Please, Stop Starting Nonprofits
Sometimes my job is to dispense a little tough medicine. Today, I am talking to all of the folks motivated by racial uprising and a pandemic to say - think a little longer about starting your own NPO. Each community is flooded with nonprofits doing amazing things in the world all struggling to survive and raise money from a limited pool. Often you find replication and duplication of services leading to an overall dilution in the exact thing you want to help out. So here are your steps to consider and thoughts to keep in mind.
The Role of White Supremacy in Nonprofits
First, if you are not a person of color, or a queer person, or a person with a disability, or a person with limited access to assets - dig real deep before you launch a nonprofit intending to benefit or serve these communities. Odds are they may already have boots on the ground doing the work. Second, do some research and reading first. I’ve posted some links to blogs and articles to the side where you can start your learning journey to ensure your beginnings are as informed as possible.
Next Steps To Your Inquiry Process
1. Is someone else doing this? Before you move on from this space make sure you have searched the area for other groups doing the same or similar work that you could partner with or support. Build up, renovate, restore rather than build from scratch.
2. Ask Why. Nonprofits aren't all sunshine and rainbows. The IRS and the state get involved, there are donors and clients and board members to tend to. It is important you understand why you are forming it and how it fits into making the world a better and more just place.
So if I haven’t scared you…
Folks, don’t let me diminish your passion - but real talk is that running a nonprofit is hard and fundraising is hard and working with a board is hard. Consider that the direction of your passion might not be starting another new nonprofit.