Help!! how do i start a nonprofit organization?

Question

I live in Boston, ma trying to start a nonprofit weight loss support group in now you have contact the irs for forms put what else do you need to do i printed out 501 form it was 28 pages. help me please....

Answer 1

Associations may be a good avenue to explore. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links.

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* Starting and Running a Non-Profit Made Easy by Entrepreneur Press, David H. Bangs
* Starting and Running a Nonprofit Organization by Joan M. Hummel
* The Nonprofit Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Start and Run Your Nonprofit Organization by Gary M. Grobman
* Starting & Building A Nonprofit: A Practical Guide by Peri Pakroo

There are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Answer 2

The IRS forms are not essential to form a charity - you only need them if you want people's contributions to be tax deductable OR you want to not have to pay taxes on stuff when you buy it. But filing with the IRS is ideal as many people/organizations are unwilling to contribute to organizations who have not filed.

To start a charity, first you have to have a charitable purposes it sounds like you have that...

Second, Get some board members, volunteers who will serve as chair, secretary, treasurer, who are willing to help carry out the mission. States usually have rules governing the minimum you need for your board, check with the local secretary of state's office.

You will also need to write your bylaws - A legal document outlining the self-imposed rules that will regulate an organization's own actions. You usually need these before you can file for incorporation. Its things like what your mission is, how many times a year your board meets, etc.

Then, file articles of incorporation. How you do this depends on what state you are in - you should talk to your state's Secretary of State office and they should be able to help. Check here http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=129028,00.html

Once you are incorporated, you can file for tax exempt status, you can find lots about this at the IRS website
http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/charities/index.html

Googling "How do I start a nonprofit" will actually give you some pretty good results if you want more details.

For government grants, your first stop should be http://www.grants.gov/

But not all nonprofits can find grants that apply to them. You can also seek out grant funding from private & community foundations. Check out the Foundation Center's website - they are a great source of info for grant seekers
http://foundationcenter.org/

the above answers are also very good...

Answer 3

I have found a website that compiles various resources on starting a non profit. I especially like the Minnesota Council of NonProfits because the site gives information on governance, developing strategic alliances, fund raising and other ingredients of successfully running a non profit.

http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/znpbib.htm

As for funding your non profit, I suggest you check out Foundation Center to help you gain ideas on how to properly establish your organization and get support from private foundations. They have the most extensive database of private donors, and they publish a magazine that can be very helpful to your new non profit.

http://fdncenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/establish/index.html

I was previously involved in the setup of a non profit, and we were able to get a pro-bono lawyer who set up everything for us, including getting the 501c3 tax status. Contact other non profits in your area and check if there are lawyers willing to work for free to get you started.

Non profits are just like any business - you need to get the word out in order to get the needed funding to help support your activities. Here are some tips to help you market your non profit:

1. Determine your your target audiences: who are the groups and audiences that your non profit wants to reach. Remember that one target group may respond differently to a marketing message as another group so make sure that each strategy is tailor made for each audience.

2. Develop a communications strategy, creating timelines for marketing efforts such as newsletters, press releases, special events, and others.

3. Develop a visual image. Prepare your logo and other branding tools - and use them consistently across various mediums. Make sure that you repeat your branding messages, slogans in everything you make from brochures to newsletters.

4. Employ multiple communications tactics: Nonprofit organizations often target several audiences, which may respond to different approaches. Various communications campaigns can help establish and maintain a more widespread positive image.

5. Select and use appropriate media: Plan to use a combination of approaches best suited to reaching your targeted audiences and that make best use of your financial resources. Include a variety of methods including phone calls, letters, e-mail, newsletters, PSAs, press releases, and editorials.

For detailed information on how to start a non profit, I suggest you read the following books:

- Starting and Running a Nonprofit Organization -- by Joan M. Hummel
- Starting and Running a Non-Profit Made Easy by Entrepreneur Press, David H. Bangs
- Starting & Building A Nonprofit: A Practical Guide by Peri Pakroo