Starting a Nonprofit?

When I worked at the Center for Nonprofit Management, I talked to a lot of people who wanted to start a nonprofit. Most of them had only gotten as far as defining their cause and they wanted to know more about filling out the paperwork.

My first thought was always, “Stop! You have a lot to think about before you get to paperwork!” My second thought was always, “I wish I had an hour to spend with you.”

It’s a real thing.
Many people have an odd idea of what a nonprofit is. Some think it’s a fun little side project. Some think it’s a way to cash in on government money. Some think it’s an easy way to be their own boss. Almost none think of it as a business.

But a nonprofit is a business. It may not be run exactly like a for-profit, but it’s still an entity that involves tax forms and HR and budgets. It’s not something that an 11-year-old should be in charge of. (I’ve had more than one person call me about opening a nonprofit for their child to run).

There are a lot of ways to do good in the world. Starting a 501(c)(3) is just one of many. Quick shout out to my friend Matt Manos who created Models of Impact, which documents every business model for good out there. Learn more at modelsofimpact.co.

There are a lot of moving parts.
I also got a lot of calls from people who had been in their nonprofit for a while, but were having problems making it work. This mostly came from a lack of understanding about how all of the components worked together.

Generally, the people I talked to were completely focused on the programs, sidetracked by fundraising, and thought very little about administration or governance. To make a nonprofit work, and work well, the board and staff need to have a holistic view of the organization. Thinking across functions is not just the job of the CEO.

There is also the issue of balance. Each function works together in support of the others, so you can’t have overinflated programs with an underinflated fundraising function or tight administration and a crappy board. A weak link makes for a weak organization.

Learn more.
I never had an hour to spend with the dozens of people who called me each week, so I wrote a book – Start Your Engines: Nonprofit Management Made Simple.

If you are thinking of starting a nonprofit or if you work in one now, I hope you’ll check it out. It’s meant to be a quick, easy read that gives an overview of nonprofit management, the functions involved, and the mindset you need to run an organization well. Each chapter starts with a story that would make sense to anyone, even if they had never worked at a nonprofit before.

To get a sense of it, you can read the first chapter here. You can also purchase it on Amazon.
Tip: The Kindle version is free from July 25-29, so grab it fast!

Get your copy now