Posts Tagged ‘nonprofits’

So, you’ve decided to start a nonprofit! You have a great business idea that you want to share with the world, and have it publicly funded. I’ve talked to many individuals who have decided to start nonprofits, but with the idea that they’ll run it the way they want to. They will set the agenda, and decide the direction of the organization. I’ve advised those individuals to start a for-profit company.

Nonprofits are meant to be publicly funded; therefore, they need to be publicly governed as well. Boards of Directors govern nonprofits. Boards enforce the mission through goals and policies setting for nonprofits. Also, it is important to note that Boards are comprised of citizens with an interest in the organizations wellbeing. They are typically volunteers, and are usually passionate about the mission of the organization. So, consider wisely if you want to maintain the control over your “good cause” business. If you do, then what you really need to start is a for-profit business.

There are similarities between non- and for-profit businesses. You complete similar incorporation paperwork, you definitely put in the same creative energy, but it is the governing part that makes the hugest difference. For-profit business owners set their goals, and move full steam ahead. While, nonprofits have more layers to go through when setting goals and moving forward. The Board is not there to be a deterrent, but instead to be the heart of the organization. The Board ensures that the organization is meeting its goals and upholding its mission. So, an organization is only as strong as its Board. (I know that is such an old cliché, but so true.)

Consider a few things before deciding to create a nonprofit:
1.  Are there other organizations doing what you want to do? Would it be better for you to combine your efforts?
2.  Are you ready to give up your control for the betterment of the work, and the individuals that will benefit from it?
3.  How will you fund the initial costs of starting your nonprofit?

There are many more questions that you should ask yourself. These are just a few. Now that I’ve given you some food for thought, go think!

The Public Relations Handbook for Nonprofits: A Comprehensive and Practical Guide by Art Feinglass

Nonprofit organizations must employ effective, professional public relations techniques in order to get the recognition, support and dollars they need to fulfill their missions. The Public Relations Handbook for Nonprofits offers you the first comprehensive guide to all the practices organizations need to do well in their efforts to do good. This title examines all the elements, tools and processes involved in an effective nonprofit PR campaign.

Offering a combination of theory and practice, it shows you how to market to your key audiences, both inside and outside of your organization. In addition to helping you understand your target markets and shaping your message for your audience, Feinglass discusses all the key public relations vehicles.
A final chapter walks you step by step through the process of developing your own comprehensive public relations campaign.

For strategic planning to be effective in the nonprofit setting, a variety of issues must be considered, including the relationship between board and staff, limited resources, and more. Packed with real-world insights, planning tips, common misperceptions, pitfalls to avoid, and other useful pointers, this Second Edition and its companion Web site make planning easy for nonprofit managers by providing a six-step approach to strategic planning, field-tested worksheets, and a real-life case study that takes readers through the entire process of successfully creating and implementing a strategic plan.

The Idealist.org Handbook to Building a Better World: How to Turn Your Good Intentions into Actions that Make a Difference by Idealist.org and Stephanie Land

Part career guide, part activist’s handbook, The Idealist.org Handbook to Building a Better World provides tools and inspiration for anyone who wants to make a difference but doesn’t know where to start. Inspired by Idealist.org’s 600,000-member online community and their ongoing search for work that gives back to the world, this practical reference walks readers through the different ways they can get involved and the range of possibilities for applying one’s interests and skills to meet their community’s needs.

Idealist.org’s staff gives a comprehensive understanding of the issues, options, organizations, and resources so readers can be proactive, whether it’s through one’s current job, volunteering, donating, personal spending, board service, starting an organization, or changing careers.

Change Your Career: Transitioning to the Nonprofit Sector by Laura Gassner Otting

How can you be certain that a new career is right for you? Change Your Career: Transitioning to the Nonprofit Sector
contains all the vital information that professionals will need to
figure out if a career in the non-profit sector is right for them, and
if it is, how to make a seamless transition into this sector. Topics
include:

• An overview of non-profits
• Transferable skills
• Searching for new jobs
• Updating your resume
• Real-life transition stories

Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits: Real-World Strategies That Work by Ilona Bray

Getting tax-exempt status for your nonprofit organization is just the
first step — whether its mission will succeed depends entirely on your
ability to raise money. Fortunately, Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits will show you how.

Featuring
advice and stories from over 40 experienced fundraisers, foundation
staffers, journalists and more, Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits
explains how to:

Begging for Change: The Dollars and Sense of Making Nonprofits Responsive, Efficient, and Rewarding for All by Robert Egger 

In Begging for Change, Robert Egger looks back on his experience
and exposes the startling lack of logic, waste, and ineffectiveness he
has encountered during his years in the nonprofit sector, and calls for
reform of this $800 billion industry from the inside out. In his
entertaining and inimitable way, he weaves stories from his days in
music, when he encountered legends such as Sarah Vaughan, Mel Torme,
and Iggy Pop, together with stories from his experiences in the hunger
movement — and recently as volunteer interim director to help clean up
the beleaguered United Way National Capital Area. He asks for
nonprofits to be more innovative and results-driven, for corporate and
nonprofit leaders to be more focused and responsible, and for citizens
who contribute their time and money to be smarter and more demanding of
nonprofits and what they provide in return.

Generating and Sustaining Nonprofit Earned Income: A Guide to Successful Enterprise Strategies by Samantha Beinhacker, Cynthia Massarsky, Sharon Oster

This guide is filled with
concrete lessons and sound business strategies that can significantly
benefit your organization’s internal capacity and financial health. The
book covers a wealth of topics, including:

• Leadership strategies for managing a nonprofit enterprise
• Targeting the market and developing a marketingplan
• Techniques for pricing goods and services
• Legal and tax considerations
• Securing financial capital
• Pitching your venture
• Forming strategic alliances
• The fundamentals of implementation
• Deploying resources effectively
• Assessing social impact and financial return
• Taking your venture to the next stage of development