Do you hear the call to help others in any way you can? Some people just seem to be born with the urge to assist the less fortunate. In some cases, that feeling manifests itself in a structured, efficient way. That’s why so many individuals create charitable organizations. The good news is that you need not be rich, famous, or politically connected to start a charity.
Even better, there are specific steps to follow for success. The process begins with setting up the legal entity by filing paperwork and paying a few fees. Next, you’ll want to enlist the help of several reliable people to assist with the various organizational chores, like keeping the books and making promotional plans. Finally, you and your team will begin soliciting donations from the public. Keep in mind that some of the world’s largest charitable entities began as side projects by working people who simply answered an inner call. Of course, every great idea begins with a plan. Here’s how you can get off to a good start.
Choose Your Cause
Decide first which charitable cause you’ll be focusing on. Popular choices for new non-profits include homeless assistance programs, hunger elimination, support for people who have mental health challenges, cancer research, and more. Once you make a selection, do some online research to find out what similar organizations already exist in your area. Then, you’ll possibly be able to use that info to refine your organization’s mission so that it serves a unique niche of a particular community.
Get Legal Help to Set Up a Charitable Organization
In the early stages of setting up a non-profit organization, you’ll encounter registration and legal fees. They aren’t significantly large, but you will need to plan for them because they typically amount to several hundred dollars. Specific amounts depend on what state you reside in, what kind of charity you’re creating, and a few other factors. In many cases, individuals take out a personal loan through a private lender to get competitive rates, reasonable terms, and the chance to borrow as much as they think they’ll need to cover not only legal setup fees for the charity but upcoming promotional and advertising costs. In fact, personal loans are a fast and effective way to get your non-profit up and running in a matter of days.
Enlist Help from Reliable People
Few non-profit entities are operated by just one person. You’ll likely discover that you need at least three adults to sign on before you’re able to gain legal registration for the organization. Choose your co-founders carefully and make sure they share your dedication to the cause and are willing to stick it out for at least several years. These are the those that will also help you deal with stress as it relates to this venture so you will want to be sure you have a good symbiotic relationship from the jump.
Solicit Donations from the Public
After paperwork and legal registration are complete, you’ll begin the real work of overseeing a charitable entity. By far, the bulk of your efforts will relate to the solicitation of funds from individuals, businesses, schools, government agencies, and other non-profits. Make a detailed written plan that includes a target list of whom to ask for help as well as the number of hours per week you intend to devote to fundraising.
