If you’re thinking of starting a nonprofit, you’ve probably identified a particular need or problem in your community that you want to address. Most likely, you feel passionately about doing something meaningful to make your community better.
The great news is that you’re already well on your way to starting your nonprofit! You can think of this drive to make change as your “why” or your purpose, which serves as your foundation to move forward with success. Take your passion and drive to the next level by starting your nonprofit and working through the Nonprofit Checklist below. Your nonprofit journey begins here!
Nonprofit Startup Checklist
- Identify Who Your Participants Will Be
- What are their ages, income, location, etc.?
- Build Out Your Programs/Services
- What will your nonprofit provide to your participants?For example – free meals, housing support, educational resources, etc.
- Select Your Nonprofit Name and Get Registered
- Make sure your name is unique, register with your state, and trademark your logo/name.
- Create Your Brand
- Keep your logo, website, social media, flyers, etc. consistent and reflective of the community you are serving.
- Solidify Your Mission and Vision Statements
- These two statements will serve as the guides/pillars for the programs and services of your nonprofit and your commitment to the community. Keep these to 7-13 words each so that people can easily understand and remember them.
Next Steps
Once you’ve completed these steps, you’ll have some additional big (and exciting!) projects to tackle. Some of your next steps will include:
- Preparing grant materials
- Selecting a board of directors (and hosting your first board of directors meeting!)
- Writing the organization bylaws
- Creating a fundraising plan
- Choosing a database software
- Opening a bank account
- Filing for tax-exempt status (filing as a nonprofit does not automatically grant you tax-exempt status)
- Begin marketing your organization to participants and potential funders
Diving into this may feel a bit intimidating or overwhelming, but don’t worry, we are here to help! If you’d like help getting started and navigating the process, contact LCG for guidance and advice. Also, be sure to check back in soon – we’ll be sharing many more tips and tricks on a wide variety of topics.
We wish you much success on your nonprofit journey!