So You Want To Start A Nonprofit?
When I started my journey as a social entrepreneur almost 10 years ago, I didn’t have any mentors. And much of the advice I did receive, though well-meaning, did not resonate with how I wanted to approach my work. So I wanted to share with you some of the lessons I learned along the way and initial strategies you may want to consider implementing in the first few months if you want to become a nonprofit founder.
1. Define your value system
I decided early on to lead from my principles and to commit myself to bring something different, something bold and visionary to the movement landscape. I ultimately had to have faith in myself like I’ve never had before. But the good news is that faith is a kind of muscle that strengthens the more you exercise it. It’s never completely easy, but it becomes less terrifying.
2. Recognize the Costs of Visionary Leadership
People are never going to beg you to be defiant. The most daring ideas are also going to be the most scrutinized or even dismissed. Being mocked, lied upon, marginalized, and shunned never feels good. It can be downright painful, especially when it comes from your own people. So if you are hoping to be a disruptor, and many founders do, just know that it is a lonely path in the beginning. The way I handled it: I just put my head down and got to work. Even now, nearly 10 years later, when confronting a difficult decision, I will remind myself that I’m not here to do things the way they have always been done but to try to be a force for change and transformation.
3. Plan, Business?
One of the first things you should do is to make a list of the kinds of projects you want to create, or services you want to provide, and your plan to raise money. Put it down on paper or type it. Be as specific as possible about your projects and fundraising plan. And be clear. If there are grants you want to apply for, make sure you know the deadlines and requirements. If there are people you want to donate to your work, write down their names. And set fundraising goals. If you have a solid idea, and you have a plan to raise money for that idea, you are ready to get started. And the final step, and this is the fuel for everything else, is to make sure there is an audience for your work. If there is no audience, then, you may want to revisit your concept.
4. Building a Track Record of Work
In the first year, you should absolutely identify 3 or 4 projects you can get started on immediately, just to develop a track record. This also creates buzz, helps you brand your work, and gives you a sense of if there is an audience for your work. At this step, you may also refine your mission and vision. The first event I hosted at CNP, we had over 100 people in the room, which helped me realize that there was a possible audience for the work I was doing.
5. Raising Money
A lot of people get very excited about the idea of receiving grants. But there is a lot you have to know. Once you develop a track record, you can start pursuing funding opportunities. There are some funders that are great for emerging organizations. You may want to start with a few mini-grants to build your competence and confidence in managing grants. Larger funders will also want to know that you have received funding before, so building your track record is important. You may also reach out to larger nonprofits in your community and ask them to be a sponsor, particularly if you are organizing events and activities around a particular cause. For example, say you want to do a virtual town hall around Black gay, bi, and queer men and harm reduction. You would want to reach out to five or six organizations in your community and ask them for sponsorships that may cover speaker fees, admin costs, or even a modest stipend for yourself. My advice is to pursue funders that align with your values. This is not always feasible, of course. There are practical considerations, but you may find it easier in the long run when the stakeholders that provide financial resources for your work, also share your commitment and can get behind your vision. This makes your funders more passionate champions of your work.
“There is no perfect formula for founding an organization. But I find that constant reflection and a commitment to best practices will serve you well on your journey. The most important thing you can do as a founder is to keep going and eventually you will find your footing.”
I will admit that my advice is somewhat unconventional. And I am admittedly a contrarian. But I have been doing this for nearly 10 years and I have learned quite a few lessons along the way, and my most valuable lessons, as you can imagine, have also been the most painful. Also, this is by no means an exhaustive list. This barely scratches the surface. But I did want to offer you some very basic advice based on some things I wish I had known when I first started and hopefully this will provide some support to you.
Leadership, if nothing else, is an exercise in vulnerability and a regular practice of faith. It’s a high-wire act, a performance, an elaborate dance, that requires extraordinary self-knowledge and an ability to read people and situations. However, good mentorship and guidance can provide necessary guardrails. There is no perfect formula for founding an organization. But I find that constant reflection and a commitment to best practices will serve you well on your journey.
The most important thing you can do as a founder is to keep going and eventually you will find your footing. And when you are discouraged, remember that despair is a fever that will eventually pass. So if you have an idea, a way to address an issue or solve a problem, I encourage you, if no else has, to jump in there and stay. The world desperately needs more visionary leaders. Good luck.
