How to Run a Nonprofit Board Meeting w/9-Step Agenda [Cheat Sheet]

Yes, board meetings can be made easy and perhaps even...fun! It is our mission to not only help you “get through” the learning curve, but to  feel absolutely great about it. Imagine walking out of a well-run board meeting, with your Directors patting you on the pack and praising you for being such a “pro” - even if secretly, you felt as though you had NO IDEA what you were doing.

Consent to Serve Form for Director Recruitment [Template]

Early on, your prospects for Directors will be friends, relatives, or business colleagues. Therefore, the primary challenges to recruiting Directors are: (1) Unclear expectations regarding time commitment & duties; (2) Misunderstanding of Director Liability; and (3) Concern over breaking the relationship.  This document will help dispel those concerns.

IRS-Friendly Conflict of Interest Policy with Compliance Form [Template]

This document is required by the IRS in order to approve your IRS 1023 (or 1023-EZ) Application for Tax-Exempt Status. Its purpose is to clearly outline the processes by which the Board should avoid conflicts of interest in general, and with regard to Directors. A clear policy  - like this example - should avoid needless "legal-ese" and be as brief as possible.

IRS Form 1023 - Which Schedules Will I Need (if any)? [Cheat Sheet]

The “long form” IRS Form 1023 Application for Tax-Exempt Status is 11 pages, prior to appending any of the eight Form 1023 Schedules. Each Schedule is designed to elicit additional information not explored in the Form 1023. Avoid weeks or months of additional delays beyond the “normal” IRS approval period by knowing which schedules apply to you.

IRS Form 1023-EZ Eligibility Checklist [Worksheet]

Unless you are starting an unusual type of nonprofit such as a school or hospital, your expected annual revenues will likely determine which path you’ll take.Many nonprofits qualify to use Form 1023-EZ, but the IRS may reject an application based upon projected budget or activities of those seeking to travel this path. To determine if you qualify for the1023-EZ, download this Eligibility Quiz.

How to Name Your Nonprofit [Worksheet]

Your nonprofit's name conveys your mission, and will be the front-line asset in attracting the resources you’ll need to flourish. With this worksheet you’ll leverage the 5 key principles that will help you jump-start the naming process and help maximize your brilliance and creativity to create the nonprofit name that you’ll be proud of...and everyone will be talking about!

IRS-Required Tax-Exempt Purpose and Dissolution Language [Template]

Early on, your prospects for Directors will be friends, relatives, or business colleagues. Therefore, the primary challenges to recruiting Directors are: (1) Unclear expectations regarding time commitment & duties; (2) Misunderstanding of Director Liability; and (3) Concern over breaking the relationship.  This document will help dispel those concerns.

Create Your Magnetic One-Sentence Mission Statement [Worksheet]

Each of the steps in this worksheet will help you distill the most important elements of your mission statement into one sentence and the resulting One-Sentence Mission Statement also serves as your “Elevator Pitch” - perhaps your most powerful early-stage tool to help you attract and align the right "time, talent and treasure to your cause! 

One-Page Nonprofit Business Plan [Worksheet]

In a modern world where distraction comes as a conspiracy to peel you away from the important…imagine an at-a-glance organizational planning document that is actionable and easy to communicate. Enter Jim Horan’s One-Page Business Plan. Link your vision to strategy, strategy to execution, and execution to results, either as a solo act or across your team!

Seed Money Magic - with Use of Funds [Worksheet]

When approaching a donor, it's important to be able to articulate the problem, convey your solution, and cast a vision of a world in which you've been wildly successful. But one of the hardest moments will come when the philanthropist leans over and asks, "If I write you the check right now, what exactly are you going to spend it on?" Be prepared with this worksheet!

Nonprofit Fundraising Call Script [Template]

We get it - most new nonprofit founders hate to feel scripted - you want to have a "natural" tone of conversation, and scripts can increase call anxiety. Let's be real - fundraising is not"natural" - if you stray off point and  fail to provide a structure for the conversation, it's a disservice to your prospect and your mission! Use this handy template to become a pro at making the ask!

Nonprofit Fundraising Donor "House File" [Spreadsheet]

Founder, I'd like to introduce you to the first example of "jargon"  you'll encounter on this site - the "House File" - also known as your Donor Database. While you may graduate from a simple spreadsheet version of a House File to a more robust software solution some day, don't delay capturing your donors in a tool like this one -  starting at the inception of your nonprofit!

Nonprofit Donation Thank You Letter [Template]

One of the most basic arrows in your fundraising quiver - your Nonprofit Donation Thank You Letter - also may be the #1  most effective. Yet, this simple courtesy is neglected in a such a high percentage of donations, it almost seems quaint! While you may copy this format for email, a hand-signed, snail-mailed paper letter will not soon be forgotten by your donors.