Launching or Relaunching a Nonprofit Organization

It’s crucial that you have all of your “ducks in a row” so to speak when launching a nonprofit organization. If you are stuck or not accomplishing what you envision, the consider a “relaunch” of the organization. You don’t need to cancel everything, however, you might want to stop doing most things to go back and reset the bar to discover what might be missing that could be the very thing that’s holding back your progress.

So, rethinking your strategy (or creating one if you previously skipped this step) might be just the thing that will empower your success.

Here’s a basic list of start-up items that you need for success in sequence:

Start-Up Checklist:

To create an implementable strategic plan (the SVLF “Solution Map”)
To develop a leadership plan for yourself, principles, and board
To implement an action plan for the following 12 months
To identify principle and secondary sources of revenue
To craft scripts, documents, and presentations for funding presentations
To identify key people to approach for support as donor, board member or advisor, contract services, and volunteer

Work Plan by Steps:

Discovery: to develop the tentative work plan and goals, clarify vision and desired results, review components of the solution map, define roles and responsibilities of key team or principles, and to map leadership skills and gaps for you and your team.
The WHY: Describe the problem and your solution and why it’s unique
The WHAT: Clarify the Vision and Mission and Long-Term Objectives
The HOW: Create short-term goals, with milestones, and the how-to of action plans
The PRESENTATION: Define target funders and define the key message for each
Skills Inventory: Identifying leader skills and gaps
Identifying Limits: Discover blind spots, fears, and other things limiting success
Time Use: How to manage everything so far and prepare for what’s coming next
Integration of Strategy with Performance: The Secret to success
Identify Avatars: Define 1) who do you serve; and 2) who will fund the work
Creating the Teams: BOD, Advisory Council, Advisors at Large
Defining the “Now” Budget: Create a budget to launch
Review, Evaluation, Plan Next Steps