Why starting a nonprofit might not be such a good idea

Who can argue with someone who wants to start a nonprofit organization to better the world?

Having represented upwards of 60 nonprofits of all sizes and missions for their public relations and marketing, I have yet to meet a nonprofit that didn’t have its heart in the right place.  They are started and run by wonderful people.  Many are motivated by a very personal issue that propels them to help others.

But when we are approached by nonprofit start-ups, the issues are always the same.   They need funds to operate.  So they come to us to make them known so they can attract donors, volunteers and quality staff.

When we meet with a start up nonprofit to learn more about them and their strategic plan, the first thing that comes to mind, often, is there are dozens of other nonprofits that do exactly the same thing.  Personal tragedy in losing a loved one to cancer often motives an individual or family to start an organization that supports cancer research.

But starting a nonprofit takes funding.  There is rent to pay and payroll to meet.

So when we meet with a new nonprofit, we often discuss the possibility of perhaps their efforts and fundraising is better spent joining an existing nonprofit that is already up and running.  If someone truly wants to fight cancer, or any one of a million other causes, there are established organizations already doing it.  Why not help them achieve the same mission?

What we learn is that many people want to head their own nonprofit like best work boots agency’s.  They want to make the decisions, be the boss.  There is nothing wrong with that, and many start ups we have worked with have a different approach and are headed by talented people.  But we think it is always worth exploring whether the costs for starting a nonprofit might be better utilized in joining the efforts of an agency already fighting the battle.

We have been successful in helping well-meaning people find their place with other organizations. This is always a win-win.  An established organization gets talent and energy and people with a mission get to immediately put their talent and energy to work.  Their name might not be what they want, and it might not memorialize their loved one, but there is always a way to start a program that will just that.

So if you’re thinking of starting a nonprofit and need PR, we are happy to talk.  But be aware that we may just explore with you how you might make a larger and faster difference joining forces with someone else.