How do I start a nonprofit? – SHARITY

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Powering Nonprofit Success Through Participatory Processes:

Did you know that organizations prioritizing participatory processes and deliberately decreasing barriers see a significant increase in program effectiveness? This Fall, I’m excited to delve into how this framework powers real-world success through our three-part webinar series, Insights for Impact!

On September 18th, Dr. Inderjit Vicky Basra, President and CEO of the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, and Jessica Raymond, former Chief of Staff of the YWCA, joined Sharity Global Expert Anne Miskey to offer real-world examples of ways participatory processes elevated their organizations’ mission and impact. Dr. Basra emphasized the importance of including direct and indirect experts in decision-making conversations. She noted, “…layered communication makes the change.” When those in the community who experience the challenges your organization strives to address work alongside those with academic or professional experience in key areas, your organization can begin to affect systemic change. Jessica added, “When we talk about advocating for people and engaging their voices…here is the mic! You sit at this table, you tell me what you need from us, you make the decision…”

Key takeaways from the conversation included:

Write equity into your policies and procedures.
Avoid “tokenizing” the community you serve. Ensure that if you ask something of your community members, such as asking them to share their stories, you are developing and strengthening a mutually beneficial relationship with them.
Identify ways your organization may connect direct experts, those with lived experience, with donors, elected officials, and other community leaders and influencers.
Engaging all voices allows you to review and evaluate the impact of your programming with an open mind and heart.
Give credit to all the experts helping you execute your mission. Whenever possible, compensate and recognize direct experts, those with lived experiences, for their work on behalf of your organization, just as you would an indirect expert with academic or professional experience.

Dr. Basra summed up the importance of engaging all voices when she described the success her organization has had with connecting survivor mentors with the recently rescued. “[Survivor’s] concepts around hope look very different because they’re sitting across from somebody, that at some point, was in the same space that they are in…Their survivor-mentor becomes a beacon of hope!” Anne added, “The little ways you can connect your donors in real ways to people” will bring about transformation.

How do I start a nonprofit?

Ask Me Anything Summary

We at Sharity ask that you pause before you do that! A lot of people really want to help, especially in this day and age. They feel they have a really great idea, could start a nonprofit, and could help people.

However, the problem is that most nonprofits are really struggling right now. In fact, one in three will probably close within the next year. So, starting a nonprofit in a time when successful nonprofits are really struggling is probably not the best business plan.

If you want to start a nonprofit, we suggest that you approach it like a business. Make sure you have a really strong business strategy of WHAT you are going to do and WHY you are doing it.

Know HOW much money you will need over the next two to three years to accomplish your goal, including getting paid. WHERE is that money going to come from? Currently, resources are really thin and are not anticipated to get a whole lot better in the near future. So if you’re thinking about starting a nonprofit, pause and do a business plan. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look really promising.

One suggestion is to reach out to some other providers who might need your support, might even have some vacancies, or need people to help them out during this difficult time. You will be appreciated, even if that may not be the answer a lot of people are looking for.

If you are still thinking about starting a nonprofit, you can certainly reach out to me at Carol.Wick@Sharityglobal.com or one of my Sharity ask me anything experts. We’d be happy to talk through your idea and whether or not we feel that it could be sustainable in this environment.