Resource Kit for Starting and Building a Nonprofit
1. Starting a Nonprofit Organization
- Issues to consider before creating a nonprofit
- Key steps in forming a nonprofit
- How and where to incorporate a nonprofit
Resources:
Connecticut Association of Nonprofits
Connecticut Council for Philanthropy
Pro Bono Partnership
2. Creating an Effective Board
- Understanding board roles and responsibilities
- Recruiting, orienting, and training board members
- Structuring board committees
- Planning board meetings
- Evaluating the board
Resources:
BoardSource
Submit any board related question to BoardSource consultants
Free Nonprofit Management Library Toolkit for Boards
Nonprofit Genie - Board Development
Nonprofit Frequently Asked Questions - Boards
Board Café - Online newsletter exclusively for nonprofit board members
Sample board recruitment grid
Sample board job descriptions
Sample board manual outline
Sample board self-evaluation
Sample board attendance policy
3. Planning Ahead
- Why it's important to plan
- Establishing a clear mission statement and vision
- Various types of long and short range planning (business plan, annual plan, strategic plan)
- Why planning is important
- Who should be involved in planning
- Using an outside consultant to facilitate the planning process
Resources:
Writing a mission statement
How to Write a Mission Statement
Don't Make Your Organization's Statement of Purpose a "Mission Impossible"
Overview of business plans
Business Planning
Small Business Planner
Business plan samples
Strategic planning in smaller nonprofit organizations
Overview of strategic planning
The annual operating plan
Southern New England Consultant Directory
4. Developing a Sound Financial Management System
- Creating a budget
- Creating a basic accounting system
Resources:
Financial management-frequently asked questions
Alliance for Nonprofit Management
Free Management Library
5. Fundraising to Sustain the Organization
- Beginning the fundraising effort
- Sources of funding
- The board's role in fundraising
Resources:
Beginning your fundraising effort
Overview of fundraising sources
The board's role in fundraising
BoardSource
Free Management Library
Grant writing overview and tips
