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Building Your Dream - Locating Resources for Nonprofits Online
by Madison Lockwood
Find resources for non-profit business on the web. This article provides an overview of some basic online resources to not only educate the reader about non-profits, but offer advice on how to get one started.
A nonprofit corporation has the public’s best interest at heart. It may have an environmental, educational, religious, scientific, or literary focus (among others). In return for their services, the public can make donations to these companies and then deduct the amount from their federal taxes. In this way, it sure is a win-win situation.
Although it sounds pretty straight forward, a nonprofit can be a complicated entity. Therefore, it is wise to know where you can find answers to the many questions that are bound to crop up. The easiest place to uncover these questions is online because there are numerous websites that focus on the ins and outs of nonprofits.
For example, one place to start is by making sure you understand nonprofit language; in other words, the terms used when discussing a nonprofit organization. Check out this URL:
nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitstartup/a/glossary.htm
Once you feel comfortable with the lingo, it is time to make your nonprofit idea a reality. But before you get going, make sure you know about the different legal matters involved in this kind of company. For example, the company will not declare a profit because it puts all its earnings toward operating expenses and providing services to the public. And in order to do this, certain regulations must be met. To get a handle on these, check out sites such as:
nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitstartup/a/starting_faq.htm
www.managementhelp.org/strt_org/strt_np/strt_np.htm
www.drcharity.com/npstart.html
One of the main reasons people choose to be involved in nonprofit organizations is because it is a great way to share common interests with others and problem solve in a pro-active, positive way. In fact, nonprofits are encouraged to reach out to others—individuals and corporations—who have similar goals. The following website lists 52,000 nonprofit and community organizations in 165 countries (you can add your company for free!):
www.idealist.org
Volunteerism exemplifies the spirit of nonprofits and is a big part of the nonprofit community. These sites focus on volunteer opportunities:
www.volunteermatch.org
networkforgood.org
www.volunteersolutions.org
If you have already established a nonprofit corporation and wish to attract more attention to your cause, nothing works better than a well-crafted website. But if you do not have the know-how when it comes to software technology, you will need some help. A web hosting company can save the day. What’s more, many web hosts offer discounts for nonprofit companies.
What would make an interesting, helpful, and fun website? With the help of a web host, you can include the following elements:
- links for locating other nonprofit organizations
- career fairs (by specialty or area)
- ideas for participating in your community
- various resource links organized by subject (teens, voting, environment, campuses, teachers, different languages etc.)
- management tips for employers
- opportunities for volunteers
- legal advice
- current, relevant articles
Clearly, there are numerous benefits of a nonprofit corporation. Not only can one satisfy one’s longing to be involved in a worthwhile organization, but it also allows one the opportunity to look beyond oneself and give back to a community at large. And it is possible to do this without worrying about obstacles because it is possible to find reliable help and guidance online.
About The Author
Madison Lockwood is a customer relations associate for ApolloHosting.com.
She brings years of experience as a small business consultant to helping
prospective clients understand the ways in which a website may benefit
them both personally and professionally. Apollo Hosting provides website
hosting, ecommerce
hosting, vps
hosting, and web design
services to a wide range of customers. Established in 1999, Apollo prides
itself on the highest levels of customer support. Click for more hosting
articles.
Note: These articles are provided for general interest and content purposes only, and should not be construed as "support" materials. Apollo Hosting does not guarantee the information contained within. All articles are free to reprint so long as they remain unchanged, the "About the Author" section remains, all hyperlinks are preserved, and the rel="nofollow" tag is not added to the hyperlinks.
