Answers to your most pressing social sector and nonprofit questions.
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. Before...
The decision to convert from for-profit to nonprofit status in the United States involves more than simply filing to become tax-exempt. First, you need to consider whether your current business...
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...
This article lists resources for researching an organization's individual and foundation donors. Individual donations There is no comprehensive source of information that reveals who gives to a specific charity, because...
If you are suspicious of an organization or believe you have become a victim of a charity scam, several web sites and organizations can help and are listed below. There...
Please be aware that fiscal sponsorship policies and guidelines are unique to each fiscal sponsor and project. Still, you may find it helpful to see what issues are typically addressed...
Many state nonprofit associations publish state-level salary surveys. Try an Internet search for these keywords: nonprofit salary [your state name here]. You also may be able to get executive summaries...
Cause-related marketing (CRM) is a mutually beneficial collaboration between a corporation and a nonprofit designed to promote the former's sales and the latter's cause. American Express first coined the term...
Capacity building can help make an organization more focused, efficient, and productive, according to Paul C. Light, author of Sustaining Nonprofit Performance: The Case for Capacity Building and the Evidence...
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...
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. Yet recent reports suggest that...
Candid does not give grants/donations, suggest specific funders, or approach them on your behalf. More about Candid’s mission. Please refer to the tips and websites in this article. If you...
Forming a nonprofit includes filling out many legal documents, including, but not limited to, your state's incorporation paperwork and the Internal Revenue Service's Form 1023. While these forms can be filled...
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...
Program related investments (PRIs) are like grants in that foundations use them to give money for charitable activities. But there is a BIG difference. When foundations give PRIs, they expect...
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. For...
The board acts as trustee of the organization's assets and ensures that the nonprofit is well managed and remains fiscally sound. In doing so, the board must exercise proper oversight...
¿Qué es la asistencia técnica? La asistencia técnica, en inglés "technical assistance (TA)", se define en forma global como servicios profesionales o especializados que sirven de apoyo para las organizaciones...
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...
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...
Note: If you want information on writing grant proposals for an individual project, click here. This might be our most popular question, and we have many resources to help...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Corporate sponsorship is defined as "a form of advertising in which companies pay to be associated with certain events," according to Inc magazine. Remember that unlike grants, sponsorships are awarded as much...
IRS regulations prohibit 501(c)(3) public charities from specific types of activities and require certain levels of reporting and public disclosure. An organization that fails to abide by these rules may...
If you have a legal or tax-related question, the Candid Support Team might be able to point you to resources for informational purposes only, but we cannot give specific legal...
Because most private foundations make grants only to nonprofit organizations, individuals seeking grants must follow a different funding path than public charities. You need to be both creative and flexible...
Candid's online job board features current full-time job openings at U.S. foundations, grantmaking public charities, and other nonprofit organizations. Try looking at some of these job postings to get a...