How To Build Your Nonprofit In Less Time… Even If You Don’t Know Where To Start

Get the ongoing support you need to overcome the two main reasons nonprofits fail in the first year

You are Ready to Get Your Nonprofit Started, But…

figuring out how to start is confusing.

I get it. If you are like most Founders I work with, who usually have no nonprofit experience, you feel like you have walked into a foreign world. 

You have no idea where to begin and what information is the right information for your nonprofit. (Have you Googled “Start a Nonprofit” lately? 559 million results is a lot of information.)

You have no direction. You’ve said, “I have my 501(c)3! Now What?!?”

The biggest mistake Founders make is they don’t overcome the two reasons nonprofits fail in their first year- 

  • building the infrastructure that leads to funding 
  • being the sole funder.

 

You don’t build infrastructure and funding because you:

  • Don’t know how
  • Want to start doing good in the world
  • Don’t like asking people for money

So… you focus on programs, buildings, and grants because it seems easier than creating the infrastructure that ACTUALLY leads to funding.

You focus on programs because that’s where your passion lies… helping people.

You focus on buildings because you need somewhere to provide your program.

You focus on grants because you’ve been told grants are free money and it means you don’t have to actually ask for money.

You see fundraising as begging and it just doesn’t feel right.

You Need a Framework that Will Help You Set the Right Foundation…

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A framework that helps you focus on what you need to do at exactly the right time so that you can stop wasting time on the wrong things.

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A framework that incorporates the infrastructure needed for funding, fundraising basics, and the time management techniques needed to get everything done.

Imagine…

  • You’re no longer confused about your lack of direction.
  • You’ve stopped worrying about your nonprofit failing in the first year.
  • You ARE the leader who has stepped into your purpose and is serving the deep calling you feel. 
  • You ARE confident you are leading the organization to fulfill its purpose. 
  • Your nonprofit takes action and stands for something bigger than its services. It stands for the best of humanity.

But Just a Framework and Information are not Enough…

You can read all the books and listen to all the speakers but simply consuming information doesn’t move the needle forward.

You need to actually get it done. You need to implement what you learn so you can get to helping the people you serve.

To Make Your Nonprofit a Success, You Need…

Infrastructure:

  • Build Your Board. you need help finding the right people and they will be your first (or almost first) donors. 
  • Create Your 5-year Strategic Plan. You need to get very clear on who you are and where you want to go. The 5-Year Strategic Plan is the roadmap for steering the organization (and a requested document by funders). 
  • Create Your One-year Tactical Plan And Operating Budget. This will come from your Strategic Plan. It will lay the to-dos out for the year to accomplish so you are moving forward. If you are going to do all this good in the world, you have to figure out how to fund it. So, you need a one year operating budget to see how much you will need to raise and if it’s realistic. 
  • Create Your Signature Program on paper with a budget. You don’t have to have a program the first year. Getting one on paper will help you think through the program and know how much money you will need to raise before you start the program. We use a template that will help you create a program with the 10 common grant questions so, in a few years, your proposal will be easy to write. 
  • Get Your Policies And Procedures Together. You will definitely need a money handling procedure, to name one. It is a big thing Auditors will look at when you need an Independent Accounting Review.

Fundraising

  • Identify Your Ideal Donor. The ideal donor helps you find people most likely to give to your cause in a common place and with a common message. To get your first 100 donors, you can’t skip this. 
  • Create Your Website And Social Media. You will need these to attract your ideal donor. And you need to know what will draw them in.
  • Learn Fundraising Basics. In this step, you put together your Fundraising Plan and begin asking the people in your and your Board’s inner circle- family and friends.

Time Management

  • Get It All Done. If you’re like the Founders I work with, you work on your nonprofit on nights and weekends or whenever you can steal some time between family and a full time job. You need to know what your priorities are at your stage. What should a manageable to do list look like? You want to get it done as quickly as possible and managing your time is a big factor in doing just that. 

 

If you’re new to creating a nonprofit, this can all feel overwhelming. That’s why I pooled all of my nonprofit experience together into one easy-to-use solution.

Nonprofit Founder’s Society

Helping Founders Get to the Doing Much Faster with a Membership That Gets You Implementing Not Just Learning 

Hi! I’m Alesha Mathis.

The Build a New Nonprofit Framework and the Nonprofit Founder’s Society came from my experience working on a first-year nonprofit’s Board.  At the time, I had worked in nonprofits for eight years in Administration, Fundraising, and Programs. I knew what it took to run a nonprofit and get funding. 

I knew a good foundation in management and fundraising would pay dividends. My opinion was ignored because the majority wanted to do the shiny things instead of rolling up their sleeves and setting the organization up for success. They spent months on the events hamster wheel.

…But without the foundations and systems in place, without a program for donors and funders to donate to- there was not a lot that could be done to raise money.

They would still have to put together a Strategic Plan to get going. They had wasted a lot of time!

After one year, the organization had barely determined who they were, what they wanted to do, or how they were going to do it.

Even sadder, the nonprofit folded six months after I left. They had not built their infrastructure that led to funding and the Founder was still the funder.

I didn’t want it to happen to another Founder or organization so I set out to answer one question: What infrastructure absolutely needs to be implemented in the first year to get funding from individual donors, companies, and eventually grant funders? 

I then took it a step further after talking to hundreds of Founders. They were overwhelmed by all their to-dos. So, I began helping them prioritize their to-dos and focus on the things that will get them serving people in the fastest way possible. 

And the Nonprofit Founder’s Society was born.

When You Sign Up, You’ll Have…

  • A rock solid plan to build your nonprofit.
  • The templates, checklists, and training needed to combat the two reasons nonprofits fail- infrastructure and funding. 
  • Manageable To-Do Lists to help you get stuff done AND move your nonprofit forward.
  • Peace of mind knowing you’re setting up your nonprofit the right way.
  • Confidence that you’re doing all the things necessary to build your nonprofit and funding.

Nonprofit Founder’s Society Includes:

  • Step-by-Step Guidance for Each Stage of Creating & Running Your Nonprofit so you always know what to focus on to move to the next level. Maximize the time you spend on your nonprofit.

  • Monthly 20-minute Implementation Videos on the topic we will focus on each month. This video will introduce the topic, why you need to implement it, and give you the next steps to implement.

  • Monthly Implementation Guides to help you work through the information in the video and customize it to your organization, get started, and get it done.

  • Live Q&A Session once a month to get your questions answered with specific solutions for your organization and get unstuck.

  • Access to the Nonprofit Startup Resource Library to help you go even deeper into different topics. The Resource Library includes samples, templates, checklists, articles, and other materials especially curated for each stage of setting up and running your nonprofit.

  • A Supportive Private Facebook Community to help you implement and connect you with other community members you have in common. You will be able to form accountability groups with each other to get results quickly.

Only for Charter Members…

A One-hour Mentoring Call a month with me to help you customize what you’ve worked on to your organization and its needs

This bonus will not be offered when the membership opens to the public.

Annual Members Receive…

  • Special discounts on services and new offerings.

EXCLUSIVE offer for Charter Members Only!

Become a charter member today and save! Prices will increase when the membership opens to the public.

 “I Don’t Have Time To Add Something Else To My To-Do List!”

If this is you, then you are exactly the person that needs the Nonprofit Founder’s Society!

If you’re like most Founders I serve, you are building Business Plans, Googling the policies and procedures asked about in your 990, and are going at it alone. You think you’re doing all the right things. But you feel like you’re spinning your wheels most days because you aren’t making any real progress.

The problem is you don’t have the right things on your to-do list at the right time. You may not even know what the right things are. You go to Facebook groups and try to find the next to-do but you find five to-dos instead of just THE one next thing. 

By carving out time to focus on the things that will move you forward instead of all the things you think you need to do, you will get more traction and more done than by trying to do everything all at once. (In the membership, you also have help along the way.)

“I’m The Sole Funder. All My Extra Money Is Going To The Nonprofit.”

Wouldn’t you like to break that funding cycle?

Add a few more donors to carry the burden? The Nonprofit Founder’s Society builds basic fundraising into the membership. It shows you how to ask people for support and helps you grow your donor base- the essential ingredients to funding success.

Nonprofit Founder’s Society No Nonsense Guarantee

It’s simple. If you don’t want to be a member anymore for any reason, cancel before your next payment is due and you will not be charged. You’ll get to stay a member until your next payment date.

 

No strings. No hassles. 

Still Have Questions? 

Who Is This For?

Nonprofit Founder’s Society is for Founders trying to get their nonprofit up and running in the first year or for Founders in the first five years who have realized they have some infrastructure and basic funding holes they need to fill in order to move to the next level.

Nonprofit Founder’s Society also welcomes Board members of new nonprofits to help them implement the infrastructure that leads to funding.

Who is This Not For?

If you are looking for get funding quick schemes or shortcuts to building your nonprofit, Nonprofit Founder’s Society is not for you. We create nonprofits that cover costs AND build infrastructure- two reasons nonprofits fail. These things take time.

If you haven’t applied for your tax-exempt status, Nonprofit Founder’s Society is not going to be helpful- yet. The membership assumes you have at least applied for your 501(c)3 when talking about the next steps.

Why Is The Charter Membership So Cheap?

As a perk of being on my email list, first members are being offered a 50% discount. It will not be offered again at this price.

How Long Do I Get the Charter Membership Pricing?

You will be a Charter Member and receive Charter Member pricing as long as you remain in good standing. If you decide to leave the membership and return at a later date, you will pay the current membership rates.

What Are The Benefits Of Becoming A Charter Member?

Charter members not only get great pricing and the mentoring bonus but they also get to help shape the membership. Their input will be vital in building a community that helps Founders build their nonprofit with infrastructure that leads to funding. 

What Do I Get When I Sign Up?

You will get immediate access to the Nonprofit Founder’s Society website and all lessons.

What If I Don’t Have My 501(c)3 Tax Exempt Status Yet?

If you haven’t applied for your tax-exempt status, Nonprofit Founder’s Society is not going to be helpful- yet. The membership assumes you have at least applied for your 501(c)3 when talking about the next steps.

What Is The Refund Policy?

There are no refunds but you can cancel at any time. If you don’t want to be a member anymore for any reason, cancel before your next payment is due and you will not be charged. You’ll get to stay a member until your next payment date.

 

No strings. No hassles. 

What Is The Process For Signing Up?

Click the button below the payment option you want. Fill out the form and submit. It’s that easy.

What Happens After I Sign Up?

You will get a confirmation email and login information to the website. Go to the website and dive in.

One Last Note from Me…

I look forward to getting to know you through the membership and helping you build your life-changing nonprofit. It always excites me to see the transformation and those little moments when all the frustrations are worth it because everything just clicks into place.

Alesha