You want to offer a safe haven for abandoned cats and/or dogs and give them an opportunity to find new owners. You need money to start a shelter but you have no idea where to go or seek funding. Most grant-making organizations only fund organizations with official nonprofit status. The process of setting up a nonprofit in order to receive grants can take from six months to a year-and-a-half and requires registration fees as well as attorney costs. Make sure you are dedicated enough to undertake the commitment of time and energy this project requires.
Instructions
1. Begin the process of officially incorporating as a non-profit organization. Unless you have experience in this very specialized area, find a lawyer knowledgeable on the ins- and-outs of nonprofit rules for your state. She can help you negotiate the paperwork and regulations involved in applying for federal and state tax-exempt status.
2. Write a mission statement for your nonprofit organization. Articulate your purpose in a way that will motivate people to support your organization. Strive for clarity, concision and an action-oriented tone. Your mission statement will guide your nonprofit shelter and will affect how potential funding sources view your organization.
3. Recruit people to serve on your board of directors. There are three considerations here: support for your cause, willingness to give of their time (and money, where possible) and connections in the community that can help you gain funds, resources, publicity, in-kind donations and/or volunteers.
4. Make an alliance with an existing nonprofit organization to seek grants under their auspices. Any nonprofit organization may serve as an umbrella organization to fledgling nonprofits. You can submit grant applications to foundations using the umbrella organization's nonprofit status. You can also invite individuals to contribute to you through the umbrella organization; their donations will be tax-deductible. Typically the umbrella organization receives 5-10% of any donations or grants you receive this way for providing this service. A temporary relationship of this type permits you to start requesting grants before you are granted full tax-exempt status.
Tags: umbrella organization, nonprofit organization, mission statement, nonprofit status, support your, tax-exempt status