Starting a new nonprofit can be both daunting and exciting! These resources can help you consider the many actions needed to establish your new organization.

Building & Sustaining Your Nonprofit

The Nonprofit Support Program sponsors the Hartford Public Library’s workshop entitled: Mission Possible: How to Start & Grow a Thriving Nonprofit.  This workshop covers the building blocks that all successful nonprofit organizations need: building a board, budgeting, planning, marketing, fundraising and evaluation. Below are the handouts from the session, which include tools and checklists to help you develop your nonprofit.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR STARTING A NONPROFIT

These resources can help newer and smaller nonprofits build a strong foundation.

Starting a Nonprofit Organization 
  • Issues to consider before creating a nonprofit
  • Key steps in forming a nonprofit
  • How and where to incorporate a nonprofit

Resources:

Creating an Effective Board 
  • Understanding board roles and responsibilities 
  • Recruiting, orienting, and training board members 
  • Structuring board committees 
  • Planning board meetings 
  • Evaluating the board 

Resources:

Planning Ahead 
  • Why planning is important 
  • Establishing a clear mission statement and vision 
  • Various types of long and short range planning (business plan, annual plan, strategic plan) 
  • Who should be involved in planning 
  • Using an outside consultant to facilitate the planning process 

Resources:

Overview of strategic/business plans

Developing a Sound Financial Management System 
  • Creating a budget 
  • Creating a basic accounting system 

Resources:

Free Management Library - Financial management in nonprofits 

Fundraising to Sustain the Organization 
  • Beginning the fundraising effort 
  • Sources of funding 
  • The board's role in fundraising

Resources:

The board's role in fundraising