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Guide to Using the Nonprofit FAQ

Summary:

"Help! I'm lost! Please give me hints on how to use this FAQ!" This item can help.

Answer:

By Rebeca Mojica

Admittedly, the Nonprofit FAQ may seem overwhelming, especially if you aren't quite sure where to start or you're new to the nonprofit world. I hope this brief introduction helps you gather your bearings.

(By the way, "FAQ" stands for "Frequently Asked Questions". Though not every question in the Nonprofit FAQ comes up every day, these are subjects that people who care about nonprofits have asked about, and provided information about, to colleagues online since the early 1990s. Remember that the blue title for each article in the lists links to a more detailed discussion of the topic.)

Though it would be impossible for a single resource to address the complete needs of every nonprofit in existence, some basic concerns such as fundraising and board conflicts do apply across the board.

Within each of the five main categories of the Nonprofit FAQ -- Organization, Management, Regulation, Resources and Development -- you'll find several sections with more specific focus. Be aware that the answer to your question could be found in more than one section. Also note that the same article sometimes appears in several different sections. For example, an article on online donations could be listed in "Fundraising" under Development, "Internet Use" under Management and "State Laws" under Regulations.

Listed below are four of the most common questions people have surfed over to the Nonprofit FAQ to investigate. Your concern might be addressed here. If it's not, skim the sections. Click on a section that seems like it might answer your question. The next page you'll see will list all the articles in that section; most articles have summaries. Chances are, you'll find the helpful information you're looking for.

Good luck.

Your research starts with the table found at http://www.idealist.org/npofaq/

The four most frequently asked frequently asked questions:

• "I'm starting a Nonprofit. Where do I begin?
  
• Where can I get help on fundraising?
  
• How do I manage volunteers?
  
• What can be done about conflict between the Board of Directors and the Executive?

I'm starting a Nonprofit. Now where do I begin?

For an introduction to common administrative details, of which there are many, take a look at the summaries for:

• Charter Documents (with a helpful "Where to Start" item at http://www.idealist.org/en/faq/70-9/5-5).
• Federal Laws
• State Laws
• and Board of Directors.

You should also check out these sections:

• Start-up - This section offers directions on going ahead with your idea, incorporating your nonprofit and obtaining a bulk mail permit. You'll also find a few links on popular nonprofit ideas -- i.e., raising money to support someone with an incurable disease -- that don't tend to work out as envisioned (see http://www.idealist.org/en/faq/208-271/59-35 for an explanation).
• Mission & Purpose - Skim the items in this section for information on developing a mission and creating a strategic plan to support that mission. Some items cover possible conflict of interests such as lobbying, selling items, having a Treasurer, etc.
• General Considerations If you have time, check out this section for a few general resources and to "get a feel" for the nonprofit world. The items covered include: the legal definition of a volunteer, differences (or the lack thereof) between a "nonprofit" and a "not-for-profit", and other often philosophical issues.

Where can I get help on fundraising?

If you are looking to raise funds for your organization, you might want to skim the entire Development section of the FAQ and read the article summaries for the sections that grab your attention. Some of the most-read sections:

• Foundations - Articles in this section give tips on finding and selecting foundations that may be interested in supporting your organization's mission. One article describes the characteristics of a good proposal.
• Grants - This section is good for those new to grant writing as well as to veteran grantwriters who are looking for a fresh view. Articles focus on foundation grants, federal grants and grantwriting resources.
• Donations - This section thoroughly covers many aspects of donations, from asking for monetary and in-kind gifts to finding the appropriate software to track the donations. Many articles focus on online fundraising. Other topics include charitable trusts, individual donors and raffles.
• Direct mail - This is a great section for those with questions about direct mail strategies and general questions on bulk mail.
• Fundraising - Obviously one of the longest sections, "Fundraising" covers some of the topics described above, as well as ethical issues, such as paying fundraisers a percentage of funds raised. Other articles cover telemarketing and online fundraising resources.

How do I manage volunteers?

Volunteers are crucial to most nonprofits. Two sections in particular cover several aspects of volunteer management:

• Volunteer Recruitment - This section includes information on job descriptions, recruitment ads, and the planning that needs to be done before you start to recruit.
• Volunteer Programs - The many articles in this section cover topics such as creating volunteer applications; setting up an all-volunteer program; and screening, training, supervising and thanking volunteers.

The Idealist.org Volunteer Center offers links to further resources for organizations where volunteers work and for people seeking volunteer opportunities.

What can be done about conflict between the Board of Directors and the Executive Director?

What happens when Boards and Executive Directors disagree? How much authority should each be given? Articles and discussions on these and other common concerns can be found in one section:

• Board of Directors - Articles include: What should be the relationship between the board and the executive director? Do boards ever fire executive directors? What are the key duties of the board? What to do when the board gets too involved? Bad by-laws lead to conflict. What next? What are some ways to strengthen the leadership role of the board? How do we evaluate the Board of Directors?

I want to make a donation to a nonprofit organization but dont know where to start.

The Nonprofit FAQ provides an organized list of items just for donors which can be easily accessed here.

I'd like more information!

Many sections include articles that list websites, books and other resources with regard to that particular section. To see a listing of useful resources lumped together, check out Books (bibliography), Periodicals and Listservs. Subscribing to the Listservs can be a good way to pose specific questions (and often receive a speedy answer) that isn't addressed in the FAQ.

You can make suggestions about changes and improvements to the Nonprofit FAQ by using the Feedback link at the end of each article or by sending an email to FaqFeedback@idealist.org.

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Revised 5/23/05; 10/11/06 -- PB