National Volunteer Month - Starting a Nonprofit
We’re in a new season of life. It’s a new season in both the literal and figurative senses. Spring has officially sprung. Therefore, in many parts of the world, the temperature increases, the landscape is blooming, and sunlight has extended in time. Also, we are all in the new season of normalcy as we navigate the “new normal” and figure out life post-COVID-19. Both seasons are grounded in hope, new beginnings, and the opportunity to bring people together again. One thing that brings people together is volunteerism. April is National Volunteer Month, a chance to recognize the importance of volunteering and time to honor volunteers’ significant contributions. A lot of organizations or causes could not sustain themselves without volunteers. That is one lesson I am experiencing first-hand as the founder of Recognize, Repair, and Repeat (R3) nonprofit.
I officially started R3 in 2021 after carefully considering the best way to make the most impact through the work I was already doing. I always donated meals and supplies to local Veteran organizations, supported domestic violence awareness, gave to disadvantaged communities, and advocated for each of these communities. I didn’t have an organized entity I was acting under or on behalf of. After writing my book “As My Leaders Go … So Do I”, some of my trusted advisors suggested I start a nonprofit organization.
Before I get into the how and why of nonprofits, let’s define it. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, “a nonprofit organization qualifies for tax-exempt status by the IRS because its mission and purpose are to further a social cause and provide a public benefit.” That is not to be confused with a not-for-profit organization (NFPO). Similar to a nonprofit, a NFPO does not earn profit for its owners. All money earned through pursuing business activities or donations goes right back into running the organization. Be sure to consult with a tax professional and business advisor to make the right decision for you.
Many nonprofits lean on volunteerism to support their programming. However, the pandemic has significantly impacted how nonprofits navigate that part of their operations. The pandemic has changed the way people volunteer and run their nonprofits. According to a survey by VolunteerMatch, volunteers shared barriers that are getting in the way of giving their time, and the fear of being exposed to illness remained the single most significant concern. That has forced nonprofits to adjust their volunteer engagement strategy to meet the needs of their organization and volunteer audience. For some, that meant suspending all volunteering activities until further notice, which brought programming operations to a halt.
That proved to be devastating for many communities across the world. If you thought it was challenging managing a nonprofit during a pandemic, can you imagine starting one? That gave me a backward advantage because I was entering a new space that was currently in its transition. Therefore, R3 launched utilizing all aspects of the virtual space and the many other noncontact ways to engage volunteerism. There are many types of volunteering roles to keep people safe.
Here are a few ways people volunteer every day:
Serve on committees at religious organizations and churches
·Assist with local school activities and events
·Serve as a mentor
Donate clothing and unused items
Donate monetary funds
Visit the elderly
Aid at local food banks and kitchens
Donate blood or participate in a blood drive
Provide support to the local animal shelter
Coach youth sports team(s)
Serve on community homeowner association committees
Assist with voter registration
Join the board of a nonprofit organization
But, before you begin soliciting volunteers, you have to get started.
Getting Started
For this section, I’ve enlisted the assistance of two R3 advisors. When getting started, I reached out to my network to build a small but mighty team. The first thing we did was research. I was told, “determine if there is a need for establishing a new organization for the resources or solutions you're seeking to provide in your community or if you can better serve by volunteering with an existing organization.”
We researched what the needs were of the communities I wanted to serve. For example, as a Veteran, I wanted to know more about the current demands of that community. I had my idea of what I thought they needed, but speaking to local organizations and the Veterans Administration, I confirmed the true need for support and supplies for homeless Veterans. We have yet to see the pandemic’s impact on this community. However, the DC Metropolitan area alone has over 3,000 Veterans experiencing homelessness. So, we decided that one of R3’s focuses will be Recognizing the problem of Veteran homelessness, Repair the problem with programs and resources, and Repeat the process every year until Veteran homelessness becomes a thing of the past.
Whichever cause(s) you choose, I encourage you to be passionate. I’ll get to why I said that a little later. Once the team completed market research and we established our causes to champion, it was time for the logistics and legality. This was indeed a new venture. It’s okay to venture into things you do not know a lot about because it is an opportunity to learn and connect with subject matter experts to advise you on building something unique.
Paperwork and Process
I went over it briefly, but there are specific steps one must take to establish the organization as a 501c(3). It was shared to me that, “the basic paperwork for nonprofit formation involves reserving/registering the intended name, filing Articles of Incorporation with the state, obtaining an EIN/Federal Tax ID Number with the IRS, and then filing Tax-Exempt Status – 501c(3) w/Internal Revenue Service.” There may be some extra steps depending on the state you are establishing your nonprofit in. For example, some states or types of nonprofits may require additional licenses. This is where the need for a tribe comes in. There are accounting and legal professionals that specialize in servicing nonprofit entities.
Another thing I would suggest is establishing a process. Part of establishing that process is getting together a board of directors. A nonprofit is a corporation, and just like its for-profit cousins, nonprofit corporations exist independently of the people who founded them. Therefore, it is a legal requirement for a nonprofit to have a board of directors. The state in which your nonprofit incorporates has standards for nonprofit boards. Speaking of which, R3 is currently soliciting board applications for inaugural board selection. The applications to be considered a founding board member are due April 30. If you are interested or know someone who may be interested, please visit CivilityMS.com/R3.
Startup to Success
Once you get your paperwork and process in order, you can start your transition from startup to successful nonprofit. One common question when starting a nonprofit is how to run one. Breaking news, running a nonprofit is just like running any other business. I was advised, “the organization’s daily focus is to operate in alignment with its mission to achieve its goals.” Everything you need to run a business; you’ll need for your 501c(3). Ensure you are staying compliant and keeping the appropriate records.
Additionally, you need people, you need funding, and you need a clear mission. Just as with anything, you need a solid foundation to build upon. My team told me to, “set yourself up for success by being ready to accept funding and have proper governance over the organization and its finances. Transparency and Process are essential for success.”
The board hires key personnel such as funding, budget, and general management team(s). Then once you have the team(s) in place, you need to establish a culture internally to match your external mission. My advisor suggested I “establish an internal employee culture that is consistent with your messaging, vision, and how you treat the community you serve.” Everything I mentioned is essential to starting a nonprofit, but this is certainly key and often missed.
The culture of a nonprofit speaks volumes of its authenticity. If the nonprofit has an internal culture where the staff does not understand the mission or purpose behind the programming and communities being served, that can create a toxic environment. An effective nonprofit culture demonstrates the collective understanding of your nonprofit by all those involved. Everyone involved in R3 is hand-selected by me as the founder because I only want people that have the heart for serving others. Therefore, I know they will continue to do the same as we establish the board and hire full-time staff.
Know Your Why
This leads me to my why. Why did I start a nonprofit compared to continuing to volunteer and serve at other institutions? The most straightforward answer is for impact. I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of many different communities. I am a Marine Corps Veteran, a Black woman, an entrepreneur, a domestic violence survivor, and all after growing up in the projects of Chicago, Illinois. Each life experience means a lot to me and my existence. Also, they are all independently structured in my DNA. For me to be of service to each one, I felt it was necessary to establish a nonprofit founded on a process that got me through each of those chapters. In everything I’ve accomplished and experienced, I’ve had to Recognize a problem, Repair that issue, and Repeat the process as the cycle of life continues. I want every Veteran, woman, entrepreneur, person of color, and young persons in projects across America to know R3 for a fulfilled and successful life.
That is my why. Are you thinking about starting a nonprofit? Identify your why and place it in the comment section of this post.
To kick us off, I’ve asked some of the R3 advisors if they were to start a nonprofit, what would be their why?
For more information on R3, visit CivilityMS.com/R3.
