Chances are you do not specialize in every area of business necessary to get your non-profit organization off the ground. There are some people with whom it will be necessary to ask for or hire for their ability to help you.
Mentor
- As much as you read about starting a non-profit, it will always be helpful to have access to someone who has gone through the process before. Hopefully you already have someone in mind to talk to, but if not you can look up another non-profit manager in either your local area or in your field of non-profit on Council of Nonprofits, or do an internet search to find more non-profits in your area.
Attorney
- Although you probably prefer to resolve business issues on your own, some issues are more efficiently dealt with by an attorney. Some attorneys specialize in working with non-profits. Ask your mentor or anyone else you know in the non-profit world for suggestions. A recent shift in the legal world is the increasing presence of lawyers who are willing to work with you collaboratively or as a coach, rather than the traditional “all-or-nothing” approach. Make sure to ask a prospective attorney if they would be willing to help you collaboratively if that is something you are interested in doing. It might help you save money on legal expenses.
Accountant/Tax Professional
- If you qualified as a 501(c)(3), tax deductions are both a huge benefit financially and a significant amount of paperwork and time. Especially if you are a new non-profit, it is important to ensure tax filing accuracy to avoid delays or the revocation of your 501(c)(3) status. Having this paperwork completed or reviewed by someone who specializes in it may be a necessary expense.
