Emily and I will be presenting a program on legal issues facing nonprofit start-up organizations at the Foundation Center – San Francisco on Wednesday, August 17, from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Register here – it's free! Our topics will include: Fiscal sponsorship and other alternatives to starting a nonprofit...
STARTING A NONPROFIT
Although the vast majority of individuals who set out to start a nonprofit do so with the best of intentions, starting a nonprofit requires much more than just good intentions.
Founders should invest meaningful time and thought in determining whether they can access the human, financial and other resources necessary to create a sustainable organization that will effectively and efficiently bring value to the public. And they should understand the various considerations and issues involved with starting and operating a nonprofit. For a Step-by-Step Guide for Starting a California Nonprofit, check out our article for CalNonprofits here.
Nonprofit Radio: So You Wanna Start a Nonprofit
We had a great time today on Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio conversing with Tony about starting a nonprofit and alternatives worth considering. You can listen to a recorded version here or check it out (in a few days) on ITunes. Here are some links on the subject you may also find...
Nonprofit Startups and the Value of a Nonprofit Attorney
Insightful founders of new ventures understand the value of involving legal counsel in the early stages of planning. A knowledgeable attorney can identify issues, opportunities, and threats which allows founders to react appropriately as they plan the organizational and operational structures. As a result, investing in legal assistance at...
10 Keys to Starting a Nonprofit – Private Foundation
A thoughtful commitment to charitable giving and sufficient funding are baselines for starting a nonprofit private foundation. But there’s more needed. Check out the following steps you should take as you move forward: Identify your reasons for starting a new organization. Are they primarily altruistic or personal? What is it...
Incubating a Nonprofit Social Enterprise
How can we incubate an innovative, profit-making nonprofit project? As covered in our last post, Starting a Self-Sustainable Nonprofit, it may be possible and advantageous to operate a sustainable, profit-making, charitable project as a nonprofit organization. If this route is chosen, the leaders should ensure that the organizational,...
Starting a Self-Sustainable Nonprofit
Can a charitable nonprofit be profit-making and sustainable without donations? It is a common misconception that “nonprofit organization” and “profit-making” are mutually exclusive concepts. It’s certainly possible from a legal perspective for a charitable nonprofit to generate profits if the profit-making activities are related to furthering a valid charitable...
10 Keys to Starting a Nonprofit – Public Charity
Part One of our five-part series this month on starting a nonprofit. A great idea and committed leader are the baselines for starting a nonprofit public charity. But there’s more needed. Check out the following steps you should take as you move forward: Define your mission and identify who...
Fiscal Sponsorship is Maturing as a Field
There is a terrific article on fiscal sponsorship written by Melanie Beene, President and CEO of Community Initiatives*, in the Fall 2010 issue of GIAreader (published by Grantmakers in the Arts). In "Fiscal Sponsorship is Maturing as a Field," Beene describes the evolution of the practice of fiscal sponsorship...
Public Support Tests – Public Charities: An Update
Satisfaction of one of the public support tests under Section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code is one way that an organization can qualify as a public charity rather than a private foundation. There are two types of public support tests under Section 509(a)(1) for organizations seeking public charity...
Unincorporated Nonprofit Associations and More: Presentation to NAMI-CA
On Thursday, August 26, I had the great pleasure of presenting a program on nonprofit legal issues as part of the Affiliate Leadership Institute of the National Alliance on Mental Illness – California. I covered the following areas: Unincorporated Nonprofit Associations Starting a Nonprofit Corporation Pros and Cons of...