There has always been a part of the human consciousness that likes to help others. It might be considered as a part of decency, but it very important to our survival as well. We need other people to live and thrive in this world. You might say that you can live alone and sustain yourself even if you end up alone. Sadly, physical needs are not the only ones that help us survive. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we also need to feel safety, security, love and belongingness to other people. You cannot generate this alone. We are a part of an interconnecting chain of feelings that drives us to find others. Leaning on to other people is not a weakness; in fact, it is an innate need.
Having this kind of need to help others has also driven many people into organizing groups for their own advocacies. These organizations help in any way that they could to alleviate the situations of many others. They make sure that everyone is in this earth can have a better life. Some of them even risk their lives for the benefit of other beings. You can say that they are a part of our modern-day heroes, serving the rest of humankind in any way that they could. Sometimes, they even do it without any kind of payment. Volunteerism is in their blood, and they are not ashamed of it.
Non-profit organizations have been around for so many years now. Especially after the World Wars, many people realized that it is not productive to just fight for survival. As we belong in the same species, we must work together to help preserve our lives and those around us. The betterment of other people is good for the rest of us, and we should celebrate the beauty of volunteerism. It is such a selfless act, and it promotes goodwill even to the people who are just observing the phenomena. This is why there are over 150 million non-profit organizations in US alone.
Each of these organizations have an ideal in mind. Some organizations overlap in their advocacies, but we can safely say that each of them have unique qualities. There are many organizations that are driven by their faith like churches and parishes. Others are advocating for the natural environment like trees animals. There are even others who witnessed a horrifying event and established an organization that can help in avoiding that experience. As you can see, it is all driven by human feeling and that is also innate in all of us. Unless you have an antisocial personality disorder, then feeling compassion and empathy must come naturally to you.
So you want to establish a non-profit organization? Here are some tips that you may want to learn before even starting on your project:
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Have a clear goal and plan.
With any kind of business or advocacy, you must have a goal in mind. What do you want to do? Who do you want to help? What do you actually believe in? These are just some of the questions that you need to answer before even venturing into the idea. If you are a deeply religious person for example, you may want to look into your sacred texts to find some inspiration. As long as you know that you are doing this to help other people and not just for personal fame and fortune, then you are set.
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Determine where you can get your funding
Even if it is a non-profit organization, it still needs money before it can function. If you are already a part of an organization, then you are in luck as you can develop another organization that can be a support system. They can take care of your funds. If you are a part of a company, you can help in establishing their corporate social responsibility programs. However, if you are doing this on your own, finding government support can be your option but it involves a lot of processes. Some of those processes can even take years before you can even see the glimpse of funding. This leads us to…
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Establish an online presence
The online community can be your tool in steamrolling your advocacy. Websites like GoFundMe have been helping others with crowdsourcing and funding through the internet. You can also use social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to disseminate information about your organization. Also, you can even make a website of your own! There are even people that can help you in creating your own non-profit website. Visit OT5R to find out more.
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Find the right people
An organization cannot be made up of a single person. Therefore, you must collect like-minded individuals that can help you in establishing your advocacy. With the internet, they can be very easy to find. You can even create a network of individuals from all around the world that can help you in achieving your mission for the benefit of the entire human race. All it needs first is one single step: start now!
