ThriveSouth, LLC Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations
  • Home
  • Start a Charity
  • #MSGivingForGood
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Schedule

HOW TO START A LIFE-CHANGING NONPROFIT

THE BLOG
Get Updates & Resources

Demystifying the Nonprofit Board of Directors

11/6/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
​One of the biggest mysteries for nonprofit founders is about the Board of Directors.  How do you find the right people?  Is it ok to start with friends and family?  How many do I need and when? What do I even do with them?

First, we need to clarify the purpose of the board of directors. 
  1. The Board of Directors is a required by the IRS to qualify a business/nonprofit to be eligible for tax-exempt, charitable status. 
  2. The board governs the nonprofit.  They have legal responsibilities to make informed decisions, act in the charity’s best interest, obey the laws, and maintain the mission.
  3. The board provides legitimacy and credibility. 
  4. The board supports the Executive Director.
  5. The Board serves and promotes the nonprofit.

​Formally speaking, the Board of Directors has three legal responsibilities and 10 traditional roles/duties.  These things are essential but there is an even bigger picture why your Board of Directors is critical to your success.  


Read More
0 Comments

Why Mission and Programs Must Align in Your Nonprofit Start-up

9/9/2020

0 Comments

 
Let’s imagine that Sunshine Senior Services is a program for the elderly community focusing on improving the lives of people with dementia and their families.  We’ll occasionally use this fictional nonprofit start-up as an example in this blog series. 

One of the things you must have to make your start-up charity successful is alignment between your mission and your programs.    

Charities serve the public good.  They provide a service or serve to create change.  The mission of an organization should make clear what kind of results or improvements the charity will provide.  Is the organization improving health, providing an education, or making people safe?  Is it preventing an unhealthy behavior?
​
The missions on which charities focus are usually complex.  Eradicating hunger, reducing the number of people in poverty, and reducing the dropout rate are massive tasks, and any one organization by itself may not quickly produce a noticeable change across a large community.  Having clear alignment will help show where you intend to make an impact and may even show that you’ve “moved the needle” in a significant way at some point. 

Read More
0 Comments

Six more things you must know before starting a nonprofit. Part 2: A Nonprofit Organization is Complex

8/31/2020

0 Comments

 
​Part one of the “Must Read Series for Nonprofit Founder” talked about the governing structure of a charity and the Board of Directors.   Now we’ll look at ways that charities are different from for-profit businesses and how starting a charity is more complex.
  • It is expected charities will supersede the originating founder and Board of Directors.  If there is not a long-term need for an organization, then the proposed services should be taken up by an existing charity.
  • The Board of Directors is legally responsible to make decisions in the best interest in the long-term sustainability of the organization.  

Read More
0 Comments

What you must know before starting a nonprofit- Part 1: Structure

8/28/2020

2 Comments

 
I have spent my career in nonprofit planning and administration.  I’ve been involved in the early start-up of five charities and now specialize in helping nonprofit start-ups succeed. There are many urban myths about the nonprofit sector.  It’s almost as bad as losing weight or having a baby.  Everyone may be entitled to their opinion, but wouldn’t you rather be operating from facts?

We at Thrive South have no desire to deter anyone wanting to serve their community.  But, much like the medical field, there is a lot at stake when caring people try to help others.  Well-meaning but knowledgeable people offer poor advice and founders often put too little effort into planning before filing legal paperwork.  Then, they are not prepared to be fiscally responsible, legally compliant, and mission focused.      

Read on to see some big misconceptions about how a 501(c)(3) charity is formed.  You’ll find that some charities don’t follow these guidelines. Sometimes, leadership may be breaking the law.  In others, they may not know better, or they just don’t care. ​

Read More
2 Comments

Addressing A Root Cause:  One Reason Starting a New Charity Might Be Appropriate

8/24/2020

0 Comments

 
Before you seek to create a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, consider if that is the best, most sustainable option for your community.  Some in the sector will argue that as the United States allows more charities, the field becomes more crowded and less able to support the number of charities trying to do good. We are going to look at the different “good reasons” to start a charity separately so we can look at some examples.   Here is the first one.
​

You have a plan that addresses a root cause of a problem.  ​

Read More
0 Comments

One Way Starting a Charity is Like Having a Baby

8/23/2020

0 Comments

 
​I was speaking with a start-up founder this week and it was if I experienced de’ ja vu.  Ken was telling me about the advice he was getting and in my head I was shouting, “Don’t listen to them!  Every experience is different!  They aren’t an expert and don’t know what they’re talking about!” 

There’s something about milestone moments in our lives that invite people with advice to come out of the woodwork. Whether it’s having a child, buying a house, or making a major employment or business decision, everyone wants to share their story and share with you some helpful “tips.”


Read More
0 Comments

Friends Don’t Ask Friends to be Board Members

8/21/2020

0 Comments

 
​“Somebody told me I just need a couple of people on the board to help me get started.”

“I want my friends on the Board because we are comfortable with each other and care about the cause.”
​
 If you are starting a charity and have had these thoughts you are not alone.  In fact, most charities start with a founder and their friends, even though it’s not the recommended best practice.

The board of directors serves many roles.  In a perfect world, charities would be founded by a group of like-minded people who through research and consensus create the mission, vision, and bylaws, then find an executive director to carry out the mission. 

This is not usually the case.  More often, one person identifies a problem in need of a solution.  They define a mission and put together a Board of friends and family with some degree of interest or support.  The founder often has limited experience in nonprofit management.  With limited access to affordable nonprofit start-up training, they figure things out through internet searches and intuition. 



Read More
0 Comments

Four things I love about the social impact sector

9/1/2019

0 Comments

 
I appreciate the charitable sector.  Have you ever taken a moment and thought about the value that social impact organizations bring to our communities and how they enhance our world?  I have, and here are several things that I love about the people and the work that they do.  
​

Read More
0 Comments

Formerly Known as "Nonprofit"

8/22/2018

0 Comments

 
I wish I could claim to have come up with the term "Social Impact" organization.  

I can't.  But, I may be single-handedly trying to change the way we talk about nonprofit organizations today and for years to come.  

Think about it.  If you are reading this post, then chances are high that you are connected to the social impact sector.  Some people also use the term "tax exempt" organization, which is a little less negative.  

I like the term "social impact organization" because it is a much better descriptor for what we do.  For what we are about.  We are about making an impact in our world.  We are about helping kids learn, finding a cure for Alzheimer's disease, providing homes for the homeless, food to the hungry and shelter for those experiencing a disaster.  At some point, every one of us has been or will be on the receiving end of a social impact organization.  

When we are, we don't care about whether or not they are in business to make a profit.  We don't care whether or not a person gets a tax deduction for making a gift.  We care about impact.

The impact these organizations make is tremendous.  I, for one, am grateful that they exist.  Our "nonprofits" deserve a name befitting of their duties.
0 Comments

    Mentor Kimberly Massey

    In addition to my work in the social impact field, I have a great husband of 27 years and  an incredible 20 year old daughter.  Our family lives in central Mississippi and we provide a loving, but sometimes chaotic home to two awesome dogs and a turtle.  

    I don't know any other way to describe my interest in social issues, equity, and health improvement other than "passionate."  I am imperfect but believe in forgiveness for myself and others.  I believe that if you care about a person or issue, you should never give up.  I have been described as tenacious, but it may not have been a compliment.

    Please, join in with your thoughts, questions, or cares.  We are all in this great world together, and we are better for walking the journey as friends.


    Archives

    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    September 2019
    August 2018

    Categories

    All
    501c3 Tax Exempt Status
    Board Of Directors
    Founder
    Innovation
    Mission And Vision
    Nonprofit Profit
    Programs
    Start Up Nonprofit
    Start-up Nonprofit

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Download the Free Resource:  Start a Charity and Still Sleep at Night
    Download
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Start a Charity
  • #MSGivingForGood
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Schedule