Launch a Non-Profit: Tips
Caller One asks Deepa Iyer, former Executive Director of South Asian Americans Leading Together, SAALT: Jasbina, thank you. Deepa, I really appreciate you taking the time to speak with us. I do work for two non-profits during my free time.
You mentioned the idea of having to know it all when you are launching a non-profit.
Would you please provide us with some advice regarding how to achieve that level, especially when you are speaking with sponsors or folks who are interested in working for your non-profit?
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Deepa Iyer
I think that when you’re launching or starting a non-profit, you’re not going to be able to know it all. I think that’s okay.
Launch a Non-Profit: Know Your Skill Set
Know what your skill sets are, if you’re the one starting it off, or what your blind spots are, for example. There are a couple of things that I would say for people who are interested in launching one on their own.
Launch a Non-Profit: Clear Mission
First, be really clear about your mission and vision.
What does it mean that your non-profit actually exists for your community? What will the community look like if your non-profit is successful?
Really thinking about what the mission and vision is will be so important.
Launch a Non-Profit: Express Your Mission
Secondly, be able to articulate that.
You need to be able to do that elevator speech that I talked about. You can very quickly communicate your vision to other people, whether they are sponsors or stakeholders in other ways.
You want to make sure that people connect to what you’re talking about, can understand what your non-profit is and what it does.
Launch a Non-Profit: Supporters
The third thing is to build a community of supporters who are going to help you in different ways to launch your non-profit, whether that is to support it financially, to publicize it or to draw others into the non-profit community.
You’re trying to build that non-profit’s community.
Launch a Non-Profit: Sequence
Those are three suggestions that I would have for anyone who is thinking about launching or starting a non-profit, which, in this day and age is not an easy task.
Certainly, I think if you have your mission and vision and you can articulate it, you can understand who your community is and build that community. You will definitely have success.
Caller One
Thank you.
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Tell Us:
Do you want to launch a non-profit? Share your missions with us in the comments section below.
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The above is an excerpt from Jasbina’s interview with Deepa Iyer
The entire interview transcript is at: Deepa Iyer NetIP (Network of Indian Professionals) Interview – Leading & Working at Non-Profits
Listen to the entire interview on: Intersections Match Talk Radio – Jasbina’s Lifestyle Show
Listen to the entire interview on Blog Talk Radio: NetIP Spotlight- Live Your Potential: Leading & Working at Nonprofits
Listen to the entire interview on iTunes
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