Joan Schramm: MAGDRL was started to help abandoned, neglected and/or abused Great Danes find suitable homes. With over 600 volunteers, we spay/neuter, provide necessary medical treatment and train/socialize the Danes in our care to ensure adaptability in their new homes. Through various community efforts, we also work to educate the public and potential owners about caring for this wonderful breed.

NPC: Who does it serve?

Joan Schramm: We serve 9 states in the Mid-Atlantic region, plus the District of Columbia – NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, WVA, VA, NC and SC

NPC: How long have you been in operation?

Joan Schramm: MAGDRL was founded in 1979.

NPC: How many people did you serve your first year? And, this year?

Joan Schramm: Unfortunately, we don’t have reliable records earlier than 2000. In 2000, we rescued 284 Danes. For comparison, in 2007 it was 348; 554 in 2008; and 326 in 2009.

NPC: What is your most difficult challenge as a nonprofit?

Joan Schramm: Fundraising, as I’m sure it is for all non-profits. We are all-volunteer, so every penny we raise goes to support the Danes. Being all-volunteer is another challenge – everyone is working for the benefit of the breed but sometimes real life overcomes rescue. People do too much and get stretched so thin they burn out.

NPC: What was your most difficult challenge starting out?

Joan Schramm: Without historical records it’s hard to say, and none of our current volunteers were with the rescue back then. If I had to guess, I’d say the same as it is now – money and time.

NPC: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a nonprofit?

Joan Schramm: Be very focused and clear on what your goal is. Have a plan. Have a money source. Start small and build. Don’t try to do it all alone – assemble a strong team with a good leader who knows how to build consensus. And keep accurate records.

NPC: How can people get involved?

Joan Schramm: There are many ways to help the rescue. We accept donations and sponsorships for our Danes in addition to hosting numerous fundraisers to help cover the cost of medical expenses. We are always in need of volunteers to help with a variety of tasks and we never have enough foster homes for our Danes. Our website www.magdrl.org has information on the latest fund-raisers and volunteer opportunities.

NPC: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Joan Schramm: Great Danes are well-named “Gentle Giants”. It’s a common misperception that they need a lot of room to run around. They’re very low-energy dogs and, aside from a short walk every day, are perfectly happy lying on the couch with you. We place a lot of them in small houses, townhouses and condos, and they are better suited to small places than a tiny dog with a lot of energy – like a Jack Russell.

All of us in MAGDRL do it for the love of the breed, and for the respect and admiration we have for one another. I’ve been involved in other groups where the in-fighting and scrapping made it almost impossible to function. In the 6 years I’ve been with MAGDRL, I’ve seen very little of that. Although we’re geographically spread out, the people in each region are always willing to lend a hand to another region. We work together exceptionally well, and everyone cheers everyone else’s success and shares one another’s sorrows. It’s a cliché to say we’re like a family, but in this case it’s very true. I feel closer to people in MAGDRL who I’ve never met than I do to some of my relatives.

Joan Schramm is the MD/DC Publicity Coordinator and Newsletter Editor for MADRL. For more information, please visit the website at http://www.magdrl.org/.

The skilled social entrepreneur has the ability to get the most
mission out of the resources at hand–including traditional business
techniques. Finally, here is a book that will help you learn their
techniques. In Social Entrepreneurship, you will learn how successful
social entrepreneurs:

• Focus on community wants and needs
• Match those with core competencies to provide the quality services
• Assess risk and gauge opportunity
• Develop new project ideas and test their feasibility
• Write a business plan
• Project finances in the plan
• Tap into new sources of funding
• Develop the idea of social entrepreneurship throughout the organization
• Make sure that mission, not money, is the bottom line

Also
included are the seven essential steps of the not-for-profit business
development process, real-world case studies, sample business plans,
and a self-assessment process to determine if your organization is
ready for social entrepreneurism. In addition to entrepreneurs, middle
managers, policy setters, volunteers, and a host of other important
staff members will get value from the mission-beneficial information in
this book. Most important, Social Entrepreneurship will help you to
help your organization succeed and thrive–and make your job more
interesting and productive.

Top Ten Questions

What
kind of non-profit organizations are there?

There are several classifications. I’ve
posted the list here. Most people think that all nonprofit organizations are tax
exempt organizations, but they are not. This list will help you to identify the
classification for organizations that are tax exempt. 

What
steps should I take in starting a nonprofit organization?

Nonprofit Connectors was created to
answer this very need. We hope that you find tools, resources, and answers to
help you get your nonprofit started within this website. If you don’t see it
here, please contact us directly via email: info at nonprofitconnectors dot com. We also have Free Office Hours
every Wednesday from 10am -11:30am (Eastern Time Zone). You MUST set an
appointment. Feel free to do so today!

What
forms and documents do I need to file?

It is highly recommended that you first
check with the IRS website to make sure you know what nonprofit entity you are creating, and what
the requirements are from IRS’s point of view. Then your state may have additional
documents, or registries you’ll need to join, to establish the validity of your
nonprofit organization.

Do
I need a lawyer? An accountant? Any other special advisor?

Here is a straight simple answer: No
you do not need an attorney to start a nonprofit. However, you will be well
advised to have an attorney and an accountant that you can contact when you
have questions, especially if you’re creating your nonprofit on your own. Another
great resource to have is a membership with your local nonprofit office so you
can take advantage of classes and staff for additional resources and support.

Do
I need to register with other states if I receive money from someone in another
state?

It is not necessary for you to
register in that state just for a contribution. However, if you plan to have a
fundraiser in another state, then you will want to contact the Department of
Assessment and Taxation in that state to register your nonprofit organization. This
will ensure that when people call to verify that you are a bona fide charity,
it will be confirmed.

Can
I get funding for my nonprofit organization? Are there any grants available?

There are many funding sources and
great resources for finding them. The first place you should go to look for
funding sources is your local library. The librarian will be able to direct you
to several resources in the branch, as well as online. Another outstanding
resource is the Foundation Center. If you are fortunate to live in a state that has one (New York, DC, Cleveland, Atlanta,
or San Francisco), go there first! Otherwise you can access information from
them online.

How
do I go about soliciting donations?

It is very import that you handle this
process properly, as it will affect more people than just your organization.
You can only receive tax-free donations after you have received your 501c3
status from IRS. If you have donors clamoring at your door to make tax-free
donations, then you’ll need a fiscal sponsor. (Check out this post for
resources.)

Why
do I need a board of directors, and how do I find them?

Here is another very simple answer, you
have a public charity, and that requires a representation of the public to
govern it. So, your board is a sampling of the general public, the target
market group for your nonprofit organization, and usually the key person(s) that
started the nonprofit in the first place. 

You can find board members by
advertising, referrals from other board members, board search firms, and a
variety of other places. You need to be clear about what skill-sets you would
like to have present on the board (i.e.: legal, financial, technological, marketing,
etc.). A great online tool for searching for potential board members is
Boardnet USA. 

Do
I need to incorporate my nonprofit organization?

IRS says yes! It is part of your
nonprofit organizations foundational documents. Also, I would think for
liability purpose, and because it is a public entity, it should be incorporated
from a good business standpoint.

How
do I find out more information?

Nonprofit
Connectors would love to help you get started. Therefore, we have created Free
Office Hours on Wednesdays from 10am to 11:30am (Eastern Time Zone). You can
schedule a 15-minute individual call by emailing:  info at
nonprofitconnectors dot com.  Otherwise,
check out the Links of Interest page on this site for other resources in
various areas of starting a nonprofit.

Websites

Foundation Center

Alliance for Nonprofit Management

Farmington Community Library

CompassPoint Nonprofit Services

National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy

Idealist.org – Welcome to Idealist.org

GuideStar

NCCS

askCHARITY

Periodicals

Nonprofit Management and Leadership

The Nonprofit Quarterly

Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly

Resources for Nonprofits

Nonprofit Journals Group

Foundation News

Grassroots Fundraising Journal

The Nonprofit Times

Blogs

National Committee on Responsive Philanthropy

Nonprofit Blog Exchange

Nonprofit Tech Blog

Global PR Blog Week

Starting a Nonprofit Blog

Blogs about nonprofit organizations

Social media and nonprofit organizations