Each day, thousands of people are inspired to start their own nonprofit organizations. Wanting to help the community runs deep in the veins of many, but starting and sustaining a nonprofit isn’t easy. Organizations face an uphill battle of hard work and dedication, but with driven spirits comes the grand reward of doing what people love best: helping others.
When starting your journey on establishing a nonprofit, there are some tips to keep in mind to help make your organization become successful with several helpful resources.
Alamo understands the value in giving back to the community and we want to help your nonprofit grow!
Research
Having a drive and passion are crucial in nonprofit work, but also having a realistic idea is what will make or break your organization should be considered. Carefully researching your potential options of how to better serve your community is essential in finding other nonprofits to work with. Finding community donations and/or sponsors is equally important. By researching factors such as the organization’s goals, other nonprofits, donors and sponsors, you can begin to shape the foundation of your company.
Keep it Business-Like
Nonprofits should operate similarly to regular businesses. Fundraising, long-term plans, keeping track of your message and making sure your organization follows all legal requirements keeps it running efficiently. Make sure to evaluate financial records and provide the community and other stakeholders with reliable information about the scope and value of the organization’s work.
For the legal aspects, rules and regulations of nonprofits, you can find more information here. If you’re looking to start your nonprofit in Texas, then there are great resources to assist you, including the Texas Nonprofit Summit Series, which will be discussed further below.
Support Community Involvement
A good business cannot survive without some community involvement or outreach. It’s essential to have local areas understand what your organization represents, its mission and if there are volunteer opportunities available. By engaging the community, your nonprofit will benefit from positive publicity through social media shares and word-of-mouth.
This creates buzz and allows your credibility to blossom! Through this sort of involvement, you can also expand into recognition from local newspapers, radio stations and more. You can even reach out to local government officials or offices. It’s important to build relationships through community engagement so that the community can believe in your cause and help you in giving back!
Social Media is Your Best Friend
Social media will help your nonprofit promote its mission. It allows for story-telling visuals and engagement in an online community, thus allowing you to reach more supporters. By sharing feel-good stories, you can spread awareness and humanize your cause. This amplifies your community involvement efforts and can bring nothing but success! Other ways to expand your community engagement and marketing efforts include hosting workshops and local events.
Texas Nonprofit Summit Series
From El Paso, to the Rio Grande Valley, to Lubbock, this series seeks to inspire leaders across all sectors by focusing on services, leadership and collaboration. Join hundreds of nonprofit organizations, businesses and academic leaders in exploring collaborative approaches on Tuesday, August 9th at Region One Education Service Center.
Special guests include First Lady of Texas Cecilia Abbott and keynote speaker and fundraising expert Barbra Harrington. Learn about how they are impacting their communities, creating social change and building long-lasting relationships! For tickets and more information, click here.
Keep it Local
When looking for a local community to rally around you in the Rio Grande Valley, look no further than the City of Alamo. From the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge to community events like the Watermelon Festival, Alamo understands how important our environment and community are.
We encourage our businesses to attend PeopleFund workshops to assist in online learning and also provide incentives such as the Revolving Loan Program and Alamo Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZ) program. We believe in your business/organization and want to help you grow!
Let’s Get Your Dream Started!
When looking to start your nonprofit, look no further than Alamo. We understand your passion in giving back to the community, so if you’re ready to start your business or nonprofit, give us a call at 956.787.6622.