nonprofit Archives - SHOPPE BLACK

Published on April 5, 2022April 5, 2022

4 mins read

How to Start a Successful Nonprofit

Starting a nonprofit is an amazing way to make a difference in your community. However, it can be easy to get caught up in dreams of effecting change and underestimate the time and resources it takes to start a nonprofit from scratch.

The process can be pretty overwhelming if you’re not prepared. This article explains the steps you need to take to start and grow a successful nonprofit. Keep reading to learn more!

How to Start a Successful Nonprofit

1. Do Your Research

The first step to establishing a successful nonprofit is to conduct thorough research. Ask yourself some of the following questions:

Is there a need for your organization within your community?
Are there other organizations with similar goals working to fulfill the same mission as yours?
If there are other organizations, would teaming up with them to combine your energy and resources be more feasible?
Is starting a nonprofit the only solution, or are there other alternatives for you to consider, such as fundraising for a cause or establishing a chapter of a pre-existing nonprofit?
What hurdles will you face in the initial stages of your development, and how can you overcome them?

Consider these questions and try to find well-researched, practical answers for them. At the end of your research, if you find that your community would benefit from your organization, then follow the next few steps to successfully launch your nonprofit!

2. Develop a Business Plan

Like every other business, your nonprofit will also require a business plan that will serve as the elevator pitch to convince donors to provide funds for your organization.

Your business plan must include an executive summary of your goals, explain your organizational structure, describe your services and programs, outline your target demographic, propose a marketing strategy and a realistic financial plan.

This part of the process can take a while to complete as it requires a lot of dedication, hard work, and skill on your part.

3. Build Your Board

Your board of directors is a crucial part of ensuring your nonprofit’s success. The board oversees your organizations’ day-to-day operations, makes sure that all your activities promote your organizational mission, and helps secure the adequate funding required to execute that mission.

Recruit the right members to serve on the board by identifying key duties and responsibilities and drafting relevant job descriptions. Try to find board members who have expertise in finances, legal matters, and marketing. Also, look for well-connected people within your community who are comfortable asking for donations from their own networks.

4. Incorporate Your Nonprofit

The first step of the incorporation process is to choose a business name. Then decide on the legal structure of your organization; you can categorize your business as a trust, association, or corporation.

Ensure that all your incorporation paperwork meets state requirements before filing them. Finally, you need to apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN). It serves as your organization’s social security number. All businesses need an EIN, irrespective of whether they have employees.

Don’t miss any of our articles: subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn & Twitter.

Published on January 13, 2016August 20, 2021

6 mins read

Introducing INNERACT PROJECT: Educating the Next Generation of Design Gurus

Everyone knows there is a huge diversity gap in design and tech fields. What is important to note is that there is very little work being done with underserved youth at a young age to help prepare them and to combat this disparity.

Therefore, exposure at a young age is essential. My goal with Inneract Project is to provide minority parents from underserved communities with valuable opportunities for their kids to enter design fields.

I am dedicated to making sure kids (particularly underserved minority youth) get the best chance in life to be successful. This is REALLY important to me.

I was raised in Richmond, California, where, like most young people in urban communities across the nation, I was primarily exposed to sports and music. I ran into design via a scholarship to play college ball but not every kid in the community will get this opportunity.

While I was in college, I randomly picked design as a major. This was because I liked to draw when I was a kid. Through this random act, I was exposed to a new world. I think every kid in the community deserves to know about design.

There are a TON of career options for youth in these fields. I work in the Bay Area where design is an important skill in the tech industry. Design careers are in demand, and as a result, pay well.

Creative fields are projected to be one of the most promising new opportunities for employees over the next 7 years. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.)

Design in Context

In today’s world, design is all around us – logos, architecture, furniture, packaging, websites, technology, fashion, and endless other places. Even so, few people really understand what design is.

Design “process” encourages creativity and innovation, which drives our global marketplace. It takes into account; function, human values, social conditions and aesthetics. It makes our lives efficient, informed, sustainable, and more productive.

It is deeply embedded into our culture and is used to move our nation forward. Yet, it is a missing piece in K-12 education and most underserved communities have little knowledge of its existence.

Inneract Project is trying to change this. We know from studies that academic achievement by 8th grade is one of the largest predictors of college readiness.

We want to start working with young minority students at an early age, to give them the proper exposure, education and preparation to enter fields in design.In 2015, only 6% of African American graduates received Art/Design bachelor’s degrees from U.S. degree granting institutions. (Higher Education Arts Data Services (HEADS)

As our nation focuses more on innovation, we must educate our youth on what design can offer and develop their problem-solving skills to prepare them for jobs that meet the needs of our changing world.

We must also educate parents and the broader community so they can support this new generation of design thinkers. We believe parents are the key and invite them to not only sign their kids up for our classes and workshops but pass the word around, be involved, and help us build a network of parents dedicated to improving the quality of life and future for our young people.

We are working on an expansion model, testing Inneract Project programs in other cities as well as entrepreneurship for youth. We are empowering them through design and providing opportunities for them to create products that they believe the world needs.

About Maurice Woods:

Maurice Woods is the Executive Director/Founder of the Inneract Project (IP). Maurice graduated from the University of Washington with a BFA and MFA in Visual Communication Design. He played basketball as an undergraduate and professionally worldwide for 7 years. Since graduating, he has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses at multiple colleges, lectured nationally and internationally and contributed to various media outlets including the Wall Street Journal.

Maurice served as Co-Chair of Education for the AIGA San Francisco and nationally as a Board of Advisor for the Diversity Archive Collection Exhibition. Currently he sits on the board for Design Ignites Change. Professionally, Maurice worked as a designer at the world’s largest independent design consultancy, Pentagram Design. He designed extensive identity, retail, exhibit and interactive programs for clients such as Nike, Greyhound, Symantec, Priceline.com, and Google. He has won multiple design awards, featured in publications and is also a Jefferson Award winner. He currently works as a Experience Design lead at Yahoo.

If you’re looking for a Retail Design Agency to help you with the launch of a product or with a company campaign, consider checking out Mynt.

For specific questions or to get involved to help our mission, email us at info@inneractproject.org. We are currently looking for fundraising board members.

Contact Inneract Project on Social media:

website: inneractproject.org

facebook: inneractproject

twitter: @InneractProject

– By Guest Contributor: Maurice Woods