistance on many levels – from furniture and clothing deliveries to building gardens, painting, and the beautification of neglected areas – in an effort to help individuals and families have the opportunity to live well and make healthy lifestyle choices.

A Wider Circle is primarily a volunteer-based organization, with over 300 individuals currently helping to deliver a wide range or programs and services. Our volunteer pool grows on a weekly basis! Interns come from local (and sometimes distant) universities as well as from the community, at large. Along with the Executive Director, they help manage the daily activities of the organization. It is the synergy of everyone involved with A Wider Circle that has allowed us to grow in service of our fellow human beings.

For more information got to A Wider Circle.

A company is incorporated to protect the owner against liability, and to set itself apart as its own entity. Incorporating your nonprofit ensures its longevity. It also completes the first step in being able to submit Form 1023 for tax-exempt status.

Each state has its own regulations for incorporation. To check out your state requirements go here. You can apply for incorporation on your own, you can procure the services of an attorney to do it for you, or you can seek the assistance of a consultant. As you can see, there are many roads to travel to get your nonprofit organization started. Getting your 501(c)(3) is very important if you intend to collect tax-exempt gifts.

There are a few instances where tax-exempt status doesn’t require incorporation: associations, trusts, and churches. Incorporation is not necessary for nonprofit organizations that expect to collect less than $5,000.00 a year. However, nonprofit organizations are still encouraged to incorporate for liability protection.

Do you need assistance with setting up your nonprofit?

This is Nonprofit Blog Exchange Virtual Event Month. This month there is a group of over 200 nonprofit bloggers promoting one another on their blogs. We are spreading the word about what others are saying in the blog world about the nonprofit sector.

It is my pleasure to post about Perspectives from the Pipeline. Rosetta writes to the individual that is looking to work for a nonprofit. She shares tips, resources, and how to’s to be successful in their nonprofit career.

One of the things I found fascinating about Rosetta’s blog, she’s very candid and shares all aspects of her experiences with interested readers. She has held nothing back. So, if you are a looking to work for a nonprofit, then you really need to check out her blog.

I think it is cool that I was selected to post about her, because our blogs really compliment each other. I help people who want to start a nonprofit, and she advises people who are looking for nonprofit employment.