Starting a nonprofit organization can be an inspiring way to give back to your community and help those in need. However, it is important to understand all of the steps involved in this process before moving forward. 

While NGOs have no fixed or formal definition, they are generally defined as nonprofit entities independent of governmental influence (although they may receive government funding).

Here are some ways you can get an organization's tax filings. Please note, there can be a 12-18 month lag period between the end of an organization's fiscal year and when its latest Form 990 is available online.

Recurso en español: Se entiende por evaluación el proceso de recolectar y analizar datos con el fin de poder tomar decisiones acerca de un proyecto o programa.

Know the pros and cons of being a nonprofit organization before you decide to start one.

Demographic information can help your nonprofit to better identify your community's needs and to find gaps in its services.

We do not give grants, recommend specific funders, or approach them on your behalf, but we can point you to information that should help. Often, the most effective method to raise funds quickly is to ask for help from the community. 

Most foundation scholarships are for undergraduate or graduate students. However, a few foundations give grants to attend private elementary, middle or high school.

Finding grants typically begins with prospect research -- finding out who is most likely to give you money. Look for funders whose interests match your organization's mission, programs, populations served, and locations served.

Generally, "nonprofit" and "not-for-profit" have the same meaning. However, nonprofit, legal, academic communities do make subtle distinctions between the two terms.

Individual donations, corporate contributions, foundation grants and fee for services are some of many sources of income for nonprofits. While opinion varies as to what a nonprofit's "ideal" mix is, using several different sources to achieve sustainability is generally a good practice.

Broadly speaking, a foundation is a nonprofit corporation or a charitable trust that makes grants to organizations, institutions, or individuals for charitable purposes such as science, education, culture, and religion. There are two foundation types: private foundations and grantmaking public charities.

Starting a nonprofit may be the most complicated way to act on your passion to serve your community.

Remember one important rule: "If you don't qualify, don't apply." Foundations that give to individuals have highly specific criteria. This article gives a typical breakdown for an individual project proposal.

Nonprofits have different budgets for different needs. Although most of Candid's budget resources are for proposal budgets, this article provide brief information about other budgeting tools, such as organizational operating budgets and cash flow forecasts.

Like for-profit business venture, nonprofits can create business plants to describe how they will turn their mission into reality.

Personal or independent projects -- for example, traveling overseas for a mission, attending summer camp, raising money for a specific person in need -- typically are not eligible to receive foundation grants. However, if your project is artistic or research-related, or its primary purpose is to serve a larger audience and improve the community, you could consider fiscal sponsorship as a means to qualify for foundation grants.

According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS), more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations are registered in the U.S.

A continuación le ofrecemos ingredientes fundamentales en la creación de una organización sin fines de lucro.

Below are selected resources specifically geared to visual artists, such as painters, sculptors and photographers.

Grants.gov is the official government site for information on U.S. government grants and funding. At the state and local level, the amount of information about grants varies widely.

Instead of starting your own nonprofit, you can work with an existing 501(c)(3) public charity under a formal arrangement known as fiscal sponsorship. You can ask for grants and tax-deductible donations under your sponsor's exempt status. Fiscal sponsorship can also open a world of grant opportunities to individuals, such as artists.

As with all questions having to do with tax law, please consult a legal, tax, or accounting professional for definitive answers to your specific question(s).

There are a number of ways for artists to supplement their income and ease the financial burden that comes with being a working artist.

Common grant application formats have been adopted by groups of grantmakers to allow grant applicants to produce a single, standardized proposal for those in a specific community of funders (usually along geographic lines).

The resources you need will depend on whether you want donations to your scholarship fund to qualify for tax deductions.

When it comes to philanthropy, corporations give in various ways, including cash donations or grants, in-kind gifts, sponsorships, cause-related marketing, and pro bono services. Companies also like to promote workplace giving through employee matching gifts programs and other efforts that encourage their workers to give their time and/or money to charity.

Gift acknowledgement letters are important for two reasons. First, they provide proof so donors can claim a U.S. tax exemption. Second, they let you thank donors for their generosity, helping you build a relationship for future support.