Starting Your Own Nonprofit Organization

This course is a how-to guide for anyone who's got a great idea about how to give back to the community—but doesn't know how to turn that idea into a reality. The course begins by considering a fundamental question: Is starting a nonprofit the best way to achieve your philanthropic goals? For those who answer "Yes," the course then discusses the key steps in getting a nonprofit off the ground, including incorporating your organization; applying for tax-exempt status; drafting a business plan; choosing a board of directors and writing bylaws for the organization; recruiting employees and managing volunteers; and addressing the crucial issue of fundraising. Rich with videos and interactive content, this course provides a detailed and highly practical introduction to the fast-growing world of nonprofits.

Learning Outcomes
After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Articulate the advantages and disadvantages of starting a nonprofit organization
• List and describe the alternatives to a nonprofit structure
• Distinguish between a nonprofit organization's mission statement and its vision statement
• Explain the importance of a nonprofit's business plan, and list the elements that it should include
• Describe the different types of boards that a nonprofit may have, and the different strategies for recruiting new board members
• Explain the advantages and disadvantages of incorporation for nonprofits
• List the key steps in the incorporation process
• Explain the importance of an organization's formation documents and its organizational meeting
• List the steps involved in applying for 501 (c) (3) status
• Detail the actions needed to maintain compliance with federal, state, and local regulations
• Explain the process of program planning and development
• Explain the importance of organizational strategy, and describe the three major approaches to strategic planning
• List the types of records that a nonprofit is required to keep, and discuss the particular importance of IRS Form 990
• Describe how compensation packages for employees of a nonprofit differ from those of employees of a for-profit corporation
• List the types of insurance that a nonprofit organization should have
• Describe the different types of fundraising efforts that a nonprofit may undertake, and explain how these can differ depending on the size of the organization

Key Features

•  Expert-supported
•  Mobile-friendly
•  Accessible
•  Badge and credit-awarding
•  Games & Flashcards
•  Video content
•  Real-world case studies
•  Audio-enabled in app

Refund Policy
You may request a refund up to 5 days from the purchase date. The registration fee will only be refunded if less than 10% of the course has been completed. Completion percentage can be viewed on the Course Progress page from within the course.

Notes
Estimated time to complete: 4 hours

This course has an "Ask the Expert" feature, which submits your questions directly to an expert in the field you are studying. Questions are answered as quickly as possible and usually within 24 hours.

This course does not require any additional purchases of supplementary materials.

Learners must achieve an average test score of at least 70% to meet the minimum successful completion requirement and qualify to receive IACET CEUs. Learners will have three attempts at all graded assessments.