Bylaws are your organization's operating manual. State nonprofit laws usually address nonprofit governance matters. However, you can choose different rules, as long as they don't violate state law and are included in your bylaws.

Incorporation is typically the first formal step in creating a nonprofit organization. To incorporate your nonprofit, you will need to file articles of incorporation with the appropriate state agency.

The decision to convert from for-profit to nonprofit status involves more than simply filing to become tax-exempt.

The cover letter often is your proposal's first chance to connect your project with the reader's philanthropic mission. It goes on top of a proposal, but it is not the same as an executive summary, which states your proposal's key points.

This article provides selected grant resources to help you. But to get an overview of funding information and resources available to artists of all types, start by reading our Knowledge Base article: "Where can I find grants for individual artists?"

This article lists resources for researching an organization's individual and foundation donors.

To get an overview of funding information and resources available to artists of all types, start by reading our Knowledge Base article: Where can I find grants for individual artists?

There are public sources available to assist in determining whether a specific charity is legitimately registered with the appropriate state and federal agencies.

Please be aware that fiscal sponsorship policies and guidelines are unique to each fiscal sponsor and project.

State nonprofit associations, online salary calculators and lists of nonprofit job openings in your area are all sources of information about salaries.

Cause-related marketing (CRM) is designed to promote a corporation's sales and a nonprofit's cause, so both sides benefit from the marketing effort.

Capacity building is a broad term that encompasses "actions that improve nonprofit effectiveness", in terms of organizational and financial stability, program quality, and growth.

Your goal is to make it easy for your readers to find and refer to your original source, so that they can confirm the information that you presented and judge its quality for themselves.

To get an overview of funding information and resources available to artists of all types, start by reading our Knowledge Base article: Where can I find grants for individual artists?

Keeping cash in reserve for a "rainy day" may seem like a luxury, but maintaining a nest egg can ensure your organization's long-term financial health.

To get an overview of funding information and resources available to artists of all types, start by reading our Knowledge Base article: Where can I find grants for individual artists?

We suggest that you start your search with a visit to your college or university's financial aid office, as it may be able to connect you with resources that specifically target non-U.S. residents.

You might consider hiring an experienced attorney or accountant to fill out the forms or at least look them over before you submit them. If that's beyond your budget, a board member might be able to recommend an experienced professional, or you might find free or low-cost help at a local law school or student-run legal clinic.

Workplace giving contributes an estimated $5 billion to U.S. charities each year. Many companies not only encourage their employees to give to and volunteer time to nonprofits in their communities, but also will match those efforts with dollars and other means of support.

Program-related investments (PRIs) are investments made by foundations to support charitable activities that involve the potential return of capital within an established time frame.

Every April, Independent Sector publishes an estimated national value of each volunteer hour. This page includes historical national data and the value of volunteers’ contribution by state or territory.

The board acts as trustee of the organization's assets and ensures that the nonprofit is well managed and remains fiscally sound.

Los programas de asistencia técnica ayudan a la organización a marchar más eficientemente.

Grantmakers typically fund organizations that qualify for public charity status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. These are organizations whose purposes are charitable, educational, scientific, religious, literary, or cultural.

Yes and no. In most states it is legal for executive directors, chief executive officers, or other paid staff to serve on their organizations' governing boards. But it is not considered a good practice. Executive directors should attend and/or participate in discussions at board meetings, however. Their presence is essential.

This may be our most popular question, and we have many resources to help you learn how to write a proposal.

A types of support approach to grantseeking differs from a subject approach in that it focuses on identifying grantmakers that have expressed an interest in providing the specific types of support your organization needs. For example, there is no point in approaching a funder for emergency funds if the foundation only funds research or building/renovation projects.

For the right person, working as an independent consultant can have many advantages, including setting one's own schedule and priorities, working with a variety of clients, and developing a wide range of personal skills and experience.

Corporate sponsorship is defined as “a form of advertising in which companies pay to be associated with certain events.” Remember that unlike grants, sponsorships are awarded as much for the benefit of the sponsor as of the cause.

Yes, a nonprofit organization may create a subsidiary with either a for-profit or a nonprofit structure. In some situations creating a subsidiary may make sense. If you think this is something your organization should do, please talk to an attorney familiar with both corporate and nonprofit law to fully understand the tax and legal implications.